Orthodontic brackets

Abstract

Orthodontic bracket (10) comprising a body having a base fixed to the outer surface of a tooth and a vestibule holding an orthodontic arc (13) extending generally in a mesiodistal direction, the bracket (10) comprising: a pocket (111) in the base that is at least partially open to the tooth when the base is fixed to the outer surface of the tooth, the pocket (111) receiving an adhesive material that, when cured, defines an attachment for an orthodontic aligner; a separation rib formed protruding from the base and positioned around the pocket (111) on an extension of the pocket (111), the separation rib configured to separate the adhesive material contained in the pocket (111) from the adhesive material received by the rest of the base; and a bend groove (114) above the vestibule, located in front of the pocket (111) and traversing the vestibule.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure belongs to the field of orthodontic brackets or implants. According to another aspect, the present invention relates to a remover for such orthodontic brackets or implants.

Background Art

[0002] Various orthodontic devices for treating the position of teeth are known. For example, orthodontic implants or orthodontic brackets are extremely effective for correcting occlusion, treating edentulous dentition, aligning tooth rows or correcting crowded dentition. These are implants that are individually adhered to teeth, through which orthodontic arcs pass. Due to the pressure exerted by the brackets and the arcs, the position of the teeth is corrected after a long-term treatment usually lasting several months or years.

[0003] There are various types of devices according to needs and budgets. For example, metal brackets are known for multiple advantages such as durability or versatility and are widely popular. However, since the treatment takes a long time, the voices of patients seeking improved comfort during treatment are gradually increasing.

[0004] First, from the perspective of physical comfort, brackets with a smooth and rounded shape are known to suppress the risk of snagging and oral gum damage. Also, ceramic brackets that are inconspicuous and have excellent aesthetics are known.

[0005] Brackets made of crystalline sapphire are known to be able to achieve both physical comfort and aesthetics due to transparency in addition to being expensive but enabling effective treatment.

[0006] Furthermore, for the purpose of physical comfort and aesthetics, the wearing of orthodontic aligners is included in some treatments. This type of aligner, which is custom-made according to the tooth alignment of each patient, is also an effective method and is still widely popular for orthodontics. The fact that orthodontic aligners are transparent is a major advantage.

[0007] In addition, treatment using both brackets and orthodontic aligners is also being performed. Specifically, the main part of the treatment is first carried out using brackets, and then one or more orthodontic aligners are used before the end of treatment. This allows for the elimination of patient discomfort caused by bracket wear as early as possible while maintaining a sufficiently reasonable treatment period.

[0008] However, when fitting this type of aligner, it is necessary to create a protruding support called an "attachment" on the tooth enamel to firmly hold the aligner on the tooth. Therefore, in this type of treatment, before fitting the aligner, the brackets must be removed, the adhesive used to bond the brackets removed, and then the attachment must be formed on the tooth surface. This type of attachment is usually formed from a material similar to or identical to the adhesive material used to bond the brackets.

[0009] Furthermore, since aligners are usually modeled using a computer, they require an impression that faithfully reflects the patient's tooth alignment. To produce a sufficiently accurate impression, the patient's brackets must be removed. Based on this impression, a so-called transition aligner, which serves as a mold for forming attachments on the patient's teeth, and the initial treatment aligner that requires attachments are manufactured. In addition to the waste of the transition aligner, which is used only for forming attachments, the patient will have to interrupt treatment with their brackets removed while the two aligners are being manufactured (1-2 weeks).

[0010] Furthermore, it is noteworthy that when aligners are used before brackets in other treatments, the attachments are removed from the patient's teeth when switching from aligners to brackets, resulting in a loss of positional precision.

[0011] It is necessary to resolve the aforementioned shortcomings of the existing technologies and improve this situation. [Overview of the Initiative] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0012] This disclosure aims to improve this situation. [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] An orthodontic bracket comprising a main body having a base fixed to the outer surface of a tooth and a vestibule that holds an orthodontic arc extending generally in the mesiodistal direction, - A pocket in the base that is at least partially open to the tooth when the base is fixed to the outer surface of the tooth, and which, when hardened, receives an adhesive material that defines an attachment for an orthodontic aligner, or a pocket that has already hardened, - Separation ribs formed protruding from the base and positioned around the pocket on an extension of the pocket, configured to separate the adhesive material contained within the pocket from the adhesive material received by the rest of the base, - A folded groove located on the front of the pocket and crossing the vestibule, and We propose a bracket characterized by including the following.

[0014] In a modified embodiment, the bracket can be bent along the bending groove, - The initial state in which the bracket is in its operational configuration, - The bracket is folded along the folding groove, and if there are contents in the pocket, this detaches them and releases the attachment. It switches between these two states.

[0015] In one embodiment of the bracket, the main body is - A slot comprising the pocket, the separation rib, and the bending groove, configured to receive an orthodontic curve, and a seat fixed to the tooth, - A flap that, in conjunction with the receiving seat, has at least two positions, i.e. 〇 An open position where the flap does not cover the slot of the seat and allows the insertion of an orthodontic archwire into the slot, and 〇 A closed position where the flap at least partially covers the slot and, if an orthodontic archwire is pre-inserted into the slot, holds it A flap that defines is included.

[0016] Advantageously, the flap is detachable.

[0017] In a variant embodiment of the invention, - The seat includes a guide rail and at least one stop notch located along the longitudinal central axis of the guide rail, - The flap includes a transverse sliding groove configured to be interlocked with the guide rail and a locking claw protruding from the flap, Thereby, when interlocked, the locking claw can be accommodated in the stop notch to determine the position of the flap.

[0018] Advantageously, the bending groove extends in the mesiodistal direction within the slot.

[0019] Alternatively, the flap includes a support stem protruding at one end and configured to receive an elastic ligature.

[0020] Advantageously, the body of the orthodontic bracket includes gripping ends arranged at both ends of the bracket body. Thus, these gripping ends are arranged on both sides of the bending groove, and these gripping ends receive a part of the remover and are configured to facilitate the bending of the body.

[0021] Also advantageously, the gripping ends are realized at the widest and strongest part of the bracket.

[0022] Even more advantageously, the gripping ends can also be used for inserting an elastic ligature during a specific treatment of the patient.

[0023] Instead, the wall of the pocket is smooth.

[0024] Instead, the wall of the pocket is covered with a surface coating that suppresses the adhesion of the adhesive material.

[0025] In a modified embodiment, the pocket extends over 0.5 to 3 millimeters in the vestibular-lingual direction and extends less than 3 millimeters in other directions.

[0026] Advantageously, the base fixed to the outer surface of the tooth includes a plurality of support legs that protrude from the base and are preferably evenly spaced or evenly distributed on the base. Advantageously, these support legs are arranged around the base surface.

[0027] These legs can be varied in length to impart a torque specific to this bracket and / or to conform to the anatomical shape of the vestibular part of the tooth.

[0028] Alternatively, this bracket can be provided with a hollow insert that engages into its pocket, and this insert has two lateral wings at one end thereof that can at least partially cover the separation rib and extend to a part of the base, and the lateral wings are configured to impart a predetermined torque to the bracket with respect to the outer surface of the tooth, and the lateral wings can be bent in accordance with the anatomical shape of the vestibular part of the corresponding tooth.

[0029] By means of this type of accessory or insert, a common planar base for each bracket can be advantageously obtained, and by adding this type of insert or accessory, a part of which is accommodated in the pocket, a torque angle of, for example, ±5° can be imparted to a given bracket.

[0030] This type of hollow insert is fixed in the pocket by fitting into the pocket or by clipping into the pocket.

[0031] Of course, this hollow insert can also have a frame at its end that covers the entire separation rib instead of a lateral wing.

[0032] Of particular note is that the aforementioned lateral wings ensure ease of setting for the operator and stability of the bracket when they are fitted to the anatomical shape of the corresponding tooth's vestibule.

[0033] Alternatively, the base and, if applicable, the separating ribs can be molded to give them a unique shape that conforms to the anatomical shape of the supporting teeth.

[0034] To the advantage, most of the brackets are - Metal materials such as stainless steel, titanium or nickel alloy, - Ceramics such as alumina-zirconia composites, or - Composite materials such as polyetheretherketone, or - Crystalline sapphire This will be achieved.

[0035] According to a second aspect of the present invention, a gripping device for the gripping end of an orthodontic bracket is proposed, which comprises two gripping arms that are respectively inserted into each gripping end of the orthodontic bracket and configured to bend the bracket along a bending groove.

[0036] According to a third aspect of the present invention, an attachment-forming assembly for an orthodontic aligner is proposed, comprising an orthodontic bracket and a prosthetic adhesive such as a liquid or viscous adhesive, or preferably a self-polymerizing or photopolymerizing composite material, or cement, wherein the prosthetic adhesive is contained at least within the pocket and hardens to form an attachment for the orthodontic aligner.

[0037] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, a method for forming an attachment on a target surface from an orthodontic bracket, comprising the following steps, namely - An orthodontic bracket comprising a main body having a base fixed to the target surface and an outer portion that holds an arc, ○ A pocket that is open in the base so as to be accessible from the target surface and is configured to receive an adhesive material that defines the attachment once cured, A separation rib extending from the base and around the pocket is configured to separate the adhesive material of the pocket from the adhesive material of the base by maintaining a state without adhesive material, 〇 Located on the front of the aforementioned pocket and crossing the outer portion, the outer portion has a folding groove and A method has been proposed that is characterized by realizing the step of supplying a bracket which further includes the following: As a result, the bracket can be bent along the bending groove, - The initial state in which the bracket is in its operational configuration, - The bracket is bent along the bending groove, resulting in a bent state that separates the contents of the pocket. It switches between these two methods, and in this method, - The application of adhesive material to the bracket base, including filling the pocket with adhesive material, - The separation rib is in direct contact with the target surface, and the bracket base is placed on the target surface. - The adhesive material is cured to fix the bracket to the target surface and form an attachment in the pocket of the retaining bracket. - The bracket is bent along the folding groove to release the contents of the pocket, - Removal of the bracket from the target surface and This ensures that the attachment, formed from the adhesive material, is securely fixed to the target surface.

[0038] Other features, details, and benefits will become clear by reading the detailed description below and analyzing the attached drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0039] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram of a bracket according to one embodiment and its main components is shown. [Figure 2] A schematic representation of the bracket's mounting base according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram of the bracket flap according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 4] A bracket according to one embodiment is shown, with a flap in an open position configured to receive an elastic ligature. [Figure 5] This is a mesial cross-sectional view of a bracket according to one embodiment. [Figure 6] The receiving seat in Figure 2 is shown from a different perspective. [Figure 7] Figure 6 shows a modified embodiment of the receiving seat. [Figure 8] A schematic diagram of a bracket according to one embodiment, which bends due to the stress of the remover, is shown from a mesial perspective. [Figure 9] A schematic diagram of the intraoral coordinate axes including a bracket according to one embodiment is shown. [Figure 10] This is a schematic perspective view of a bracket according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11] Figure 10 shows the mounting base for the bracket. [Figure 12] Figure 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the bracket shown. [Figure 13] Figure 10 is a bottom perspective view of only the bracket flap shown. [Figure 14] Figure 10 shows the bracket with the flap in the retracted position. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0040] From here on, we will refer to Figure 1, which schematically shows a bracket and its main components according to one embodiment, and Figure 9, which schematically shows the coordinate axes within the mouth where the bracket is located. Note that these are not necessarily to scale.

[0041] According to the present invention, the bracket 10 includes a body that is fixed to the tooth on a first inner side 332, i.e., in the direction of the tooth (also referred to as the "lingual" direction 332), and that holds an orthodontic arc 13 on a second outer or vestibular side 331 (i.e., in the direction of the cheek or lip). This arc 13 extends generally in the mesial direction 311, i.e. toward the midline 310 of the dental arch, and also distally 312 relative to the midline 310. In other words, the so-called mesiodistal direction of the arc 13 extends along the dental arch.

[0042] Furthermore, we define the gingival direction 321, that is, the direction toward the gums, and the occlusal direction 322, which is opposite to the gingival direction 321 toward the tip of the tooth or the direction toward closing the jaw.

[0043] The main body of bracket 10 consists of the following two parts, namely - The receiving seat 11 is the part that adheres to the tooth and supports the flap, - A flap 12 that works in conjunction with the receiving seat 11 to effectively hold the orthodontic curve 13, Includes.

[0044] From here, we will refer to Figures 2 and 3, which schematically show the receiving seat and flap of a bracket according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] The support seat 11 includes a guide rail 115, and the flap 12 includes a sliding groove 125. The guide rail 115 and the sliding groove 125 are sized to cooperate and to allow the flap 12 to move advantageously on the support seat 11.

[0046] Advantageously, the guide rail 115 has a base width (tongue side 332) that is narrower than the width of its upper surface (vestibular side 331), which prevents the flap 12 from moving in the vestibular-tongue direction on the receiving seat 11, forming a mortise and tenon joint system that holds the rail 115 within the sliding groove 125.

[0047] Advantageously, the guide rail 115 is perpendicular to the insertion slot 110 that receives the orthodontic arc 13 in the mesiodistal direction and extends in the occlusal gingival direction (i.e., from the tooth tip to the gingiva). In this way, the flap 12 can work in cooperation with the receiving seat 11 to completely surround and effectively hold the arc 13.

[0048] In a modified embodiment not shown, the flap is a cap that is fixed to the receiving seat (e.g., by clipping) while directly surrounding the arc 13 that has been previously inserted into the insertion slot 110.

[0049] Advantageously, the seat 11 of the present invention includes stop notches 116, and the flap 12 includes locking claws 126, so that when the flap 12 moves in translational motion on the rail 115 of the seat 11, the locking claws 126 are housed in each stop notch 116, thus allowing positioning at each stop notch.

[0050] In particular, the first stop notch 116 can hold the flap 12 in a position that closes the insertion slot (and potentially surrounds the arc line 13), and this position is referred to as the "closed position" or "pre-position". For example, Figure 1 shows the flap 12 in the closed position.

[0051] Alternatively, another stop notch 116 holds the flap 12 at a position sufficiently far from the insertion slot 110, allowing the arc 13 to be inserted into the insertion slot. In this case, the flap 12 is in a position referred to as the "open position" or "rear position". For example, Figure 4 shows the flap 12 in the open position.

[0052] The flap 12 may further include a second claw 122, called an open stopper, to favorably suppress translational motion that would cause the flap to move further away from the open position, by a stopper on the seat 11.

[0053] Alternatively, the flap 12 is advantageously removable and replaceable. For example, as shown in Figure 4, the flap 12 is replaced with a flap 12 that includes a stem 120 that receives an orthodontic elastic.

[0054] The receiving seat 11 further includes a recessed stopper 117 into which the flap 12, in the closed position, is inserted. The stopper 117, by its design, can advantageously re-center the flap 12 on the guide rail 115.

[0055] Advantageously, the flap 12, together with the seat 11 in the closed position, forms a substantially continuous and smooth vestibular surface, preventing the bracket from catching and injuring the patient's cheek or lip, thereby greatly improving patient comfort.

[0056] The flap 12 may also advantageously include a gripping zone 121 configured to receive tools for operating the flap 12 on the rail 115 of the receiving seat 11, in particular for switching the flap between the open and closed positions, and / or for completely removing the flap from the guide rail 115.

[0057] In a modified embodiment not shown, the body of the bracket 10 consists of a single receiving seat that includes an arc-shaped retaining mechanism 13, such as a clasp or retaining claw. This type of modified embodiment allows for an advantageous reduction in the number of bracket parts while maintaining sufficient therapeutic effect.

[0058] From here, we will refer to Figure 5, which shows a mesial cross-sectional view of the bracket 10 according to one embodiment, Figure 6, which shows the receiving seat 11 viewed from roughly the tongue side, and Figure 7, which shows a modified embodiment of the receiving seat 11.

[0059] The bracket 10 conveniently includes a pocket 111 designed to receive adhesive material and form an attachment. This attachment is already formed at the stage when the bracket is thus attached to the patient's tooth. When the bracket is removed, the attachment remains on the tooth, which conveniently allows subsequent treatment with the aligner to continue without requiring any additional work by the dentist.

[0060] This pocket 111 favorably opens onto a base 113 which is bonded to the patient's tooth. When the adhesive material is applied to the base 113, the pocket is simultaneously favorably filled with the adhesive material.

[0061] In another embodiment, the pocket 111 may be filled with a material different from the adhesive applied to the base 113, such as an attachment-specific material, among other things.

[0062] To clearly separate the adhesive material on the base 113 from the adhesive material contained within the pocket 111, the bracket 10 includes a separation rib 112 that protrudes around the pocket 111 on the base 113, so that the rib 112 is an extension of the pocket 111. When the bracket 10 is attached to the patient's tooth, the separation rib 112 is in direct contact with the tooth, maintaining a state free of adhesive.

[0063] Advantageously, the protrusions created by this separation rib, structurally, push out adhesive material on both sides when the dentist bonds the bracket 10 to the tooth. Thus, the groove may have a sloped shape on one or more sides to facilitate the discharge of the extruded adhesive material.

[0064] Alternatively, the separation rib can be easily scraped off before the bracket 10 is attached to the tooth, in order to maintain an adhesive-free state without having to remove any further adhesive material from the base 113 or pocket 111.

[0065] Advantageously, the base 113 may have protrusions on its surface to increase the contact area with the adhesive material. Preferably, the base 113 may be grooved.

[0066] Similarly, the base 113 may have recesses or holes (not shown) to increase the amount of adhesive material and / or the contact area with the adhesive material. Thus, these holes and edges of the base 113 are made to receive at least some of the adhesive material to improve the grip of the base 113, and for example, protrusions may be provided on the inner surface of the holes.

[0067] Alternatively, the base 113 may include a set of support legs 1131 to advantageously reduce the risk of rattling or loss of precision when mounting the bracket 10, as shown in Figure 7.

[0068] Furthermore, these legs advantageously suppress the shear stress exerted by the receiving seat 11 on the teeth and the rotational stress around the ventral lingual axis. These support legs 1131 are advantageously distributed on the base 113, and even more advantageously, protruding from the base 113 onto the inner ring of the base 113 periphery.

[0069] The support legs 1131 protrude from the base 113 to a similar degree as the separation ribs 112, so that when the bracket 10 is mounted, the ribs and legs simultaneously contact the teeth, at least partially, to prevent the absence of adhesive material. The thickness of the support legs is between 0.2 mm and 1 mm, preferably 0.5 mm, and ideally the same thickness as the separation ribs.

[0070] The support legs 1131 can take on various shapes, for example, but are not limited to, cylindrical, hemispherical, parallelepiped, or more generally, pseudo-prism shapes.

[0071] Advantageously, the support legs are evenly or substantially evenly distributed around the base 113 or its periphery, for example, four of which form a rhombic shape at the gingival, occlusal, mesial, and distal ends, or six of which form a (regular or substantially regular) hexagon, as shown in Figure 7.

[0072] The pocket 111 advantageously includes a smooth surface to prevent the adhesive material contained within from adhering to the bracket 10. In fact, when the bracket 10 is removed, the adhesive material contained within the pocket 111 remains non-adherent to the bracket 10, so that the attachment thus formed is securely fixed to the tooth in its complete state.

[0073] The pocket 111 may also include a hollowed-out section 1111 or a chamfered section on its inner edge to allow for easy release of the attachment when removing the bracket.

[0074] Alternatively, in a modified embodiment not shown, the pocket 111 may include one or more holes, preferably leading to the vestibule, to prevent any suction action when the bracket is removed.

[0075] Advantageously, the pocket 111 may include a surface coating that reduces the adhesion of the material it contains. For example, coating the inner wall of the pocket 111 with a sterile lubricating gel primarily composed of water allows the bracket 10 to be removed from the tooth without damaging the material of the pocket 111.

[0076] Thus, the pocket 111 acts as the attachment mold and can take on various shapes. For example, it can be a parallelepiped as shown in the figure, or a cylindrical, pyramidal, conical, or prism shape. The shape of the pocket can be advantageously adapted to each type of orthodontic aligner.

[0077] Advantageously, in modified embodiments not shown, the pocket can have a customizable shape by inserting an adapter. For example, a cylindrical adapter with the exact same outer surface is inserted into a cylindrical pocket and secured within the pocket using a dedicated fastening means. Thus, the adapter itself contains a smaller second pocket of a different shape, such as a cube. This allows the cylindrical pocket in this example to be adjusted into a smaller cubic pocket.

[0078] Typically, the pocket 111 extends over a depth of 0.5 to 3 millimeters, preferably 1 millimeter (in the vestibular-lingual direction), and its shape is confined to a circle with a diameter of less than 5 millimeters (in the normal plane of the depth).

[0079] Preferably, the pocket 111 and rib are configured to form an attachment of a shape and size capable of supporting an orthodontic aligner.

[0080] The precise position and shape of the pocket 111 within the bracket 10 is a significant advantage in treating patients. This is because, when taking an impression of the tooth together with the bracket, the position of the attachment on the tooth can be accurately determined from the position of the bracket when releasing the attachment.

[0081] To allow for easier release of the attachment, the bracket 10, more specifically the mounting seat 11, includes a bend groove 114. Advantageously, this bend groove 114 is located on the vestibular side of the bracket, and its depth extends in the tongue direction 332. The bend groove 114 also advantageously traverses the bracket 10.

[0082] Advantageously, this type of groove 114 imparts vulnerability to the bracket 10, making it more prone to bending. In fact, since the groove penetrates laterally, if two so-called bending stresses are applied to each side of the groove (only in the first vestibule direction), the resulting moment of force (of opposite signs) will attempt to bend the bracket 10 at the location of the bending groove 114. This allows the bracket 10 to transition from its initial state, which corresponds to its configuration under action, to a bent state.

[0083] In this way, the bracket 10 bends along the bending groove 114 due to the shape of the groove and the elasticity of the bracket material. In the deformation embodiment, the groove is located in a material different from the bracket, which advantageously improves elasticity and reduces the risk of breakage.

[0084] Advantageously, the bracket can thus undergo elastic deformation within the bending groove 114, in which case the bracket returns to its initial position when the bending stress is removed. Alternatively, the bracket 10 can undergo plastic deformation and maintain its bent position even after the bending stress is removed.

[0085] In these modified embodiments, the bracket is made up of, for example, a large part of a metallic material such as stainless steel, titanium, or nickel alloy, or a ceramic such as alumina-zirconia composite, or a composite material such as polyetheretherketone (PEEK), or crystalline sapphire, which advantageously retains its bending properties.

[0086] Alternatively, depending on the material used for the bend groove portion of the orthodontic bracket, the depth and / or cross-sectional shape of the bend groove can be advantageously adapted during bracket manufacturing.

[0087] In a modified embodiment not shown, the groove may include joints connecting its walls, thereby advantageously facilitating bending around these joints and reducing the risk of breakage.

[0088] Alternatively, in another embodiment, the bracket may be designed to break at the groove portion of groove 114, allowing the attachment to be released when it breaks.

[0089] Therefore, the groove 114 is advantageously positioned on the front of the pocket 111. When the bracket 10 bends, the volume of the pocket 111 increases, causing the pocket to mold and easily release the adhesive attachment it contained.

[0090] The groove 114 may extend transversely in the direction of the occlusal gingiva, but it is advantageous for the groove 114 to extend transversely in the mesiodistal direction, and even more advantageously, it extends from the insertion slot 110 that receives the orthodontic arc 13.

[0091] The groove positioned at the bottom of the slot 110 is advantageously thin in the vestibular-lingual direction of the bracket, and the slot 110 (without the orthodontic arc 13) leaves space for the vestibular portion of the bracket 10 to move when bent.

[0092] Advantageously, the gingival and occlusal walls of the slot 110 come into contact during bending, acting as stoppers to prevent the bracket from breaking at the bending groove 114. In this way, the bracket bends advantageously without breaking.

[0093] Alternatively, the bending groove 114 has a V-shaped cross-section in which the wall forms a stopper when bent.

[0094] In another embodiment, the attachment used in treatment performed by attaching brackets after treatment with an aligner is already present on the surface of the patient's tooth. A bracket 10 with an empty pocket 111 (in this case, only the base 113 has adhesive material) is advantageously bent to position the existing attachment correctly within the pocket 111, and then the bend is straightened to hold the attachment within the pocket 111. A bracket thus mounted on the patient's tooth takes advantage of the precision of the attachment's position (determined by an impression faithful to the patient's dentition).

[0095] From here, refer to Figure 8, which shows a bracket according to one embodiment, which can be bent by a remover, from a mesial viewpoint.

[0096] The bracket advantageously includes gripping ends 118 located at its occlusal and gingival ends. These gripping ends 118 facilitate the insertion of a remover for applying the stress. The distance from the end to the groove 114 is advantageously the optimal moment arm for bending the bracket 10.

[0097] Furthermore, the gripping end 118 advantageously includes a chamfered portion or a recessed shape around its outer circumference to facilitate the insertion of the jaws of the remover into the gripping end 118.

[0098] Advantageously, a third stress (in the tongue direction 332, opposite to the previous two stresses) can be applied to the groove portion to concentrate the stresses within the groove and facilitate bending.

[0099] Thus, the bracket may include a retaining zone that can advantageously receive and hold the retaining arm of the remover, with a portion of it overlapping the groove 114. This retaining zone may be, for example, a small recess (shallower than the groove) into which such a retaining arm can be inserted.

[0100] Alternatively, the retaining zone may have a protruding element, and the retaining arm may be shaped to receive this element to form a mating portion that advantageously prevents the remover from slipping.

[0101] In this bent state, the bracket 10 can be straightened by its inherent elasticity, or by applying an opposing stress if it is undergoing plastic deformation, returning to its initial configuration during operation. This feature gives the bracket a detachable characteristic. This is because the bracket can be bent and removed to release the attachment during treatment procedures such as impression taking, and then straightened and repositioned around the attachment, allowing the patient's treatment to continue, for example, while an aligner is being manufactured based on the impression.

[0102] Alternatively, and advantageously, it is possible to obtain a digital impression of the patient's teeth alignment without removing the brackets. This is because the precise position of the bracket attachments can be determined by geometry. In other words, since the precise shape of the brackets is known, the shape and position of the bracket attachments can be determined from the impression.

[0103] Alternatively, the bracket 10 includes removable grip portions 119 at its mesial and distal ends that grasp the bracket and generate shear stress or "detachment" stress on the tooth. Advantageously, in special treatments or if it is determined that the bracket is ineffective for any tooth, this stress allows the attachment to be detached from the pocket 111 and the bracket to be removed.

[0104] Alternatively, the guide rail 115 of the receiving seat 11 can serve as a removal grip portion 119. In fact, for example, when the width of the guide rail 115 extending in the occlusal gingival direction is narrower at its base (lingual side 332) than at its upper surface (vestibular side 331), the resulting recess can allow the remover to grip the bracket 10 and create shear stress.

[0105] The remover 20 includes two levers, an upper (i.e., gingival side) lever 21 and a lower (i.e., occlusal side) lever 22, which work in conjunction around a pivot element to form pliers.

[0106] Therefore, each lever 21, 22 includes a gripping portion on the first side of the pivot for the doctor's hand to grasp, and a clamping portion on the other side including an offset arm with jaws 211, 221 at its ends. The jaws protrude and thus, together with the offset arm, form a specific angle.

[0107] Thus, the remover 20 is configured such that the jaws 211 and 221 are inserted into the gripping end 118 of the bracket of the present invention by a gripping motion.

[0108] Advantageously, the jaws 211 and 221 are inserted obliquely so as to contact the ventral inner surface of the gripping end 118. In this way, this type of gripping motion imparts ventral stress to each gripping end 118.

[0109] The remover 20 also advantageously includes a retaining arm 23, which is configured such that the two angles formed by this retaining arm between itself and the two offset arms of levers 21 and 22 are maintained in a substantially constant ratio regardless of the pivot angle of the levers. Preferably, the two angles are identical, in which case the retaining arm extends along the bisector of the opening angle formed by each lever.

[0110] For example, the ratio can be kept substantially constant by holding two springs between the retaining arm and each offset arm to hold the retaining arm in a relaxed state within the pivot element. Alternatively, the retaining arm is held within the pivot element by a gear mechanism configured to maintain the angular ratio constant.

[0111] Selectively, the retaining arm 23 includes recessed or protruding elements on protruding or recessed elements of the retaining zone of the bracket, respectively, so as to form a mating portion of the retaining arm 23 within the retaining zone of the bracket. These elements can advantageously prevent the remover from slipping.

[0112] In another embodiment, the remover includes a handle having a U-shaped gripping head at one end, preferably with the gripping head perpendicular to the handle, and both sides therebetween forming gripping arms of the bracket which are inserted into the gripping ends 118 of the bracket of the present invention.

[0113] In this way, the head of this type of remover can be inserted into the gripping end 118 of the bracket by movement along the mesiodistal axis. Once the head is inserted, the bracket can be bent by the vestibular movement of the remover.

[0114] The shape of the head of this type of remover is not limited, and only the movement for insertion into the gripping end is determined by the shape of the head. For example, the head can follow the ridges of a pyramidal pyramid with a square base (considering only two opposing ridges extending from the vertex and two opposing ridges on the base), in which case the head, if collinear with the vestibulolant axis, is inserted by rotational motion around the height (central axis) of this type of pyramidal pyramid and translational motion in the lingual direction.

[0115] Figures 10 to 14 show orthodontic brackets 40 according to another embodiment.

[0116] The elements shown in Figures 10 to 14, which are given the same reference numbers as the elements shown in Figures 1 to 9, represent the same objects, and their explanations are omitted below.

[0117] The orthodontic bracket 40 shown in Figures 10 to 14 differs significantly from that disclosed in Figures 1 to 9 in that the flap 41 is detachable, can be inserted into a fixed position on the receiving seat 42 by movement along axis z or an axis perpendicular to the base 113, or can be removed from there, and the base 113 is a plane that is supported on a horizontal plane.

[0118] The flap 41 is equipped with a re-centering member 43 at one end that is housed and cooperates with an end stopper 44 located on a receiving seat 42. This configuration eliminates the need for grooves, and as a result, the flap 41 moves in a sliding manner.

[0119] The flap 41 is removed by sliding it vertically using a tool inserted into a special slit 45 provided inside the flap 41 body.

[0120] A significant advantage is that this flap 41 is removable, and during orthodontic treatment, - Addition of intermaxillary elastic support stems, - Color changes or customization to match the patient's enamel color, or - Replacement of flaps worn out by repeated friction or damaged by impact. It is replaced for that purpose. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0121] 10 (orthodontic brackets) 11 Receiving seat 12 flaps 13. Orthodontic curve 20 Remover 21 Upper lever 22 Lower lever 23. Retaining arm 41 Flap 42 Receiving seat 43 Re-centering member 44 End stopper 45 slits 110 slots 111 pockets 112 Separation Ribs 113 Base 114 Folding groove 115 Guide Rail 116 Stop Notch 117 Concave Stopper 118 Gripping end 119 Removable grip section 120 (support) stem 121 Gripping Zone 122 Second locking claw (release stopper) 125 slip grooves 126 Lock Claw 211 Jaw 221 Jaw 310 Midline 311 Mesial direction 312 Centrifugal direction 321 Gingival direction 322 Occlusal direction 331 Vestibular direction 332 Tongue direction 1111 Drill 1131 Support legs

Claims

1. An orthodontic bracket (10) includes a main body comprising a base (113) fixed to the outer surface of a tooth and a vestibule that holds an orthodontic arc (13) extending generally in a mesiodistal direction, - A pocket (111) in the base (113) that is at least partially open to the tooth when the base (113) is fixed to the outer surface of the tooth, and which, when hardened, receives an adhesive material that defines an attachment for an orthodontic aligner, or receives an already hardened attachment. - A separation rib (112) formed protruding from the base (113) and positioned on the extension of the pocket (111) at the periphery of the pocket (111), wherein the separation rib (112) is configured to separate the adhesive material contained in the pocket (111) from the adhesive material received by the rest of the base (113), - A bend groove (114) located on the front of the pocket and crossing the vestibule, and A bracket (10) for orthodontic treatment, characterized by including the following.

2. The orthodontic bracket can be bent along the bending groove (114), - The initial state in which the orthodontic bracket (10) is configured during operation, - The orthodontic bracket is bent along the bending groove (114), and if there is contents in the pocket, it is bent in a state that detaches the contents and releases the attachment. The orthodontic bracket (10) according to claim 1, characterized by switching between the following states.

3. The aforementioned main body, - A receiving seat (11) fixed to the tooth, comprising the pocket (111), the separation rib (112), and the bending groove (114), and further including a slot (110) configured to receive an orthodontic arc (13), - A flap (12) that, in conjunction with the receiving seat, has at least two positions, namely 〇 The flap (12) does not cover the slot (110) of the receiving seat (11), and an open position is provided that allows the insertion of the orthodontic curve (13) into the slot, ○ The flap (12) covers the slot (110) at least partially, thereby holding the orthodontic curve (13) in a closed position if it has been pre-inserted into the slot (110). A flap (12) that defines and A bracket (10) for orthodontic treatment according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by including the following.

4. The orthodontic bracket (10) according to claim 3, wherein the flap (12) is detachable.

5. - The receiving seat (11) includes a guide rail (115) and at least one stop notch (116) located along the longitudinal central axis of the guide rail (115), - The flap (12) includes a transverse sliding groove (125) configured to interlock with the guide rail (115), and a locking claw (126) protruding from the flap (12), As a result, when the locking claw (126) is interlocked, the position of the flap (12) can be determined, as described in claim 3 or 4 for orthodontic bracket (10).

6. The orthodontic bracket (10) according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the bending groove (114) extends in the mesiodistal direction within the slot (110).

7. An orthodontic bracket (10) according to any one of claims 3 to 6, comprising a support stem (120) protruding from one end, configured such that the flap (12) receives an elastic ligature.

8. The orthodontic bracket (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the main body of the orthodontic bracket includes gripping ends (118) disposed at both ends of the bracket body, and these gripping ends (118) are arranged on both sides of the bending groove (114), and these gripping ends (118) are configured to receive a part of the remover and facilitate bending of the main body.

9. The orthodontic bracket (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the wall of the pocket (111) is smooth.

10. The orthodontic bracket (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the wall of the pocket (111) is covered with a surface coating configured to suppress adhesion of the adhesive material.

11. The orthodontic bracket (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the pocket (111) extends 0.5 to 3 millimeters in the vestibulolingual direction and less than 3 millimeters in the other direction.

12. An orthodontic bracket (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the base (113) fixed to the outer surface of a tooth includes a plurality of support legs (1131) protruding from the base and preferably distributed at equal intervals or evenly on the base (113) and around its surface.

13. An orthodontic bracket (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 11, comprising a hollow insert that engages in the pocket (111), the hollow insert having two lateral wings that can at least partially cover the separation rib (112) and extend to a portion of the base (113), the lateral wings being configured to impart a predetermined torque to the orthodontic bracket on the outer surface of the tooth, and the lateral wings being able to bend to conform to the anatomical shape of the vestibule of the corresponding tooth.

14. An assembly for forming an attachment for an orthodontic aligner, comprising an orthodontic bracket (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, and a prosthetic adhesive such as a liquid or viscous adhesive, or preferably a self-polymerizing or photopolymerizing composite material, or cement, wherein the prosthetic adhesive is contained in at least the pocket and hardens to form an attachment for the orthodontic aligner.

15. A device for gripping the gripping end of an orthodontic bracket (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the gripping device comprises two gripping ends, each inserted into each gripping end of the orthodontic bracket and configured to bend the orthodontic bracket along a bending groove.

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