Orthodontic bracket and orthodontic bracket set

Abstract

To provide a self-ligating bracket which can provide one or two slots and can be easily operated by a simple configuration, and a bracket set in which a plurality of these brackets are combined.　This orthodontic bracket (20) is provided with: a base (3) which can be fixed to the back surface of a tooth; a bracket body (1) which is fixed to the base (3) and which is equipped with slots (7, 8, 27) through which a wire (10) can be inserted and arranged; and a lid (14) which can cover the surface (19) of the bracket body (1), wherein the first slot (7) and second slot (8) are recessed with a gap therebetween in the surface (19) of the bracket body (1), a hinge (4) is provided at one end (28) of the bracket body (1), the lid (14) is rotatably connected via the hinge (4), and an engaging means that allows removable engagement of the lid (14) is provided at the other end (21) of the bracket body (1).

Description

Orthodontic brackets and orthodontic bracket sets

[0001] The present invention relates to orthodontic brackets, and more particularly to a self-ligating bracket and an orthodontic bracket set comprising a combination of a plurality of such self-ligating brackets.

[0002] Orthodontic treatment for correcting tooth alignment and bite involves the use of brackets that are fixed to the surfaces of the teeth and wires that are inserted into slots in the brackets to apply orthodontic force to the teeth. The conventional treatment method involves inserting the wire into the brackets and then ligating the wire and brackets with rubber bands, wire, or the like.

[0003] However, in the above-mentioned conventional treatment method, since the ligation work must be performed for each bracket fixed and positioned on each tooth, the wire attachment work becomes cumbersome and time-consuming, placing a heavy burden on the practitioner and the patient. Furthermore, in orthodontic treatment, in order to move the teeth to the desired orthodontic position, it is an essential condition that the wire that is orthodontic for the teeth must slide and move within the slots of the brackets.

[0004] However, when the wire is ligated to the bracket with a rubber band or wire as described above, the rubber band or wire presses the wire against the bracket, making it difficult for the wire to slide smoothly within the slot, resulting in the problem of longer treatment times.

[0005] Therefore, as shown in Patent Document 1, a self-ligating bracket that allows a wire to be fixed to the bracket without ligation is known. That is, the self-ligating bracket shown in Patent Document 1 is provided with a shutter that can cover the opening of a slot recessed in the bracket, and by sliding the shutter, the opening of the slot can be opened or closed as needed. Then, after opening the opening of the bracket and placing a wire in the slot, the shutter is closed, thereby fixing the wire to the bracket and performing orthodontic treatment.

[0006] By using self-ligating brackets in this way, there is no need to ligate the wire with rubber bands or wire, so the wire is not pressed against the bracket, and the wire can slide smoothly within the slot.

[0007] Patent No. 6950903

[0008] However, as shown in Patent Document 1, conventional self-ligating brackets have only one slot, which creates the difficulty of having to apply orthodontic force in the desired direction to the front teeth to be corrected using this single wire.

[0009] When orthodontic treatment is performed with a single wire, a wire with a square cross section is used, and the gap between the slot and the wire is narrowed, and the wire is twisted and inserted into the slot, and the torsional force of the wire is used to apply an orthodontic force in the desired direction to the tooth to which the bracket is attached via the bracket. Therefore, conventional self-ligating brackets require special techniques for the wire placement operation, and it is necessary to create a situation where there is no gap between the slot and the wire. Furthermore, because the torsional force of the wire must be transmitted to the tooth to which the bracket is attached via the slot and bracket, the wire used is limited to one with a square cross section, and wires with a round cross section, which have difficulty transmitting torsional force, cannot be used.

[0010] In contrast, a method is known in which two slots are provided in the bracket, allowing two wires to apply orthodontic force to the teeth. When two wires are attached to the bracket in this way, the two wires can apply orthodontic force to the teeth from two different directions. Therefore, unlike when using only one wire, no twisting force is required for the wire, and no special skills are required to manipulate the wire, making it possible to orthodont the target teeth with high precision and in a short period of time.

[0011] However, conventional self-ligation brackets have a shutter at the opening, which requires a large number of parts and space to open and close the shutter. This makes the bracket structure complex and bulky overall, and it is structurally difficult to provide two slots due to the limited space available.

[0012] Therefore, this application aims to solve the above-mentioned problems by providing a self-ligating bracket that can be provided with one or two slots, has a simple structure, and is easy to operate, as well as a bracket set that combines multiple such brackets.

[0013] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the first invention of the present application is an orthodontic bracket comprising a base that can be fixed to the back surface of a tooth, a bracket body that is fixed to the base and has a slot through which a wire can be inserted, and a lid that can cover the surface of the bracket body, wherein a first slot and a second slot are recessed at an interval on the surface of the bracket body, a hinge portion is provided at one end of the bracket body and the lid body is rotatably connected via the hinge portion, and an engaging means is provided at the other end of the bracket body that allows the lid body to be engaged freely and detachably.

[0014] The surface of the lid may be smooth, with a portion or the entire surface being curved. By forming the lid with a smooth curved surface as described above, the surface of the bracket becomes smooth in the oral cavity when the bracket is fixed and positioned on the tooth to be treated. This reduces the discomfort felt by the patient due to the presence of the bracket during treatment, and makes it less likely that the bracket will damage the oral cavity, thereby reducing the burden on the patient.

[0015] Furthermore, the bracket body may be provided with an engaging protrusion as the engaging means, and the lid may be provided with an engaging recess that can engage with the engaging protrusion at a position corresponding to the engaging protrusion. By providing the engaging protrusion and the engaging recess in this manner, it becomes possible to detachably fix the lid to the bracket body. Therefore, the lid can be easily opened or closed as needed during treatment, making the procedure easy and quick.

[0016] The first slot and the second slot may be formed so that the angle between their respective central axes in the depth direction intersects at 90°. By setting the intersecting angle between the central axes in the depth direction at 90° in this manner, it becomes possible to apply pressure to the teeth to be orthodontized with the desired strength and angle with precision using the wires placed in the first slot and the second slot. This makes it possible to more easily, stress-free, and efficiently perform precise three-dimensional control of the teeth to be orthodontized.

[0017] The inner surface of the lid may have a shape corresponding to the surface shape of the bracket body. By configuring the inner surface of the lid as described above, the inner surface of the lid can be positioned in contact with the surface of the bracket body, and the gap between the inner surface of the lid and the surface of the bracket body can be minimized. Therefore, the wire can be stably held in the slot.

[0018] The bracket body may be provided on one end side of the base.

[0019] The base may also be formed to extend from the bracket body so that it can cover the cervical side of the bracket body when attached to the mandibular anterior tooth. With the above-mentioned configuration, the back side of the anterior tooth to be treated can be covered by the base from the bracket body to the gum side, and the presence of the base makes it possible to effectively prevent the buildup of tartar around the bracket.

[0020] The second invention of the present application is an orthodontic bracket comprising a bracket body that can be fixed to the inner surface of a molar tooth and has a slot through which a wire can be inserted, and a lid that can cover the surface of the bracket body, wherein a slot is recessed in the surface of the bracket body, and the lid is rotatably connected to one end of the bracket body via a hinge portion. Note that the molar tooth in this invention includes both premolars and molars.

[0021] Furthermore, as described above, the bracket body of the second invention has only one slot, unlike the first invention which has two slots, so the size of the bracket body can be made smaller than that of the first invention. Therefore, it can be made smaller overall than the bracket of the first invention or a bracket with a conventional shutter, making it easier to avoid occlusal contact, reducing the risk of the device detaching from the tooth surface and making it easier to attach the bracket to the appropriate position on the tooth.

[0022] Alternatively, the orthodontic bracket set may be configured by combining a plurality of orthodontic brackets according to the first invention with a plurality of orthodontic brackets according to the second invention.

[0023] As described above, the first and second inventions of the present application have a simple configuration in which a lid is rotatably attached to the bracket body via a hinge portion. This allows the wire to be inserted into the slot or manipulated by simply rotating the lid open, and the wire attachment process can be completed by rotating the lid closed. This allows for easy, rapid treatment without the need for any special procedures. Furthermore, because the lid can cover the surface of the bracket body via the hinge portion, the surface of the bracket body can be made smooth and with minimal irregularities in the oral cavity during orthodontic treatment. This reduces the discomfort felt by the patient due to the presence of the bracket in the oral cavity during treatment, and makes it less likely for the bracket to injure the oral cavity, thereby reducing the burden on the patient.

[0024] Furthermore, because the first invention of the present application has a simple configuration as described above, there is no need to provide a special part for the cover on the bracket body, and it is possible to ensure sufficient space for providing two slots in the direction in which the axes of the two slots intersect. Therefore, since it is possible to insert and arrange two wires through the bracket body, there is no need to worry about the width of the gap between the slot and the wire, as is the case when orthodontic treatment is performed with a single wire, and it is possible to use not only wires with square cross sections but also wires with circular cross sections.

[0025] In addition, since no special techniques such as twisting wires are required, the treatment is easy to perform. Furthermore, compared to orthodontics using a single wire, it is possible to correct the teeth to the desired angle with greater precision, further shortening the treatment period.

[0026] The second invention of the present application also has a simple structure similar to the first invention, and unlike the first invention, it has only one slot, so it can be made smaller overall than the bracket of the first invention, which has two slots. This reduces the discomfort in the mouth when worn and further reduces the burden on the patient.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a side view of Example 1 illustrating the first invention of the present application. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the bracket body of Example 1. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the bracket body in Example 1 covered with a lid body. FIG. 4 is a side view showing the lid body in Example 1 opened. FIG. 5 is a front view showing the bracket of Example 1 fixed to the back surface of a front tooth. FIG. 6 is a side view showing the bracket of Example 1 fixed to the back surface of a front tooth. FIG. 7 is a side view showing Example 2 of the first invention of the present application. FIG. 8 is a side view showing the bracket of Example 2 fixed to the back surface of a front tooth. FIG. 9 is a side view of Example 3 illustrating the second invention of the present application. FIG. 10 is a plan view showing the bracket body in Example 3 covered with a lid body. FIG. 11 is a side view showing the bracket of Example 3 fixed to the side surface of a premolar. FIG. 12 is a side view of Example 4 illustrating the second invention of the present application. FIG. 13 is a plan view showing the bracket body in Example 4 covered with a lid body. FIG. 14 is a front view showing the bracket of Example 4 fixed to the side surface of a molar.

[0028] 1 to 6, a bracket body (1) is fixed at its bottom surface (2) to a flat base (3). The bracket body (1) is fixed to the base (3) so that a hinge portion (4) (described below) is located at one end (5) of the base (3). As shown in FIG. 1, the bracket body (1) has a side surface (6) that is generally fan-shaped, and a surface (19) formed into a smooth curve.

[0029] Because the bracket body 1 has a simple shape and configuration as described above, it is possible to ensure sufficient space for providing two slots 27 in the direction in which the axes of the two slots 27 intersect, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 1. For this reason, a first slot 7 and a second slot 8, each having a U-shaped cross section as shown in Figure 1, are recessed into the surface 19 of the bracket body 1 from one side to the other of the bracket body 1 with a gap therebetween, as shown in Figure 2.

[0030] By providing two slots 27 as described above, one wire 10 can be inserted into each slot 27, and orthodontic force can be applied to the teeth 11 by a total of two wires 10. This allows orthodontic force to be applied to the target teeth 11 from two different directions by the two wires 10. Therefore, compared to the prior art where only one wire 10 is used, orthodontic force can be applied to the teeth 11 from two different directions by the two wires 10, and orthodontic force can be applied to the teeth 11 with high accuracy in a short period of time without requiring special techniques such as twisting the wire 10.

[0031] Furthermore, the first slot 7 and the second slot 8 are formed so that their crossing angle in the depth direction is 90°, as shown by the dashed line in Figure 1 . By setting the crossing angle in the depth direction to 90°, the wires 10 placed in the first slot 7 and the second slot 8, respectively, can apply pressure to the target tooth 11 with the desired strength and angle with precision. This allows for easier and stress-free three-dimensional precise control of the target tooth 11. Furthermore, the bracket body 1 has a cylindrical hinge portion 4 at one end 28, and the other end 21 has projections 12 on both sides of the other end 21, as shown in Figure 1 , with engaging projections 13 protruding from the bottom surfaces of the projections 12. The engaging projections 13 and the projections 12 serve as the engaging means of this embodiment.

[0032] Next, the lid 14 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in Fig. 1, the lid 14 is formed from a thin plate and has a smooth surface 25. As shown in Fig. 1, the inner shape of the lid 14 corresponds to the shape of the surface 19 of the bracket body 1, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the lid 14 is able to cover the entire surface 19 of the bracket body 1. This allows the openings 23, 24 of the first slot 7 and the second slot 8 recessed in the bracket body 1 to be securely closed with a small gap 26 between the openings 23, 24 and the lid 14.

[0033] 3, one side 15 of the cover 14 is provided with a pair of hinge projections 9 at both ends of the side 15. The hinge projections 9 are formed so as to be insertable into cylindrical holes 16 of the hinge portion 4 provided in the bracket main body 1 in a direction parallel to the side 15. By inserting the hinge projections 9 of the cover 14 into the cylindrical holes 16 of the hinge portion 4, the cover 14 can be rotated relative to the bracket main body 1 around the hinge portion 4 as shown in FIG.

[0034] In this embodiment, the lid body (14) is rotatably connected to the bracket main body (1) by engaging the hinge protrusion (9) with the hinge portion (4) as described above, but in other different embodiments, it is not limited to this, and the bracket main body (1) may be provided with a hinge (not shown) as the hinge portion (4), and the bracket main body (1) and the lid body (14) may be connected via the hinge, thereby assembling the lid body (14) to the bracket main body (1) in a rotatable manner.

[0035] In addition, on the other side (17) of the cover body (14), as shown in Figure 1, an engagement recess (18) is provided at a position corresponding to the engagement protrusion (13) so that it can engage with the engagement protrusion (13) of the bracket body (1) when the cover body (14) is placed to cover the bracket body (1).

[0036] The bracket 20 thus formed is then fixed to the back surface of the front tooth 11 to be orthodontic treated, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. Specifically, the bracket is fixed and positioned so that the hinge portion 4 of the bracket body 1 faces the patient's gum (not shown) and the other side of the base 3 faces the incisal edge 22 of the front tooth 11. Then, as shown in Figure 4, the cover 14 is rotated to open the openings 23, 24 of the first slot 7 and the second slot 8, and the wire 10 having a square cross section is inserted and positioned in the first slot 7 and the second slot 8, respectively. After the wire 10 has been attached, the cover 14 is closed, completing the attachment of the wire 10.

[0037] As described above, the wire (10) can be inserted into the slot (27) and manipulated simply by rotating and opening the lid (14), and the wire (10) can be attached by rotating and closing the lid (14). This eliminates the need to apply a twisting force to the wire as with conventional brackets, making it possible to perform treatment easily and in a short time.

[0038] The cover 14 covers the surface 19 of the bracket body 1 via the hinge 4, and the cover 14 has a smooth surface 25. This makes the surface of the bracket 20 smooth in the oral cavity, reducing the discomfort caused by the presence of the bracket 20 during treatment and reducing the burden on the patient.

[0039] In the first embodiment, the hinge portion 4 of the bracket body 1 is fixed to the base 3 so as to be located on one end 5 of the base 3, but in this embodiment, the hinge portion 4 is further extended from the hinge portion 32 of the bracket body 31. Regarding the bracket 33 of this embodiment, referring to Figures 7 and 8, as shown in Figure 7, the bracket body 31 is located at the center of the base 34 in the longitudinal direction. Therefore, the base 34 is further extended from the hinge portion 32 of the bracket body 31.

[0040] By extending the base 34 as described above, when the bracket 33 of this embodiment is attached to the back surface of the front tooth 35, the base 34 covers the bracket body 31 and the gum side of the front tooth 35, as shown in Figure 8. Here, the back surface of the lower front tooth 35 in particular is prone to tartar formation due to the calcium component of saliva that flows from the salivary glands under the tongue mixing with plaque.

[0041] In particular, when orthodontic treatment is performed by attaching brackets 33 to the backside of the teeth 35, tartar tends to accumulate around the brackets 33 fixed to the backside of the mandibular front teeth 35, which can significantly impair the operability of the brackets 33. Therefore, in this embodiment, as described above, the bracket body 31 can be covered from the gum side by the base 34, and the presence of the base 34 makes it possible to effectively prevent tartar from building up around the brackets 33. The other configurations of this embodiment are the same as those of the first embodiment.

[0042] In the first and second embodiments, two slots 40 are provided in the bracket body 31, and a wire 37 can be inserted into each slot 40. This eliminates the need to worry about the size of the gap 38 between the slot 40 and the wire 37, as is the case when orthodontic treatment is performed using a single wire 37, and also makes it possible to use not only wires with square cross sections, but also wires 37 with circular cross sections as shown in Figure 7.

[0043] The brackets 20, 33 described in Examples 1 and 2 above are for anterior teeth 11, 35, with two slots 27, 40 provided in bracket bodies 1, 31, respectively. However, this example is for a bracket 51 for a premolar 53. This example, illustrating the second invention, will be explained with reference to Figures 9 to 11. Reference numeral 52 denotes a bracket body, the bottom surface 75 of which is fixed to a flat base 54. As shown in Figure 9, the surface 74 of the bracket body 52 is formed into a smooth curved surface.

[0044] A slot 58 into which the wire 57 can be inserted is provided in one location from the surface 74 of the bracket body 52 toward the base 54. A cylindrical hinge portion 61 is provided at one end 60 of the bracket body 52, and projections 63 are provided on both sides of the other end 62 as shown in Figure 9, with engaging projections 64 protruding from the bottom surfaces of the projections 63, and these engaging projections 64 serve as the engaging means of this embodiment.

[0045] Next, the lid 66 of this embodiment will be described. The lid 66 is formed from a thin plate and has a smooth surface 56. As shown in Fig. 9, the inner shape of the lid 66 corresponds to the shape of the surface 74 of the bracket body 52, and as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the lid 66 is able to cover the entire surface 74 of the bracket body 52. ​​This allows the opening 68 of the slot 58 recessed in the bracket body 52 to be securely closed with a small gap 78.

[0046] 10, one side 70 of the cover 66 is provided with a pair of hinge protrusions 71 on both ends of the one side 70. The hinge protrusions 71 are formed so as to be insertable into cylindrical holes 76 of the hinge portions 61 provided in the bracket main body 52 in a direction parallel to the one side 70. By inserting the hinge protrusions 71 of the cover 66 into the cylindrical holes 76 of the hinge portions 61, the cover 66 can rotate relative to the bracket main body 52 around the hinge portions 61.

[0047] In addition, on the other side (72) of the cover body (66), as shown in Figure 9, an engagement recess (77) is provided at a position corresponding to the engagement protrusion (64) that can engage with the engagement protrusion (64) of the bracket body (52) when the cover body (66) is placed to cover the bracket body (52).

[0048] The bracket 51 formed as described above is then fixed to the side of the premolar 53 to be corrected, as shown in Figure 11. The lid 66 is then rotated to open the opening 68 of the slot 58, and a wire 57 with a square cross section is inserted into the slot 58. After the wire 57 has been attached, the lid 66 is closed as shown in Figure 9, thereby completing the attachment of the wire 57.

[0049] As described above, the wire (57) can be inserted into the slot (58) and the wire (57) can be operated simply by rotating and opening the lid (66), and the wire (57) can be attached by rotating and closing the lid (66), so that the treatment can be easily performed in a short time.

[0050] The cover 66 covers the surface 74 of the bracket body 52 via the hinge 61, and the surface 56 of the cover 66 is made smooth. Therefore, the surface 74 of the bracket 51 becomes smooth in the oral cavity, which reduces the discomfort caused by the presence of the bracket 51 during treatment and reduces the burden on the patient.

[0051] Furthermore, in this example and in Example 4 below, the configuration of the bracket bodies (52) (101) is simple, similar to that of Examples 1 and 2 above, and unlike Examples 1 and 2 above, only one slot (58) is provided. Therefore, the brackets (51) of this example and Example 4 below can be formed even smaller than those of Examples 1 and 2 above, which are provided with two slots (27) (40). This makes it easier to avoid occlusal contact, reducing the risk of the device detaching from the tooth surface and making it easier to attach the bracket to the appropriate position on the tooth.

[0052] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the bracket 51 for the premolar 53 was described, which had one slot 58, but in this embodiment, only one slot 91 is provided, as in the third embodiment. Referring to Figures 12 to 14, the bracket 93 for the molar 92 in this embodiment is described. As shown in Figure 13, the bracket 93 for the molar 92 has a hook 95 parallel to the base 96 on the side of the hinge 94 of the bracket body 101 opposite the direction in which the cover 98 is disposed. The remaining configuration is the same as that of the bracket 51 described in the third embodiment.

[0053] The bracket 93 formed as described above is then fixed to the side of the molar tooth 92 to be corrected, as shown in Figure 14. The lid 98 is then rotated to open the opening 97 of the slot 91, and a wire 100 with a square cross section is inserted into the slot 91. After the wire 100 has been attached, the lid 98 is closed as shown in Figure 10, thereby completing the attachment of the wire 100.

[0054] When performing orthodontic treatment, the bracket (20) of Example 1 is used on the front teeth (11) on the upper jaw, the bracket (33) of Example 2 is used on the front teeth (35) on the lower jaw, the bracket (51) of Example 3 is used on the premolars (53), and the bracket (93) of Example 4 is used on the molars (92). Therefore, multiple combinations of the brackets (20), (33), (51), and (93) of Examples 1 to 4 can be used as an orthodontic bracket set.

[0055] 1, 31, 52, 101 Bracket body 3, 34, 54, 96 Base 4, 32, 61, 94 Hinge portion 5 One end (base) 7 First slot 8 Second slot 10, 37, 57, 100 Wire 13, 64 Engagement protrusion 14, 66, 98 Cover 18, 77 Engagement recess 19, 36, 74 Surface (bracket body) 20, 33, 51, 93 Bracket 21, 62 Other end (bracket body) 25, 56 Surface (cover) 27, 40, 58, 91 Slot 28, 60 One end (bracket body)

Claims

1. An orthodontic bracket comprising a base that can be fixed to the back surface of a tooth, a bracket body that is fixed to the base and has a slot through which a wire can be inserted, and a lid that can cover the surface of the bracket body, wherein a first slot and a second slot are recessed at an interval on the surface of the bracket body, a hinge portion is provided at one end of the bracket body and the lid body is rotatably connected via the hinge portion, and an engaging means is provided at the other end of the bracket body to allow the lid body to be engaged freely and detachably.

2. The orthodontic bracket according to claim 1, wherein the surface of the cover is smooth, and a part or the entire surface is curved.

3. An orthodontic bracket as described in claim 1, characterized in that the bracket body is provided with an engaging protrusion as the engaging means, and the lid body is provided with an engaging recess that can engage with the engaging protrusion at a position corresponding to the engaging protrusion.

4. The orthodontic bracket according to claim 1, wherein the first slot and the second slot are formed so that the central axes of the respective depth directions intersect at an angle of 90°.

5. The orthodontic bracket according to claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the cover has a shape corresponding to the surface shape of the bracket body.

6. The orthodontic bracket according to claim 1, wherein the bracket body is provided on one end side of the base.

7. An orthodontic bracket according to claim 1, wherein the base extends from the bracket body and is formed so as to be able to cover the cervical side of the tooth from the bracket body when attached to the mandibular anterior teeth.

8. An orthodontic bracket comprising a bracket body that can be fixed to the inner surface of a molar tooth and has a slot through which a wire can be inserted, and a lid that can cover the surface of the bracket body, characterized in that a single slot is recessed into the surface of the bracket body, the lid is rotatably connected to one end of the bracket body via a hinge portion, and the other end is provided with engaging means that allows the lid to be detachably engaged with the bracket body.

9. An orthodontic bracket set comprising a combination of a plurality of orthodontic brackets according to claim 1 and a plurality of orthodontic brackets according to claim 8.

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