651 results about "Arch wires" patented technology

A patient's dentition is analysed to determine an orthodontic treatment plan by simulating an intervention in advance. 3D imaging techniques and computer technology are used to simulate and predict tooth movement as a function of the chosen treatment, i.e. a specific orthodontic appliance. In this way treatment options can be compared and the most optimal (shortest treatment time, lowest forces . . . ) treatment for each individual patient can be selected. Sub-steps of the tooth movement are not predefined but computed based on a simulation of orthodontic elements and wire as they would be used in the orthodontic treatment of the patient. This means that the sub-steps are calculated based on the relationship between the applied loads and the tooth movement; only one of both parameters can be chosen freely. Thus, either the tooth load is specified and applied in order to calculate the resulting tooth movement or vice versa the tooth movement is specified and applied in order to calculate the tooth load that should be applied. Moreover, the current invention allows predicting the time at which brackets and / or archwire should be changed, and comparing different treatment options with respect to tooth loading and duration.

This invention provides an adjustable orthodontic bracket. The adjustable orthodontic bracket includes an orthodontic arch wire slot / tube and fixing part, an adjustable part, and a tooth surface fixing part. The orthodontic arch wire slot and fixing part is used to fix one or several orthodontic arch wire(s). The adjustable part is fixed under the orthodontic arch wire slot / tube and fixing part and provides a structure allowing the orthodontic arch wire slot / tube and fixing part to be turned around and fixed, and thereby the orthodontic arch wire slot / tube and fixing part is able to generate a stress to teeth for orthodontic treatment through turning itself around to pull and drag the orthodontic arch wire(s). The tooth surface fixing part is used to fix the adjustable part on tooth surface.

A self-locking orthodontic bracket comprises a body (1) and a base (2) contoured to fit a tooth surface. The body (1) has an arch wire slot (3) extending horizontally across the labial / buccal surface, a pair of tie wings (4A and 4B) projecting vertically on either side of the arch wire slot (3), a retainer member (6) having a transverse part and two perpendicular horizontal extensions at the end (6A and 6B) attached to the sides of one of the tie wings (4A) and a slidable cover (5) retained and guided in the recess created between the retainer member (6) and the surface of the tie wing (4A). The slidable cover (5) can be moved vertically towards the tip of the tie wing (4A) to open the arch wire slot (3) and it can be moved in the opposite direction to close the arch wire slot (3).Different embodiments of the slidable cover (5) and the retainer member (6) are disclosed herein.

A robotic bending apparatus for bending archwires and other types of elongate, bendable medical devices into a desired configuration includes a first gripping tool and a moveable gripping tool. The first gripping tool can be either fixed with respect to a base or table for the robot or positioned at the end of robot am. The moveable gripping tool is mounted to the end of a moveable robot arm having a proximal portion also mounted to the base. The robot preferably comprises a six axis bending robot, in which the distal end of the moveable arm can move relative to the fixed gripping tool about three translational axes and three rotational axes. The gripping tools preferably incorporate force sensors which are used to determine overbends needed to get the desired final shape of the archwire. The robot may also include a resistive heating system in which current flows through the wire while the wire is held in a bent condition to heat the wire and thereby retain the bent shape of the wire. A magazine for holding a plurality of straight archwires needing to be bent and a conveyor system for receiving the wires after the bending process is complete are also described. The robot bending system is able to form archwires with any required second and third order bends quickly and with high precision. As such, it is highly suitable for use in a precision appliance-manufacturing center manufacturing a large number of archwires (or other medical devices or appliances) for a distributed base of clinics.

A method and apparatus is provided for digitally checking the insertion quality of a target customized virtual arch wire designed during treatment planning prior to actually manufacturing the target arch wire. The method includes the steps of digitally simulating the insertion of the customized target virtual arch wire into the virtual brackets placed up on virtual teeth of a patient in an initial state of interest for checking if the arch wire could be inserted into the virtual brackets without conflicts or collisions. The initial state may be a malocclusion state or any intermediate treatment state of the patient. In the event the target virtual arch wire would cause conflicts, then the simulation optimizes the arch wire design in an attempt to eliminate the conflicts. In another aspect, a method is provided for selecting the recommended starting point for inserting the customized arch wire in the brackets placed on the dentition of the patient in the initial state.

A removable orthodontic appliance and methods of use and manufacturing of the removable orthodontic appliance for repositioning teeth of an upper jaw or lower jaw are provided. The removable orthodontic appliance comprises a trough shaped arch tray that defines an interstitial space between the sides of the arch tray for accommodating the teeth. The arch tray form fits over the contours of the teeth of the upper jaw or lower jaw from a first molar region through a second molar region. The arch tray extends down the teeth on a labial surface and a lingual surface of the teeth to the gingival areas. One or more arch wires are infused and rigidly anchored within the lingual side of the arch tray. Each of the arch wires comprises a surface pre-infused with a polymeric material for rigidly bonding to the lingual side of the arch tray.

The present invention relates to an arch wire that is used during orthodontic treatment. In accordance to the present invention a five segment orthodontic arch wire to provide a track for movement of teeth for correcting misalignment of teeth, said arch wire generally having ‘U’ shape and having same longitudinal axis through out the length, said arch wire characterized by: first segment having rectangular cross section and being provided for the posterior, 2nd premolar and molar region in left side of the jaw; second segment having rectangular cross section with rounded off corners, said second segment is followed by said first segment and provided for the canine and first premolar region in left side of the jaw; third segment having rectangular cross section, said third segment is followed by said second segment and provided for the anterior, incisor region; fourth segment having rectangular cross section with rounded off corners, said fourth segment is followed by said third segment and provided for the canine and 1st premolar region in right side of the jaw; and fifth segment having rectangular cross section, said fifth segment is followed by said fourth segment and provided for the posterior, 2nd premolar and molar region in right side of the jaw, wherein said arch wire is single piece and continuous in construction. Also an orthodontic apparatus comprising a five segment orthodontic arch wire in accordance with the present invention along with slotted bracket is also provided.

An orthodontic bracket of the present invention is an orthodontic bracket to be attached through adhesive to an individual tooth in an alignment of teeth including a tooth to be corrected comprising two claws faced to each other, the two claws forming therebetween an engaging slot for engaging an arch wire and the engaging slot having a T-shaped cross section, and a fixed spacer provided on the bottom of the engaging slot.

A removable orthodontic appliance of discrete plastic sleeves, each being receivable over a corresponding tooth of a patient. Lingual clips are fastened to the corresponding tooth and which are engageable with corresponding structure of the sleeves for removably retaining each of said plastic sleeves to the corresponding tooth of the patient. Buccal brackets are fixably carried on a side of each of the sleeves positionally corresponding to a buccal surface of the corresponding tooth to which each of the sleeves is receivable. An arch wire is ligated to each of the buccal brackets to extend therebetween. The system can be conveniently removed for cleaning and adjustment.

An orthodontic bracket has a clip which is curved substantially in U-shape as covering at least one part of an opposite side to a base in an arch wire slot. Catching end portions which are provided at an upper end part of the clip may be caught to enable to creep under a cover portion supported by the bracket main body. The clip is formed at the upper end part thereof with a concave portion as a recess portion which enables to catch a clip release tool for releasing the clip.

The invention is a buccal tube for securing an orthodontic wire to a tooth. The device includes a base or flange for attaching to a tooth and one or more tubes fixed to the base, each tube having a bore for receiving an arch wire. The tube bore includes mesial and distal ends and a center portion. The center bore portion has a shape and dimensions for receiving and securing the wire. Both the mesial and distal bore ends of the tube are flared to accommodate receiving the arch wire, particularly when extending an arch wire from a first mesial buccal tube to a second distal buccal tube as adjacent molars are engaged in the orthodontic process.

An orthodontic bracket system includes a plurality of orthodontic brackets, each bracket sized and configured to be placed on a particular tooth of a patient during an orthodontic treatment procedure. Each bracket includes at least two arch wire slots that lie in different planes. The arch wire slots are positioned relative to the bracket base so that when the patient's teeth have become properly aligned as a result of the orthodontic procedure, the corresponding arch wire slots of all the brackets will be substantially aligned.

An orthodontic bracket or convertible buccal tube for use with arch wires has the usual mesial distal extending slot having one side open to receive the wire. The open side is closed by a shutter pivoting on a pivot pin, or coaxial pins, about a mesial distal axis, the shutter being latched in slot closed position to retain the arch wire by a latch having one latch member on the pivot pin / s and a cooperating member on an annular part of the shutter surrounding the pin / s. Preferably the latch members are a mesial distal extending cam shaped recess in the pivot pin / s and a projection protruding from the annular shutter part, or vice versa. The part of the annular shutter part carrying the latch member is made flexible by a mesial distal extending through slot dividing it to form a movable segment of about 200° to 270° of the total circumference; a tool can be inserted into the slot to assist in disengaging the latch. The shutter member can have parts thereof that with the shutter in slot closed position are an interference fit against the device body providing an additional retaining force against opening movement. Preferably the device includes an attitude controlling spring member consisting of a thin sheet metal spring within the body having a free end extending into the arch wire slot to engage an arch wire therein, or alternatively consisting of a flexible extension of the part of the shutter member that closes the slot.

A compact orthodontic bracket that employs a simple method of self-ligation, is compatible with both permanent and deciduous teeth and is less expensive to manufacture than existing commercial brackets. The bracket utilizes a rotary plate that covers an arch wire slot when closed and can be pivotably opened to allow arch wire changes. Ligation may also be augmented using conventional ligatures on the paired tie wings. The simplicity of the ligating mechanism allows manufacturing of a smaller bracket. It is also less vulnerable to the clogging effects of salivary deposits than commercial self-ligating brackets currently in use.

The invention discloses a manufacture method of an individual orthodontic appliance for a tongue, comprising the following steps: taking dental casts; manually arranging teeth for the dental casts; establishing a three-dimensional CAD model; plotting a plane of an arch wire and the arch wire; designing a single bracket CAD structural model; guiding the model into a quick wax model machine to obtain a wax model of the orthodontic appliance; casting the wax model to obtain a bracket after necessary surface treatment; putting the single bracket CAD structural model on the CAD models of original dental casts in a matching mode to obtain an integral CAD model; guiding the quick wax model machine to make the wax model; pressing a film of the wax model machine to obtain a positioning transfer tray and curving the arch wire according to a picture. The method can be used for realizing individual production according to individual requirements, and the prepared orthodontic appliance has the advantages of good matching with tooth shapes, high precision and permanence without deformation, is suitable for patients to wear for long and has small thickness, good supporting stability and convenient clinical operation. The method is widely applied to the production process of the orthodontic appliance.

Customized low force orthodontic arch wires include a core wire (102) formed of a shape memory material and a plurality of bracket engagement blocks (104) disposed in spaced apart relationship along the length of the core wire (102). The particular position of each engagement block (104) along the length of the core wire (102), as well as the length and curvature of the core wire (102), are customized for the particular patient on which the arch wire is to be installed. A physical or electronic custom model of the patient's dental arch is obtained. The customized arch wire is then fabricated according to the specifications determined by reference to the custom model of the patient's teeth.

A detachable orthodontic bracket and wire system includes bracket bases, brackets, and an arch wire for guiding alignment of teeth. The bracket bases are positioned on a lingual surface and / or a facial surface of the teeth. Each bracket base includes a first surface, a second surface, and at least one first interlocking element. The first surface is rigidly attached to the lingual surface and / or the facial surface of the teeth. The second surface opposes the lingual surface and / or the facial surface of the teeth. The first interlocking element is attached to and positioned in a direction substantially perpendicular to or parallel to the second surface of each bracket base. The brackets include at least second interlocking element that interlocks with the first interlocking element. The arch wire is inserted through a slot channel of each bracket. The bracket and the arch wire are infused and rigidly anchored within enclosing layers.

An orthodontic bracket for securing an arch wire to the labial area of a tooth comprises a plunger having a lateral notch dimensioned to capture a section of the arch wire. A dual-positioned detent mechanism alternately holds the plunger in a labial, open position exposing the notch and a lingual locked position wherein the section of arch wire captured by the notch is securely held in a diametral slot cut into the bracket.

Method and workstation automatically designing an arch-wire including compensations for auxiliary appliances or biological constraints exerting unknown forces to achieve a pre-planned treatment goal are disclosed. The adjusted customized arch-wire is designed after an initial customized arch-wire has been used to treat a patient and is at or near equilibrium. The initial custom arch-wire is first designed by producing a 3D computer-based, geometrical model of a patient's dentition, locating brackets on the digital tooth model, moving the digital tooth models to planned final positions and orientations, and then calculating a wire which fits in the slots of the brackets while the teeth are in their planned final positions and exerts no forces on the brackets. After a period of time the teeth will move under the force of the wire and will eventually move into positions such that the forces from all appliances and biological systems are in equilibrium. If the teeth are not in the final planned positions at that point in time, the adjusted custom arch-wire is designed and applied.

An orthodontic bracket or convertible buccal tube for use with arch wires has the usual mesial distal extending slot having one side open to receive the wire. The open side is closed by a shutter pivoting on a pivot pin, or coaxial pins, about a mesial distal axis, the shutter being latched in slot closed position to retain the arch wire by a latch having one latch member on the pivot pin / s and a cooperating member on an annular part of the shutter surrounding the pin / s. Preferably the latch members are a mesial distal extending cam shaped recess in the pivot pin / s and a projection protruding from the annular shutter part, or vice versa. The part of the annular shutter part carrying the latch member is made flexible by a mesial distal extending through slot dividing it to form a movable segment of about 200° to 270° of the total circumference; a tool can be inserted into the slot to assist in disengaging the latch. The shutter member can have parts thereof that with the shutter in slot closed position are an interference fit against the device body providing an additional retaining force against opening movement. Preferably the device includes an attitude controlling spring member consisting of a thin sheet metal spring within the body having a free end extending into the arch wire slot to engage an arch wire therein, or alternatively consisting of a flexible extension of the part of the shutter member that closes the slot.

A removable orthodontic appliance and methods of use and manufacturing of the removable orthodontic appliance for repositioning teeth of an upper jaw or lower jaw are provided. The removable orthodontic appliance comprises a trough shaped arch tray that defines an interstitial space between the sides of the arch tray for accommodating the teeth. The arch tray form fits over the contours of the teeth of the upper jaw or lower jaw from a first molar region through a second molar region. The arch tray extends down the teeth on a labial surface and a lingual surface of the teeth to the gingival areas. One or more arch wires are infused and rigidly anchored within the lingual side of the arch tray. Each of the arch wires comprises a surface pre-infused with a polymeric material for rigidly bonding to the lingual side of the arch tray.

The present disclosure is directed, at least in part, to a self ligating orthodontic bracket system that includes a rotatable member for securing an archwire within a slot of a bracket. Embodiments of the orthodontic bracket system disclosed herein include a bracket body containing the archwire slot as well as tie wings for attaching various orthodontic devices (e.g., elastomeric bands) to the bracket. The rotatable member is rotatable in a first direction (e.g., counter clockwise) relative to a body of the bracket for securing or locking the archwire within the slot, and for rotating in an opposite direction (e.g., a clockwise direction) relative to the bracket body for unsecuring or unlocking the archwire so that it is substantially unrestrained from exiting the slot. Other embodiments include an orthodontic appliance and method of producing and using the same, and preferably employed in a lingual orthodontic system, that includes friction reducing features between an interior of an archwire slot portion of the appliance and an archwire placed within the archwire slot.

A removable dental appliance having a base adapted for locating inside of an arch of teeth of a wearer and an arch wire coupled to the base, wherein an outer surface of the base is contoured for contact with inner surfaces of the teeth, and wherein when in use the arch wire extends around an outer periphery of a set of the wearer's teeth such that no interconnection between the arch wire and the base exists intermediate the set of teeth. A removable dental appliance having a base adapted for locating inside of an arch of teeth of a wearer and an arch wire coupled to the base, wherein an outer surface of the base is contoured for contact with inner surfaces of a set of teeth on one side of the wearer's jaw, and wherein when in use the arch wire extends around an outer periphery of the set of teeth such that no interconnection between the arch wire and the base exists intermediate the set of teeth.

An adjustable orthodontic bracket including an body member for fixing orthodontic arch wire in a position such that a predetermined stress is generated and applied to the tooth to be treated; a bonding base member for bonding the bracket to a buccal or lingual surface of a tooth to be treated; and a bendable element, wherein the bendable element connects the body member to the bonding base member. The body member includes a slot for the arch wire, wherein the bendable element enables to adjust accurate angles of the slot. The bendable element can be rigid or flexible wherein in the flexible form, a holding device is further included. The present invention further provides tools to band and / or rotate the adjustable orthodontic bracket of the present invention.

Method and workstation automatically designing an arch-wire including compensations for auxiliary appliances or biological constraints exerting unknown forces to achieve a pre-planned treatment goal are disclosed. The adjusted customized arch-wire is designed after an initial customized arch-wire has been used to treat a patient and is at or near equilibrium. The initial custom arch-wire is first designed by producing a 3D computer-based, geometrical model of a patient's dentition, locating brackets on the digital tooth model, moving the digital tooth models to planned final positions and orientations, and then calculating a wire which fits in the slots of the brackets while the teeth are in their planned final positions and exerts no forces on the brackets. After a period of time the teeth will move under the force of the wire and will eventually move into positions such that the forces from all appliances and biological systems are in equilibrium. If the teeth are not in the final planned positions at that point in time, the adjusted custom arch-wire is designed and applied.