404 results about "Orthodontic archwire" patented technology

Interactive, computer based orthodontist treatment planning, appliance design and appliance manufacturing is described. A scanner is described which acquires images of the dentition which are converted to three-dimensional frames of data. The data from the several frames are registered to each other to provide a complete three-dimensional virtual model of the dentition. Individual tooth objects are obtained from the virtual model. A computer-interactive software program provides for treatment planning, diagnosis and appliance from the virtual tooth models. A desired occlusion for the patient is obtained from the treatment planning software. The virtual model of the desired occlusion and the virtual model of the original dentition provide a base of information for custom manufacture of an orthodontic appliance. A variety of possible appliance and appliance manufacturing systems are contemplated, including customized archwires and customized devices for placement of off-the shelf brackets on the archwires, and removable orthodontic appliances.

Interactive, computer based orthodontist treatment planning, appliance design and appliance manufacturing is described. A scanner is described which acquires images of the dentition which are converted to three-dimensional frames of data. The data from the several frames are registered to each other to provide a complete three-dimensional virtual model of the dentition. Individual tooth objects are obtained from the virtual model. A computer-interactive software program provides for treatment planning, diagnosis and appliance from the virtual tooth models. A desired occlusion for the patient is obtained from the treatment planning software. The virtual model of the desired occlusion and the virtual model of the original dentition provide a base of information for custom manufacture of an orthodontic appliance. A variety of possible appliance and appliance manufacturing systems are contemplated, including customized archwires and customized devices for placement of off-the shelf brackets on the archwires, and removable orthodontic appliances.

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.

A method and apparatus for facilitating placement and evaluation of virtual appliances on virtual teeth of an orthodontic patient are described. Positioning references comprising bracket height, occlusal plane, or any arbitrary plane are provided to facilitate desired placement of virtual appliances on virtual teeth model. The process can be applied with any dentition state of a patient such as malocclusion, target state from treatment, or intermediate monitored state during the course of a treatment. An unified workstation for treatment planning provides the computer software tools for verification, simulation and evaluation of the virtual appliance placement. The process enables proper planning of treatment for an orthodontic patient suffering from malocclusion involving bonding of virtual brackets to the surface of the patient's virtual teeth with archwires placed in the slots of the brackets, so as to realize the desired results from the treatment in the most desired manner.

The present invention provides an improved self-ligating orthodontic bracket. According to one embodiment, the improved orthodontic bracket includes a mounting base for attachment to a tooth surface, an archwire slot formed upon the base and sized for receiving an orthodontic archwire, a channel formed upon the base and transversely oriented to the archwire slot, and a ligating slide member slideably retained within the channel and closeable over the archwire slot for retaining the orthodontic archwire therein, and wherein the ligating slide member includes at least one coplanar resilient retention mechanism for exerting retention forces coplanar with the ligating slide member for holding the ligating slide member in a closed position. In one embodiment, the improved orthodontic bracket comprises a bracket with a ligating slide member slideably retained within a dovetail shaped channel.

A self-ligating orthodontic bracket assembly with selectively removable self-ligation features is configured to provide a low profile to minimize labial-lingual prominence. A clip is configured to snap into the base of the bracket and close over the archwire slot to retain the archwire in the slot. The clip is easily moved to an open position when the archwire is changed out during routine treatment. The clip includes spaced apart arms that, along with the bracket tie-wings, straddle the most outwardly prominent site on the crown of the tooth thereby minimizing labial-lingual profile. The self-ligation capability is achieved without any increase in occlusal-gingival height or measial-distal width of the orthodontic bracket.

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.

Computer analysis is made of individual patient related data in order to select standard or pre-manufactured orthodontic appliances or appliance components (10) that are most likely to provide orthodontic treatment suitable for the individual patient. This analysis can be made by the software of a custom orthodontic appliance designing system, without actually manufacturing the custom appliance. Geometric parameters (21-24, 28, 29) of a custom designed appliance may be compared with corresponding parameters of alternative standard appliances or appliance components so that the closest standard component can be used. The custom appliance can be designed to accommodate the geometries of one or more appliance components. Where custom mounting instructions that modify otherwise standard installation of an appliance or component will render the standard component more compatible with a custom appliance design, such instructions are provided to the orthodontist along with the selection. The invention is most useful in selecting orthodontic brackets, or combinations of standard brackets and standard archwires.

A method for applying a desired shape to an orthodontic archwire includes the steps of obtaining a numerical description of the desired shape of an orthodontic archwire, generating a description of the design of a fixture basing on the numerical description, manufacturing a fixture basing on this description of the design, constraining a wire into the fixture and applying an adequate treatment to the wire in order to cause it to adopt the shape dictated by the fixture.

Multi-piece, reusable orthodontic appliances that include a support assembly to be bonded to a tooth and a corrective assembly adapted to receive an archwire and direct corrective forces exerted by the archwire to the tooth. The support assembly is releasably engaged with the corrective assembly, such as with coupling portions that disengage responsive to a force applied to the corrective assembly exceeding a predetermined value, such as less than a force sufficient to debond the support assembly from the tooth. In response to such a force, the corrective assembly disengages from the support assembly, rather than the appliance debonding from the tooth. Self-release assemblies for use with a corrective orthodontic bracket, including either a support assembly or a corrective assembly, and an engagement assembly configured to disengage as described above, may allow a conventional set of orthodontic hardware to be retrofitted with a self-release feature.

A self-ligating orthodontic bracket assembly with selectively removable self-ligation features is configured to provide a low profile to minimize labial-lingual prominence. A clip is configured to snap into the base of the bracket and close over the archwire slot to retain the archwire in the slot. The clip is easily moved to an open position when the archwire is changed out during routine treatment. The clip includes spaced apart arms that, along with the bracket tie-wings, straddle the most outwardly prominent site on the crown of the tooth thereby minimizing labial-lingual profile. The self-ligation capability is achieved without any increase in occlusal-gingival height or measial-distal width of the orthodontic bracket.

Orthodontic brackets and appliances, and methods of making and using orthodontic brackets. The orthodontic bracket may include a molded identification marking comprising at least one alphanumeric character disposed on a visible surface. A kit of self-ligating orthodontic brackets may be provided that includes individual brackets of different archwire slot widths for attachment to anterior and posterior teeth during a corrective orthodontic treatment. An appliance or auxiliary may be provided that includes a spring-loaded latch operative to secure the appliance to an orthodontic bracket.

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.

An orthodontic bracket system includes a bracket having a base contoured to engage a tooth surface, a body extending from the base, at least one first tie wing connected to the body, and a pair of second tie wings connected to the body and spaced from the first tie wing in an occlusal-gingival direction when the bracket is mounted on a tooth. An archwire slot extends between the first and second tie wings in a mesial-distal direction, wherein the first tie wing has an outwardly inclined rear surface proximate the archwire slot. A clip for use with the bracket has a retaining portion configured to fit beneath the first tie wing on the side thereof opposite the archwire slot, a locking edge portion remote from the retaining portion that fits into a recess beneath the second tie wings, a mid-portion that spans the retaining portion and the locking edge portion and covers at least a portion of the archwire slot in a manner effective to retain an archwire therein, and at least one arm that extends from the locking edge portion towards the retaining portion and is spaced from the mid-portion. During closing, the arm rides down against the inclined rear surface of the first tie wing and a portion of the clip bends resiliently, exerting a force that locks the locking edge portion of the clip in the recess beneath the second tie wings. During opening, the arm rides up against the inclined rear surface of the first tie wing as the locking edge portion of the clip is removed from the recess beneath the second tie wings. The clip is then moved to an open position to permit placement and removal of the archwire and held in that position.

A novel orthodontic bracket system comprised of orthodontic appliances, such as brackets or buccal tubes, with a vertical instead of conventional horizontal slot orientation. The occlusal-gingival slot orientation minimizes the risk of unintentional debonding of the bracket as a result of insertion and removal of the archwire. An archwire retention mechanism designed to guide, retain and / or seat the archwire. The archwire retention mechanism releases the archwire from the archwire slot whenever appropriate force is applied, or manipulation of physical properties of the material are altered by the operator.

An orthodontic appliance may include an archwire and multiple orthodontic brackets. The archwire may fit within a human mouth and contain multiple male connectors. Each orthodontic bracket may have a configuration that facilitates attaching the orthodontic bracket to a single tooth. Each orthodontic bracket may allow one of the male connectors to be locked into the orthodontic bracket with a snapping action. The male connector may be unable to slide with respect to the orthodontic bracket after being locked in the orthodontic bracket. A manual unlocking action may allow the male connector to disengage from the orthodontic bracket.

The present invention is directed to a locking orthodontic bracket that contains a mechanism that rotationally locks an orthodontic archwire fully or partially within the bracket archwire slot.

A molar tube having a first face portion that is adapted to be adhered to a molar tooth, a second face portion, and a mesial-distal length dimension. There is a body portion disposed on the second face portion of the base portion, and the body portion comprises an upper portion and a lower portion. The body portion further comprises a lumen that is adapted to receive an archwire, wherein the lumen has an axis which substantially coincides with the mesial-distal length dimension of the base portion. The body portion further comprises a boss comprising a threaded bore that is adapted to receive a setscrew, wherein the threaded bore has an axis. The axis of the threaded bore intersects with the mesial-distal length dimension to form an angle of any degree between 15 degrees and 55 degrees, including every degree therebetween. A molar tube according to the invention allows for easy adjustment of the tension in an archwire used in an orthodontic dental treatment, and provides for the painless withdrawal of the archwire at any time during or following the treatment.

An orthodontic bracket enabling to securely maintain positive pressure of an archwire effecting to the bottom of an archwire slot even if doing the rotational control more than a determined amount. The orthodontic bracket has a base, a main body furnished on the base, an archwire slot formed in the main body, a guiding part crossing with the slot, and a band-like clip guided in the guiding part. A clip is curved in U-shape as covering at least one part of a reverse base side in the archwire slot, and a locking portion furnished at one end side in the length direction of the clip creeps under a cover portion supported by the main body. The locking claw formed in the locking portion and a covering claw formed in the cover portion get over and engage each other.

An orthodontic bracket assembly adapted for securement to teeth of the upper and lower jaw is provided. The assembly is a multi-component system that includes a base component and a bracket component. The base component is adapted for securement to a tooth using an adhesive material and includes a housing having an integral channel guide. The bracket component includes a flange arranged for insertion within the channel guide and is held therein by a spring clip. The bracket component includes an archwire retention head for receiving and retaining an orthodontic archwire therein. In one embodiment, the archwire retention head includes a tube having an archwire tunnel extending mesial-distally therethrough. The cross-sectional shape of the archwire tunnel can vary depending upon the archwire being employed and may provide a frictional or frictionless fit. The tube may be positioned at a predetermined location for correcting a maloccluded tooth.