Adjustable Orthodontic Bracket With Rotatable Archwire Slot
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current orthodontic bracket systems face challenges in making fine adjustments to torsional and rotational forces applied to teeth during treatment, as they often require removal and replacement of archwires and brackets, making precise adjustments cumbersome.
Innovation Solution
The development of adjustable-prescription orthodontic bracket assemblies featuring a bracket body with an arcuate core and retention structure that allows for selective rotation and retention of the archwire slot, enabling precise control over the forces applied to teeth through a sliding or rotating cam mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional orthodontic brackets are used, then the bracket structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but fine adjustment of torsional and rotational forces requires removal and replacement of archwires and brackets
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket incorporates a rotatable archwire slot that can be dynamically adjusted to different rotational positions. The slot is connected to the bracket body through a rotation mechanism that allows the slot to be positioned at various angles relative to the bracket base, enabling dynamic adjustment of the force application direction without removing the bracket from the tooth.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket is divided into separate functional components: a bracket body that attaches to the tooth, a rotatable archwire slot component, and a retention structure. This segmentation allows the archwire slot to be independently rotated and adjusted while the bracket body remains fixed on the tooth, enabling precise force adjustment without complete bracket replacement.
2Adaptability or versatility
If archwire removal and replacement is performed for force adjustment, then force magnitude can be changed, but treatment time is increased and efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The archwire slot is designed to be rotatable within the bracket body, allowing the clinician to adjust the slot's angular position to change the direction and magnitude of forces applied to the tooth. This dynamic adjustment capability enables force modification without removing the archwire or bracket, significantly improving treatment efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket's rotation mechanism allows the archwire slot to be repositioned while the archwire remains in place. The slot can be rotated to different positions and retained there, enabling the bracket to serve multiple force application configurations without requiring external intervention to remove or replace components.
3Measurement precision
If the archwire slot is fixed in the bracket, then the bracket structure is simple, but fine adjustment of torsional forces is challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The archwire slot is connected to the bracket body through a rotation mechanism that allows the slot to be positioned at various angles. The slot can be rotated to precise angular positions and then retained in place by a retention structure, providing dynamic control over torsional force application while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotation mechanism includes a retention structure that can lock the archwire slot at predetermined angular positions. This preliminary positioning capability allows the clinician to select specific force angles in advance, ensuring precise torsional control without requiring complex real-time adjustments during treatment.
Data Source
AI summary
Adjustable-prescription orthodontic bracket assemblies are disclosed herein. The orthodontic bracket assemblies include a bracket body, an arcuate core, and a retention structure. The bracket body defines an arcuate receptacle that extends toward a base of the bracket body from a top of the bracket body. The arcuate core is received within the arcuate receptacle and defines an archwire slot. The arcuate receptacle is shaped to retain the arcuate core therein and to permit rotation of the arcuate core therein. The retention structure is configured to selectively retain the arcuate core at a selected rotational orientation with the bracket body. The retention structure is configured to selectively transition between a disengaged configuration, in which the retention structure permits rotation of the arcuate core relative to the bracket body, and an engaged configuration, in which the retention structure retains the arcuate core at the selected rotational orientation.