Orthodontic Bracket Slot Structure for 3D Tooth Movement Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current orthodontic brackets lack the capability to effectively control tooth movement in three dimensions, including torque, rotation, and tip, leading to inaccuracies and increased costs during mounting and potentially compromising patient comfort.
Innovation Solution
The orthodontic bracket design features a slot with an archwire support structure that maximizes torsional moment by providing a predetermined distance between the archwire and the support surface, allowing for standardized ligatures and uniform archwire support, thereby enhancing control over tooth movement in three dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional orthodontic bracket with a simple slot is used, then the device complexity is low and ease of manufacture is high, but the capability to control tooth movement in three dimensions (torque, rotation, tip) is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is divided into functionally distinct segments: the slot structure for receiving the archwire and the archwire support structure for providing torsional moment. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently for its specific function while maintaining overall manufacturing feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a two-dimensional slot opening to a three-dimensional slot configuration by adding depth and introducing the archwire support structure. This dimensional enhancement enables the bracket to control tooth movement in three dimensions (torque, rotation, tip) while maintaining reasonable manufacturing complexity.
2Ease of operation
If the slot opening is increased to facilitate archwire insertion, then ease of operation is improved, but the torsional moment control capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The archwire support structure acts as an intermediary element between the slot and the tooth. It provides the necessary torsional moment control while allowing the slot opening to remain sufficiently large for easy archwire insertion. The support structure mediates between the conflicting requirements of insertion ease and torque control precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If customized orthodontic brackets are made to fit individual clinical situations, then measurement precision and adaptability are improved, but manufacturing cost and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket design incorporates universal features through standardized components and modular architecture. The slot and archwire support structure can be adapted to different clinical situations while maintaining a core standardized design, enabling both customization and efficient manufacturing through economies of scale.
Data Source
AI summary
An orthodontic bracket having a bracket pad (2), and a bracket body (1) extending from the bracket pad. The bracket has a slot (4) for receiving an orthodontic archwire. The slot has a proximal slot side face (4a), a distal side face (4b) and a slot ground face (4c). The bracket has at least one archwire support structure (5a, 5b) that forms a support surface (6a, 6b) in a plane of the slot ground face. The support surface is spaced from the slot ground face. The archwire support structure forms a flat and protrudes in a dimention generally parallel to a slot cross axis. The invention help maximizing the tip control in an orthodontic treatment.