Orthodontic Arch Wire Grip With Superelastic Anti-Slip Arms
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orthodontic arch wire stops face challenges such as bulkiness, irritation to soft tissues, difficulty in handling, slippage, and precise positioning issues, leading to suboptimal performance in maintaining the arch wire's position.
Innovation Solution
An orthodontic gripping device made of superelastic or shape memory materials with resilient arm portions that deflect to securely engage the arch wire, providing enhanced gripping force and resistance to displacement, featuring a design that conforms to the arch wire's profile and includes handling facilitation means.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a C-shaped clamp with closure member is used to prevent arch wire displacement, then the arch wire is retained securely, but the stop becomes bulky and may irritate soft tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a thin, flexible wire stop that can be crimped onto the arch wire, replacing the bulky C-shaped clamp. This thin wire stop maintains retention functionality while minimizing soft tissue irritation due to its reduced bulk and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the stop from a rigid, bulky clamp structure to a thin, flexible wire that can be crimped. This parameter change allows the stop to maintain its retention function while significantly reducing its size and potential for causing soft tissue irritation.
2Reliability
If a rotatable screw is used to trap the arch wire within a sleeve, then the arch wire is held securely, but the stop becomes difficult to handle and deploy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the complex rotatable screw mechanism from the stop design. Instead, it uses a simple crimpable wire structure that can be easily deployed by crimping tools, significantly improving ease of operation while maintaining secure arch wire holding through the crimped configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical screw-thread system with a crimping mechanism. This substitution simplifies the deployment process by eliminating the need for rotatable components, making the stop easier to handle and deploy while achieving secure retention through the crimped wire structure.
3Force
If the arch wire receiving station is sized smaller than the arch wire, then gripping force is enhanced, but the entranceway becomes difficult to thread the arch wire through
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by first forming an enlarged opening in the wire stop, allowing easy threading of the arch wire. After the wire is threaded through, the stop is crimped to reduce the opening size, thereby enhancing gripping force. This sequence resolves the contradiction by addressing threading ease before gripping force enhancement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a dynamic approach where the wire stop transitions from an open, easy-to-thread state to a crimped, high-grip state. This dynamic transformation allows the stop to accommodate the arch wire easily first, then secure it tightly afterward, resolving the contradiction between threading ease and gripping force.
4Reliability
If roughened or irregular inner surfaces are provided in the stop, then friction is increased and slippage is reduced, but the stop becomes more complex to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing roughened or irregular inner surfaces only at specific locations where the wire stop contacts the arch wire. This localized treatment increases friction and resistance to slippage without requiring the entire stop structure to be complex, thereby maintaining ease of manufacture while improving reliability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The device offers improved handling, reduces irritation, minimizes slippage, and ensures secure attachment of the arch wire, enhancing orthodontic treatment efficacy by maintaining wire position effectively.
Implementation Method 1
a body made of a material selected from the group consisting of a superelastic metal alloy, cold worked titanium beta III, and solution heat treated and aged titanium beta III
Implementation Method 2
The body is made of a shape memory material having a shape reset temperature range within which the shape memory material is capable of deforming significantly from a memorized shape
Implementation Method 3
The first and second inner gripping surfaces engage the arch wire and apply opposing gripping forces against the arch wire so as to resist displacement of the gripping device relative to the arch wire
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an orthodontic gripping device having a body made of a superelastic metal alloy, cold worked titanium beta III, or solution heat treated and aged titanium beta III. The body has first and second, spaced apart arm portions connected to each other. Each arm portion includes a jaw portion having an inner, arch wire-gripping, surface. The inner gripping surfaces are disposed opposite one another in spaced relation with a station defined therebetween for receiving the arch wire. At least a portion of the station is sized smaller than the arch wire. The arm portions are resiliently deflectable outwardly away from each other to admit the arch wire into the station. Once seated in the station, the arch wire is tightly held by inner gripping surfaces so as to resist displacement of the gripping device relative to the arch wire.