Rotatable Orthodontic Bracket Body for Torque Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orthodontic brackets with passive ligation systems face challenges in achieving proper orientation and placement, particularly on upper and lower cuspids, due to variable angular orientations and close spacial tolerances, leading to difficulties in aligning arch wire slots and maintaining cleanliness, which prolongs treatment times and hinders achieving ideal tooth alignment.
Innovation Solution
A novel orthodontic bracket apparatus with a bracket base that remains affixed to the tooth, featuring a three-sided arch wire slot and a bracket body that can partially rotate relative to the base, allowing for adjustable torque application without distorting the arch wire, and a bracket body insert that secures in a predetermined orientation to facilitate first, second, and third order movements while maintaining center arch wire slot alignment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If prior art passive self-ligation orthodontic brackets are used to provide torque control, then high or low torque couples can be expressed, but the anterior facing surfaces have variable angular orientations that create different physical sensations for the patient and make alignment difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is divided into two separate components: a bracket base that is bonded to the tooth and an bracket body that attaches to the base. The bracket base provides a consistent reference plane with predetermined angular orientation, while the bracket body can be rotated relative to the base to achieve different torque expressions. This segmentation allows the reference plane to remain constant while enabling versatility in torque control.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket base is designed with a predetermined angular orientation relative to the long axis of the tooth before the bracket body is attached. This preliminary positioning establishes a consistent reference plane that simplifies subsequent alignment procedures and ensures proper orientation regardless of the torque expression selected.
2Adaptability or versatility
If prior art orthodontic brackets are used with close spacial tolerances, then torque control is achieved, but it becomes difficult to place and secure arch wires and maintain cleanliness
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the bracket into a base and body components, the design allows the bracket body to be rotated to different angular orientations while remaining attached to the same bracket base. This provides multiple torque expressions with consistent spatial tolerances, making arch wire placement easier while maintaining torque control precision.
3Adaptability or versatility
If prior art brackets require removal and reattachment to change torque expressions, then different torque couples can be achieved, but treatment time is prolonged
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket body is designed to be rotatable relative to the bracket base about a rotation axis, allowing dynamic adjustment between different angular orientations and torque expressions. This rotational capability enables the clinician to change torque expressions by simply rotating the bracket body without removing and reattaching the entire bracket assembly, significantly reducing treatment time.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the bracket body is rotated to achieve different torque expressions, then multiple movements can be facilitated, but the orientation of the anterior facing surface changes
Solution Approach 1:
The separation of the bracket into a stationary base and a rotatable body allows the reference plane (anterior facing surface of the base) to remain fixed while the bracket body rotates to provide different torque expressions. This ensures consistent patient comfort and alignment while enabling versatile movement control.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotation of the bracket body occurs about an axis that is perpendicular to the anterior facing surface, allowing torque expression changes in a rotational dimension while maintaining the same positional orientation of the bracket base on the tooth. This adds a degree of freedom for torque control without affecting the bracket's placement orientation.
Data Source
AI summary
An orthodontic bracket apparatus and method for treating a malocclusion includes a bracket base having an angulated posterior facing surface and which is matingly and releasably positioned adjacent to an anterior facing surface of a patient's tooth; a multiplicity of bracket bodies releasably and adjustably engageable with the bracket base; and an arch wire simultaneously engageable within an arch wire slot defined in each of the bracket bodies to exert first, second and third order movements to the maloccluded tooth; and wherein the bracket base remains affixed to the patient's tooth throughout the multiple step orthodontic treatment regimen selected by the treating clinician.