Rotating Orthodontic Bracket Minimizes Friction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing orthodontic bracket appliances for edgewise or straight-wire techniques experience high frictional resistance during retraction mechanics, prolonging treatment time and potentially causing root resorption and discomfort due to the need for heavier forces.
Innovation Solution
A bracket design with a rotatable archwire-receiving member and base that minimizes friction through engageable surfaces with reduced friction during rotation, and a locking pin to secure the archwire-receiving member in place once the desired tooth position is achieved, allowing for lighter forces and efficient tooth movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional brackets with rotatable archwire engaging members are used for retraction mechanics, then tooth movement can be achieved, but high frictional resistance prolongs treatment time and requires heavier forces
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the friction parameter by providing bearing surfaces between the archwire engaging member and base that have reduced friction characteristics. This allows the archwire engaging member to rotate more freely during retraction mechanics, reducing the frictional resistance that normally prolongs treatment time and requires heavier forces.
2Productivity
If heavier forces are applied to overcome frictional resistance, then tooth retraction can be completed, but root resorption may occur
Solution Approach 1:
By reducing the friction parameter through specialized bearing surfaces, the patent enables tooth retraction to be completed with lighter forces. The reduced friction allows the archwire engaging member to rotate smoothly during retraction, eliminating the need to apply excessive forces that would otherwise be required to overcome high frictional resistance, thereby preventing root resorption.
3Ease of operation
If the archwire-receiving member is rotatable to facilitate tipping movement, then tooth movement efficiency is improved, but friction between engagement surfaces increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by changing the friction parameter of the engagement surfaces. The bearing surfaces between the archwire receiving member and base are specifically designed to have reduced friction characteristics, allowing the archwire receiving member to rotate freely for tipping movements without generating excessive frictional resistance.
4Force
If treatment time is extended due to high friction, then more force can be applied, but patient comfort deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By reducing the friction parameter through specialized bearing surfaces, the patent enables tooth movement to be achieved with lighter forces over a shorter time period. This eliminates the need to apply heavy forces that would otherwise be required to overcome high friction during extended treatment, thereby maintaining patient comfort while achieving effective tooth movement.
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
This design significantly reduces the time required for tooth retraction, minimizes root resorption, and enhances patient comfort by enabling faster and lighter tooth movement with reduced friction and controlled force application.
Implementation Method 1
engageable surfaces between the archwire-receiving member and the base have reduced friction during rotation of the archwire-receiving member on the base member
Data Source
AI summary
An orthodontic bracket mountable on a tooth for use in retraction mechanics to facilitate movement of teeth along an arch, which includes an archwire-receiving member rotatably mounted on a base and structured to freely rotate when tipping a tooth during sliding of the bracket along an archwire thereby minimizing friction between the archwire and bracket to significantly decrease the required retraction force, and treatment time, thereby minimizing the possibility of root resorption and maintaining the integrity of the root and surrounding bone. A locking pin for locking the member against rotation is employed when uprighting the tooth from a tipped position.