Self-Ligating Orthodontic Bracket Shutter Geometry
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional orthodontic bracket assemblies require separate ligatures for archwire attachment, increasing ligation time and complexity, whereas self-ligating systems with locking shutters offer a more efficient solution but lack specific geometric configurations that optimize shutter movement and contact points.
Innovation Solution
A self-ligating orthodontic bracket design featuring a body with an archwire slot defined by lingual and gingival surfaces, a locking shutter movable between open and closed positions, and specific occlusal-gingival distances and locations to ensure efficient archwire management, reducing contact with tie wings in the open position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a locking shutter is added to create a self-ligating bracket assembly, then ligation time is decreased, but device complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The locking shutter is designed to automatically engage and disengage based on the insertion of the archwire. When the archwire is inserted, the shutter automatically moves to the open position to allow access to the archwire slot, then automatically returns to the closed position to secure the archwire, eliminating the need for manual ligation operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking shutter is designed as a movable component that transitions between open and closed positions dynamically. The shutter can be moved between positions to allow archwire insertion and then automatically secures the archwire in place, providing adaptive functionality that reduces ligation time while managing complexity through controlled movement.
2Reliability
If the locking shutter is designed to automatically secure the archwire, then archwire stability is improved, but ease of operation is reduced due to limited access to the archwire slot
Solution Approach 1:
The locking shutter is designed as a movable component that transitions between open and closed positions dynamically. The shutter can be moved between positions to allow archwire insertion and then automatically secures the archwire in place, providing adaptive functionality that reduces ligation time while managing complexity through controlled movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking shutter is pre-positioned in the closed state to automatically secure the archwire once inserted. The design anticipates the archwire insertion action and is configured to automatically transition to the secured state, ensuring stability without requiring additional manual operations after the archwire is placed.
Data Source
AI summary
A self-ligating orthodontic bracket comprising a body and a locking shutter. A mesio-gingival reference plane is defined tangent to a lingual-most point of the archwire slot. The body further includes an occlusal-gingival opening that intersects the reference plane. The locking shutter includes a lingual end located in the opening at a closed lingual location when the locking shutter is in a closed position, and at an open lingual location when the locking shutter is in an open position. The locking shutter further includes a labial end located at a closed labial location when the locking shutter is in the closed position and at an open labial location when the locking shutter is in the open position. A first occlusal-gingival distance from the closed lingual location to the open lingual location is at least about 70% of a second occlusal-gingival distance from the closed labial location to the side surface. In addition, the first occlusal-gingival distance is at least about 60% of a third occlusal-gingival distance from the closed lingual location to an end of a tie wing.