阅读说明：本技术 正畸托架 (Orthodontic bracket ) 是由 S·M·莫汉奇 P·德格鲁希·高丁 T·L·迪克森 于 2020-02-06 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种正畸托架(12),包括：具有后表面和前表面的基部(20),该后表面构造为在使用中粘附到牙齿表面(外侧/唇侧和/或内侧/舌侧)上；以及可旋转地安装到基部的前表面上的弓丝支架(26),该弓丝支架(26)构造为可围绕垂直于基部(20)的轴线在+/-30°范围内旋转,其中,弓丝支架包括至少一个槽沟(18),该槽沟构造为在使用中保持弓丝(16),并且其中,弓丝支架(26)是可旋转的,用于接收弓丝(16)并在使用中向牙齿施加所期望量和/或取向的倾斜和/或扭转。(An orthodontic bracket (12) comprising: a base (20) having a rear surface and a front surface, the rear surface being configured to adhere to a tooth surface (lateral/labial and/or medial/lingual) in use; and an archwire bracket (26) rotatably mounted to the front surface of the base, the archwire bracket (26) being configured to be rotatable within +/-30 ° about an axis perpendicular to the base (20), wherein the archwire bracket includes at least one slot (18) configured to retain an archwire (16) in use, and wherein the archwire bracket (26) is rotatable for receiving the archwire (16) and imparting a desired amount and/or orientation of tilt and/or twist to the teeth in use.)

1. An orthodontic bracket comprising:

a base having a rear surface configured to adhere to a surface of a tooth in use and a front surface; and

an archwire bracket rotatably mounted to the front surface of the base, the archwire bracket configured to be rotatable within +/-30 ° about an axis perpendicular to the base,

wherein the archwire bracket includes at least one slot configured to retain an archwire in use, an

Wherein the archwire bracket is rotatable for receiving the archwire and imparting a desired amount and/or orientation of twist to the teeth in use.

2. An orthodontic bracket according to claim 1, wherein the archwire bracket is rotatable for receiving the archwire and imparting both tilting and twisting of a desired amount and/or orientation to a tooth in use.

3. An orthodontic bracket comprising:

a base having a rear surface configured to adhere to a surface of a tooth in use and a front surface; and

an archwire bracket rotatably mounted to the front surface of the base, the archwire bracket configured to be rotatable within +/-30 ° about an axis perpendicular to the base,

wherein the archwire bracket includes at least one slot configured to retain an archwire in use, an

Wherein the archwire bracket is rotatable for receiving the archwire and imparting a desired amount and/or orientation of tilt to the teeth in use.

4. Orthodontic bracket according to any of the previous claims,

wherein the archwire bracket includes a plurality of slots disposed at different angular orientations, each slot configured to retain an archwire in use, and

wherein the plurality of slots each have a different configuration to impart different amounts and/or orientations of tilt and/or twist to the teeth in use, the archwire bracket being rotated to select a desired slot to receive the archwire so as to impart the desired amount and/or orientation of tilt and/or twist to the teeth in use.

5. An orthodontic bracket according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a releasable locking mechanism configured to enable the archwire bracket to rotate about the axis of rotation and to lock in a plurality of angular orientations, the archwire bracket being rotated and locked in position to receive the archwire so as to impart a desired amount and/or orientation of tilt and/or twist to the teeth in use.

6. Orthodontic bracket according to any of the previous claims,

wherein the archwire bracket includes a plurality of rotational positions n for selecting the slot.

7. The orthodontic bracket of claim 6,

wherein the archwire bracket is further configured to include a plurality of rotational sub-positions for each rotational position n for changing the orientation of a selected slot.

8. Orthodontic bracket according to any of the previous claims,

wherein the plurality of slots are configured to provide different amounts and/or orientations of twist, whereby rotation of the archwire bracket about the axis enables selection of one or more of the slots to receive the archwire or other orthodontic appliance device in use, the selected slot being oriented to receive the archwire to impart the desired amount and/or orientation of twist.

9. The orthodontic bracket of claim 8,

wherein each slot has a different internal shape or orientation to provide a different amount and/or orientation of twist.

10. Orthodontic bracket according to any of the previous claims,

wherein, for each slot, the archwire bracket is configured such that a plurality of angular orientations of the slot can be selected to adjust the amount and/or orientation of tilt when the archwire is disposed in the slot, whereby the archwire bracket has a plurality of positions corresponding to slot selection and a plurality of positions for the selected slot to adjust the amount and/or orientation of tilt.

11. Orthodontic bracket according to any of the previous claims,

wherein the archwire bracket is configured to be rotatable only within +/-30 ° about an axis perpendicular to the base.

12. Orthodontic bracket according to any of the previous claims,

wherein the slot is oriented within +/-45 ° in a direction perpendicular to the base for insertion of the archwire.

13. Orthodontic bracket according to any of the previous claims,

wherein the slot is oriented within +/-45 ° in a plane parallel to the base for insertion of the archwire.

14. Orthodontic bracket according to any of the previous claims,

wherein each slot is formed by two or more sub-slots aligned to receive the archwire.

15. Orthodontic bracket according to any of the previous claims,

wherein the archwire bracket is configured to rotate freely or have its rotational position constrained by the archwire, a flexible mechanism, a form-fitting positioning mechanism, welding, and/or an adhesive.

16. Orthodontic bracket according to any of the previous claims,

also included is an archwire retaining part disposed above the archwire bracket to retain the archwire in the archwire bracket in use.

17. The orthodontic bracket of claim 16,

wherein the archwire retaining part is in the form of a sliding or hinged door, a retaining band, a ring, or a snap on cap.

18. An orthodontic bracket according to any of claims 5-17, further comprising a spring, wherein the locking mechanism comprises the spring resiliently biased against a cooperating component on the base and/or the archwire bracket to lock these components in position in use.

19. An orthodontic appliance kit comprising:

a plurality of orthodontic brackets according to any one of the preceding claims; and

one or more archwires having a cross-sectional shape adapted to fit in slots of the orthodontic bracket.

20. An orthodontic appliance comprising:

a plurality of orthodontic brackets according to any one of claims 1 to 18; and

an archwire disposed in a slot of the orthodontic bracket.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to orthodontic appliances, and more particularly to brackets for dental appliances, orthodontic appliance kits and orthodontic appliances.

Background

Orthodontics is a specialized field of dentistry that is primarily concerned with the diagnosis, prevention and correction of malpositioned teeth and the treatment of malocclusions.

A typical orthodontic treatment procedure will include an initial phase of diagnosis and planning in which the nature of any malposition or malocclusion is identified. The problem with the user is identified and a treatment strategy is developed prior to administration.

Treatment strategies typically involve the use of orthodontic appliances to move the teeth of a user (hereinafter "user" will refer to a person to whom an orthodontic appliance has been attached). Examples of orthodontic appliances include devices such as dental appliances (fixed and removable), retainers, plates, etc., which can be used to help realign the teeth of a user and then hold the teeth in a position that improves the health of the user's teeth. The dental appliance may be used to cause movement of the user's teeth, and the retainer may be used after the dental appliance has been used to ensure that the movement effected by the dental appliance is maintained. Other devices are used for a variety of different functions.

A typical dental appliance includes a plurality of brackets, each of which is attached to a respective tooth by an adhesive, such as cement. Each bracket defines one or more features whose primary purpose is to retain the wire (referred to as an archwire) and apply a force to the wire. These features may be formed by cutouts or posts in or on the bracket (hereinafter, these features will be referred to as "slots"). An archwire is inserted into the slot of each bracket to exert a force on the bracket and thus on the tooth to which the bracket is attached to cause movement of the tooth. The wires are typically held in each bracket by sliding doors, polymer tape, or other retaining methods.

In connection with the above, it should be noted thatWhat is meant by healthy teeth is their physiological tolerance (25 g/cm) to the hard and soft tissues in which they are located²) The biomechanical pressure in the chamber is responsive. A fixation device is a means of such a force transmission mechanism. The application of force is regulated by the interaction between the archwire and the slot of the bracket which is adhered to the tooth. The profile of the bracket slot is oriented to reflect the angular prescription (description) of the 3-dimensional positioning of the individual teeth within the arch. These are brackets referred to as "pre-adjusted" and the values of these prescriptions have been determined relative to the mean evaluation value within the group of untreated cases with aligned and good dentitions. These averages have been further modified by numerous scholars to describe their idealized bite patterns. The most popular include Andrews, Roth, Ricketts and McLaughlin, Bennett&Trevisi (MBT) prescription. Once selected, orthodontists often adhere to using a prescription that they are satisfied with, due to the large number of brackets required to perform the professional practice.

Thus, it will be appreciated that typical dental appliances have pre-adjusted brackets that are used by the dentist to attempt to achieve a predetermined movement of one or more teeth to move the teeth to a position that improves the alignment of the user's teeth and/or malocclusion (bite) and/or dental health. However, it is difficult for the dentist to estimate the force required to move the teeth to a particular position, particularly the desired position in three dimensions, and therefore it is difficult for the dentist to accurately select the correct pre-adjusted dental bracket to form the appliance.

A typical procedure for orthodontic treatment may require multiple adjustments to the orthodontic appliances used to move the teeth. These adjustments produce the gradual movement of the teeth required for the treatment strategy. Without these adjustments, in many cases, the treatment will be unsuccessful or only partially successful.

Since the standard bracket cannot be adjusted in use when attached to the user's teeth, there are two possible ways to adjust the appliance during treatment. One option is to remove one or more carriers and replace them with a different carrier having a different prescription, or reposition the same carrier eccentrically or inversely. This involves breaking the adhesive bond of one or more carriers, removing the carriers, and adhering a new carrier or the same carrier in the desired location with the required pre-adjustment. Another option is to bend the archwire to change the force on a particular bracket in a desired manner. However, such a procedure is difficult, time consuming, and requires a great deal of skill at the dentist level to achieve the desired change in the magnitude and direction of the force on each tooth. Furthermore, it can be difficult to vary the force on a particular tooth in a desired manner without adversely affecting the force on other teeth. Further, due to the location of the various elements of the orthodontic appliance in the mouth of the user, the adjustment process is not easy to perform and the user may be uncomfortable. In addition, repeated adjustments may result in one or more components of the appliance being damaged or the components may become immovable during adjustment.

It will therefore be appreciated that problems are associated with pre-adjusted brackets, most notably unwanted tooth movement. The alveolar bone where the tooth is located reacts to the pressure (wherever the pressure is applied). No fixed point for "anchoring" purposes can be pushed or pulled against. Thus, from that point of force transmission, depending on the cross-sectional size of the archwire, most/all of the prescription will come into play, which results in movement that may not be required at that particular stage of treatment, requiring a "return travel" to restore the lost original position, known as "anchorage loss", thus increasing treatment time.

In addition, the prescription is also insensitive to ethnicity, and to individual anatomical variations within a particular ethnic group. Imposing an average caucasian value often results in incomplete treatment, requiring further intervention to end the case with satisfactory criteria. Incomplete treatment often results in post-treatment relapse, which may require future re-treatment.

With respect to the above, it should also be noted that a typical course of orthodontic treatment will require adjustment of one or more teeth in one or more of a number of different types of motions. These movements include tilting (tip), twisting (torque), leveling and translation in and out, which are all terms of art in the field of orthodontic technology. These different types of movements may be defined relative to a plane defined by the surface of the adhesive bracket on the tooth. It will be noted that the plane of this surface will also correspond to the plane of the base of the bracket which is adhered to the tooth surface. Tilting or tilting involves rotating the tooth about an axis substantially perpendicular to the surface of the adhesive bracket on the tooth. This will change the in-plane orientation of the long axis of the tooth. In contrast, twisting or twisting involves rotating the tooth about a substantially horizontal axis that is substantially parallel to the tooth surface. This will change the out-of-plane orientation of the long axis of the tooth. Leveling involves movement of the teeth relative to the user's occlusal plane. Finally, translation involves moving the tooth without changing the angular orientation of the long axis of the tooth.

US 4,597,739 relates to a bracket system for adjusting twist rather than tilt. However, the system disclosed in US 4,597,739 relies on the interchange of parts providing different levels of torsion, which is inconvenient and may result in the connection between the various interchangeable parts failing. GB 2200847 relates to an orthodontic bracket which does not provide a means for enabling adjustment of the twist. In contrast, the torsional adjustment contemplated by the disclosure of GB 2200847 is merely a conventional means of relying on manipulation of archwires and other attachments with the associated problems discussed above. US 7,306,458, US 2015/0342707 and US 2016/0143707 relate to orthodontic brackets without disclosing torsional adjustment.

This document describes a form of bracket that is adjustable to provide one or more of the above types of movement and to enable the force exerted on the teeth to be adjusted by adjusting the configuration of the bracket. This adjustment may be made at any time during the manufacturing process, by the dentist prior to installation to the user, or while the bracket is installed to the user. Another object is to provide an adjustable bracket that is easily adjusted in a quick and easy to use manner, while being capable of fine control to adjust the magnitude and direction of the force and thus the resultant movement of the teeth in a desired manner during treatment.

Disclosure of Invention

According to one aspect disclosed herein, there is provided an orthodontic bracket comprising: a base having a posterior surface and an anterior surface, the posterior surface configured to adhere to a tooth surface (labial and/or lingual surface) in use; and an archwire bracket rotatably mounted to the front surface of the base, the archwire bracket configured to be rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the base within a range of +/-30 ° (optionally +/-20 °, +/-10 °, +/-5 °, or +/-3 °), wherein the archwire bracket includes at least one slot configured to retain an archwire in use, and wherein the archwire bracket is rotatable for receiving the archwire and imparting a desired amount and/or orientation of tilt and/or twist to a tooth in use. Both tilt and twist may be adjusted by rotating the archwire bracket and/or optional other components about the same single axis of motion.

The orthodontic brackets of the present invention do not require replacement of the archwire bracket in use to change the inclination and/or twist on the tooth by a desired amount and/or orientation.

According to one configuration, the archwire bracket includes a plurality of slots disposed at different angular orientations, each slot configured to retain an archwire in use, and wherein the plurality of slots each have a different configuration to impart different amounts and/or orientations of tilt and/or twist to the teeth in use, the archwire bracket being rotated to select a desired slot for receiving the archwire so as to impart the desired amount and/or orientation of tilt and/or twist to the teeth in use.

A "desired amount and/or orientation of tilt and/or twist" is an amount and/or twist of tilt and/or orientation required to provide the direction and magnitude of force required for the orthodontic practitioner's assessed treatment strategy. This will vary depending on a number of factors, such as the degree of malposition or malocclusion, and/or will vary as the treatment strategy progresses. A "desired slot" is a slot that is most capable of providing the desired amount and/or orientation of tilt and/or twist.

The archwire bracket may be allowed to rotate freely or may be constrained or locked in place permanently or by a releasable mechanism. For example, the bracket may incorporate a releasable locking mechanism configured to enable the archwire bracket to be rotated about an axis of rotation and locked in a plurality of angular orientations, rotating and locking the archwire bracket in place to select a desired passage for receiving an archwire so as to impart a desired amount and/or orientation of tilt and/or twist to the teeth in use. The archwire bracket may be continuously adjustable by rotation or may have a limited set of fixed angular increments. Alternatively, a permanent locking mechanism such as welding or a semi-permanent mechanism such as adhesive bonding may ensure the angular rotation. Further, instead of a rigid locking mechanism, a biasing mechanism (e.g., a spring mechanism) or a friction mechanism may be provided to resist free rotation of the archwire bracket to select the angular orientation of the archwire bracket to apply a rotational force. These mechanisms may be used in combination.

Orthodontic brackets allow the dentist to adjust the force applied to a user's particular teeth to a desired degree. In addition, the force applied to the teeth by the orthodontic appliance can be customized for that particular tooth, which allows the teeth to be more effectively realigned into positions that improve the user's dental health and avoid unwanted movement. Thus, the orthodontic bracket enables the desired movement of the teeth within the periosteum.

A new system is therefore envisaged which provides an adjustable carrier configuration to allow manipulation of tooth movement in a desired direction at a desired time. Thus providing a carriage system that reduces/eliminates unwanted tooth movement, thereby reducing round trip travel and treatment time. This reduces post-treatment recurrence by precisely positioning the teeth within the optimal periosteum, used in conjunction with a custom prescription. The system may be used in conjunction with imaging (e.g., CT or MRI) of the user's teeth and jaw bones to customize the bracket and thus the treatment.

According to some configurations, the adjustable bracket is capable of manipulating the tilt and twist angle through the geometry of the adjustable slot, while the third dimension "in-out" can be embedded into the thickness of the bracket base as desired.

The archwire bracket may include a plurality (n) of orientations for selecting a desired slot. For example, the archwire bracket may be provided with three slots in a 120 ° orientation. The archwire bracket can be rotated between 120 deg. orientations to select the appropriate slot to hold the archwire. Each slot may be marked to give an indication of the amount and/or orientation of tilt and/or twist that would be applied to the tooth if that slot were selected. In this way, the orthodontic bracket can be adjusted to impart a desired amount and/or orientation of tilt and/or twist to the teeth in use. The slot may be disposed through or offset from the axis of rotation of the archwire bracket.

The 360 rotation of the archwire bracket described above to select a particular slot of the plurality of slots may be referred to as a gross rotation. The archwire bracket (and associated locking or angle control mechanism) may be further configured to include a plurality of sub-positions for each of the n orientations in order to vary the angle of a selected slot. That is, for each coarse orientation, a plurality of fine rotation positions are provided, which enable the selected slot to be varied in its angular orientation about the axis of rotation. Such micro-rotation may be applied before or after insertion of the archwire into the selected slot. Thus, this configuration enables two types of adjustments: (i) adjusting by selecting one of the plurality of slots; and (ii) fine tuning of the selected slot.

While the foregoing examples include archwire brackets provided with three slots in a 120 ° orientation, other configurations with more or fewer slots are contemplated. The archwire bracket may even be provided with only a single slot. By rotating 180 degrees the slot can have two different orientations and thus still provide two different pitch and/or twist configurations. By fine tuning the two 180 ° orientations, more values can be provided.

Further, the archwire bracket may be configured to be rotatable only about an axis substantially perpendicular to the base. This configuration avoids the need for more complex configurations in which different types of adjustments need to be made in rotation about different axes of rotation. More complex configurations with more than one axis of rotation increase the cost and complexity of the carrier. Furthermore, more complex configurations can be difficult to adjust in use and can be prone to failure or damage.

In one configuration, the plurality of slots are configured to provide different amounts and/or orientations of twist. In use, one of the slots is selectable by rotation of the archwire bracket to receive an archwire. Thus, the selected slot is oriented to receive the archwire to impart the desired amount and/or orientation of twist. Thus, in this configuration, different slots produce different twists. This may be achieved, for example, by providing the following structure: each slot has two sidewalls and a bottom surface, and the bottom surface and/or sidewalls of each slot have different angular orientations to provide different amounts and/or orientations of twist. In general, the internal shape/orientation of each slot can be modified to produce different twists.

Further, for each slot, the archwire bracket may be configured to enable selection of a plurality of angular orientations of the slot to adjust the amount and/or orientation of the tilt when the archwire is disposed in the slot. That is, the archwire bracket has a selected plurality of positions corresponding to and for the selected slot to adjust the amount and/or orientation of the tilt. When combined with the previous configuration, two types of adjustments are: (i) adjusting the twist by selecting one of the plurality of slots; and (ii) adjusting the tilt by micro-rotating the selected slot. It is also contemplated that the slot may be reconfigured such that adjustment of twist is achieved, for example, by selecting one of the plurality of slots to adjust the tilt and/or by micro-rotating the selected slot.

One particular advantage of embodiments of the present invention as described herein is that both tilting and twisting can be adjusted by rotating the archwire bracket about a single axis of rotation. Use of embodiments of the present invention does not require exchange or replacement of parts to change the level of tilt and/or twist. Instead, all that is required is to rotate the archwire bracket to adjust for different levels of tilting and/or twisting forces. In the case of adjusting the inclination, the archwire may not need to be removed. Twist adjustments may require removal of the archwire, selection of different twisting forces by rotating the archwire bracket, and replacement of the archwire.

In embodiments of the present invention, the archwire bracket is configured to be rotatable only within +/-30 ° about an axis perpendicular to the base.

According to some configurations, the slot is oriented in a direction generally perpendicular to the base. That is, the direction from the bottom surface of each slot to the opening or upper portion of the slot is in a direction generally away from the base of the orthodontic bracket. The particular angular orientation will vary depending on the amount of tilt or twist to be applied to the tooth. For example, the slot may be oriented substantially perpendicular to the base or oriented within an angular orientation ranging +/-45 (optionally +/-35) of perpendicular. In this configuration, each slot has side walls that also extend generally away from the base of the orthodontic bracket. The insertion direction for introducing the archwire into the slot is generally toward the base of the orthodontic bracket, e.g., oriented inward at an angle ranging +/-45 (optionally +/-35) normal to the base.

According to an alternative configuration, the slot may be oriented in a plane generally parallel to the base, such as within +/-45 (optionally +/-35) for insertion of an archwire. In this configuration, the direction from the bottom surface of each slot to the open or opposite side of the slot is a direction generally parallel to the plane of the base of the orthodontic bracket, e.g., oriented within an angle of +/-45 (optionally +/-35) degrees parallel to the base. In this configuration, each slot has side walls that also extend generally parallel to the base of the orthodontic bracket. The insertion direction for introducing the archwire into the slot is also substantially parallel to the base of the orthodontic bracket.

It is not necessary that each slot have a continuous floor and sidewalls. For example, each slot may be formed by two or more sub-slots aligned to receive an archwire. A sub-groove may be considered a single groove having a discontinuous floor and/or sidewalls. For example, where the archwire bracket is cylindrical, the protrusions around the cylindrical archwire bracket may form a tower-like configuration that defines a sub-slot, with two opposing and aligned sub-slots on opposite sides of the cylindrical archwire bracket forming a slot into which an archwire may be placed in use.

In embodiments of the present invention, the archwire bracket is configured to be freely rotatable or to have its rotational position constrained by the archwire, a compliant mechanism, a form-fitting positioning mechanism, welding, and/or adhesives.

The orthodontic bracket may further comprise an archwire retaining portion disposed above the archwire bracket to retain an archwire in the archwire bracket in use. The archwire retaining part can take different forms. For example, the archwire retaining part may be in the form of a sliding door, a hinged door, a retaining band, a ring, or a fixable (e.g., snap) cap. One advantage of the cap configuration is that the cap can prevent debris from entering the internal components of the orthodontic bracket. The retaining cap also provides an externally facing surface that can function to conceal the internal components of the orthodontic bracket, thereby increasing the aesthetic appeal of the bracket. The exterior facing surface may be decorated with colors, patterns, etc. to enhance aesthetics and/or to provide a personalized carrier for an individual user.

In another aspect of the invention, there is provided an orthodontic appliance kit comprising: a plurality of orthodontic brackets as described herein; and one or more archwires having a cross-sectional shape adapted to fit within the slots of the orthodontic bracket.

In yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an orthodontic appliance comprising: a plurality of orthodontic brackets as described herein; and an archwire disposed in the slot of the orthodontic bracket.

In an embodiment of the invention, the bracket further comprises a spring, wherein the locking mechanism of the invention comprises a spring resiliently biased against a mating part on the base and/or the archwire bracket to lock the parts in place in use.

Drawings

To assist in understanding the disclosure and to show how embodiments may be carried into effect, reference is made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of an orthodontic appliance including three adjustable brackets mounted on respective teeth with an archwire positioned in a slot of the adjustable brackets-this figure includes a more detailed view of one of the adjustable brackets;

figure 2 shows three orthographic views (directions A, B and C in figure 1) of a rotating archwire bracket component of an orthodontic bracket with three equally spaced slots each having a different twist angle due to the different orientation of each slot (archwire and base plate not shown for clarity);

FIG. 3 shows a matrix illustrating various combinations of twist and skew that can be applied to situations where three twist values can be selected by selecting different slots and three skew values can be provided by providing three different micro-rotational orientations for each slot (fewer or more combinations can be provided by designing fewer or more numbers of skew and twist values depending on the number of slots provided and the number of micro-rotational positions available for each slot);

fig. 4 shows in more detail an adjustable orthodontic bracket comprising three slots, each slot being arranged at a different angle for three different twist settings and five micro-rotational positions providing five different tilt settings for each of the three twist settings; a central bushing (spibot) forming a rotational axis and retaining mechanism between the base portion and the rotating archwire bracket portion; in this version, the protrusions on the base engage with the grooves in the swivel component to form a snap-in locked position to facilitate selection of the tilt setting and the twist setting (the archwire holding part component above the rotating archwire bracket is not shown for clarity);

figure 5 shows the orthodontic bracket of figure 4 with an archwire retaining portion in the form of a polymeric band to illustrate how ligation of an archwire into the archwire bracket is achieved;

fig. 6 illustrates the orthodontic bracket of fig. 4 with an archwire retaining portion in the form of a snap cap to accomplish an alternative method of ligating an archwire into an archwire bracket;

fig. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the orthodontic bracket of fig. 6; the cap may be colored or patterned to help conceal or decorate the device;

fig. 8 illustrates an orthodontic bracket configuration comprising: an external rotation restraint and retainer as an alternative to the central sleeve; a spring clip locking member to maintain the rotary member in a desired rotational orientation; and an alternative ligating snap ring to retain the archwire in the slot of the rotating archwire bracket;

fig. 9 illustrates an orthodontic bracket configuration including a slot engaged with an archwire in a plane generally parallel to the base and the teeth; the illustrated arrangement provides three slots so that three twist changes can be selected, but other variations with fewer or more slot changes are also contemplated;

fig. 10 illustrates an orthodontic bracket configuration comprising: two slots for archwires, in this case 90 degrees to each other, each with a different twist angle, providing up to four alternative twist angle possibilities (two slots can be oriented in an upward or downward direction to provide four twist settings); and a spring clip for positively determining the position of the tilt and twist angle selection, the illustration showing three possible tilt angles for each twist setting, but one or both may be designed more or less; and

fig. 11 illustrates an alternative orthodontic bracket of the present invention.

In the drawings, like reference numerals have been used for like parts to facilitate comparison between the different embodiments. It will be understood that the drawings illustrate how the concepts described herein may be embodied in an actual orthodontic device. These drawings illustrate only some of the possible configurations and other variations and combinations are contemplated.

Detailed Description

A typical conventional dental appliance includes a plurality of orthodontic brackets, each orthodontic bracket attached to a respective tooth by an adhesive, such as a bonding cement. Each bracket is configured to provide a substantially horizontally oriented slot (when the bracket is in use when mounted to a user's teeth). A wire, known as an archwire, is inserted into the slot of each orthodontic bracket to exert a force on the bracket and, thus, on the tooth to which the bracket is attached, thereby causing movement of the tooth. A door or other retaining device may be attached to each bracket to retain the archwire in the slot. The components of orthodontic brackets are typically formed of stainless steel or ceramic materials. Archwires are typically formed from metals or alloys, such as nickel titanium or stainless steel. Standard orthodontic brackets are not designed to be adjustable.

As discussed in the background section, a typical course of orthodontic treatment may require multiple adjustments to the orthodontic appliances used to move the teeth. Since standard orthodontic brackets are not adjustable when they are in use attached to a user's teeth, there are two possible ways to adjust orthodontic brackets during treatment: replacing one or more of the orthodontic brackets with brackets having different pre-configured settings; or bending the archwire to change the force on a particular bracket in a desired manner. These procedures are not ideal in terms of time, difficulty, discomfort, accuracy, and/or reliability.

The present specification describes an adjustable bracket that can be easily adjusted to reliably adjust the magnitude and direction of the force and resultant movement of the teeth in a desired manner during treatment. The arrangements described herein enable a manufacturer, dentist or other person to perform adjustment operations before and/or after fitting in a user's mouth. The main advantage is that the force applied to each tooth can be individually and accurately tailored to that tooth, rather than applying the same force to all teeth.

Fig. 1 shows a portion of an orthodontic bracket 10 comprising three adjustable orthodontic brackets 12 mounted to respective teeth 14 with an archwire 16 positioned in a slot 18 of the adjustable brackets 12. This figure also shows a more detailed view of one of the adjustable orthodontic brackets 12 with three possible slots (arrow A, B, C indicates the viewing direction referred to in fig. 2).

The orthodontic bracket 12 includes a base 20 having a rear surface 22 and a front surface 24. The back surface 22 is configured to adhere to the surface of the tooth 14 in use. An archwire bracket 26 is rotatably mounted to the front surface 24 of the base 20. The archwire bracket 26 is configured to be rotatable about an axis substantially perpendicular to the base 20 (e.g., within +/-30, +/-20, +/-10, +/-5 or +/-3). In use, the archwire bracket 26 may be free to rotate or constrained (e.g., by a locking mechanism) in a plurality of angular orientations. The archwire bracket 26 includes a plurality of slots 18, the slots 18 being disposed at different angular orientations relative to the axis of rotation of the archwire bracket 26. Each slot 18 is configured to retain an archwire 16. The plurality of troughs 18 each have a different configuration (e.g., different internal shape/orientation/angle) to impart different amounts and/or orientations of tilt and/or twist to the teeth in use. The archwire bracket 26 is rotated into position (and may be locked in place) to select the desired slot 18 to receive the archwire 16 to impart the desired amount and/or orientation of tilt and/or twist to the teeth in use.

Orthodontic brackets as described herein may be secured to the lateral/labial/buccal side and/or medial/lingual/palatal side.

Fig. 2 shows three views (corresponding to arrows A, B and C in fig. 1) of the rotating archwire bracket 26. The rotary archwire bracket includes three equally spaced slots (in terms of angular orientation), each having a different twist angle due to the variation in the angle of the slots (archwire and base plate not shown for clarity). The rotating archwire bracket 26 is cylindrical in shape and has a central hole to receive a bushing for rotatably mounting the component to the base plate. As shown in fig. 1, the rear surface of the rotating archwire bracket 26 is planar and lies adjacent the front surface of the base plate. The front surface of the rotating archwire bracket 26 has a cut-out portion 28 with the cut-out portion 28 forming a protrusion 30 to define a slot. The illustrated embodiment has six cutout portions 28 that may be grouped into three pairs of opposed and aligned cutout portions, thereby forming three angularly oriented slots. As can be seen in views B and C of fig. 2, the cut out portions are twisted relative to each other which causes the archwire to also be twisted a set amount when disposed in one of the slots. Such twisting causes a twisting force to be applied to the associated tooth in use. The illustrated rotary archwire bracket 26 can provide five different twist settings: one of the slots is neutral (zero twist); each of the other two slots has a non-zero twist setting, which may be positive or negative depending on the 180 ° direction of the rotating archwire bracket 26. The slot angle used to change the twist setting can be any angle suitable for the prescription.

Fig. 3 shows a matrix illustrating different combinations of twist and tilt that can be applied to the case where three twist values are selectable by selecting different slots and three tilt values are provided by providing three different micro-rotational orientations for each slot. There are two additional twist settings available for this rotary archwire bracket design, but not shown in fig. 3. Depending on the number of slots provided and the number of micro-rotational positions available for each slot, fewer or more combinations may be provided by designing fewer or greater numbers of pitch and twist values.

Fig. 4 shows in more detail an adjustable orthodontic bracket 12 comprising three slots (18 a; 18 b; 18c) having different internal shapes for three different twist settings. Five micro-rotational positions are provided to provide five different tilt settings for each of the three twist settings. A central bushing (not visible) forms the axis of rotation and retaining mechanism between the base 20 and the rotating archwire bracket part 26. In this version, the protrusions 32 on the base 20 engage with the grooves 34 in the swivel component 26 to form a snap-in locked position to facilitate selection of the tilt and twist settings (the archwire holding component on the rotating archwire bracket is not shown for clarity).

Fig. 5 shows the orthodontic bracket of fig. 4 with an archwire retaining portion 36 in the form of a polymeric band to illustrate how ligation of an archwire 16 into the archwire bracket 26 can be achieved.

Fig. 6 illustrates the orthodontic bracket of fig. 4 with an archwire retaining portion 36 in the form of a snap cap to accomplish an alternative method of ligating an archwire 16 into the archwire bracket 26.

Fig. 7 shows a cut away view of the orthodontic bracket of fig. 6 including a snap cap 36 for retaining the archwire 16 within the archwire bracket 26. The cap 36 includes a peripheral lip 38, which peripheral lip 38 fits over and couples with a complementary lip 40 on the rotating archwire bracket 26. The cap 36 may be colored or patterned to help conceal or decorate the device. Also visible in the cross-sectional view of fig. 7 is a central bushing 42 for rotationally coupling the rotary archwire bracket 26 to the base 20.

Fig. 8 illustrates an orthodontic bracket configuration including an outer rotation restraint 44 for rotatably mounting the archwire bracket 26 as an alternative to the central bushing. The illustrated construction also includes a spring clip locking member 46 to maintain the rotational member 26 in a desired rotational orientation. Still further, the illustrated arrangement also has an alternative ligation clip ring 48 to retain the archwire 16 in the slot of the rotary archwire bracket 26. One or more of these alternative rotation, locking and archwire holding configurations may be combined with features in the orthodontic bracket configuration described previously.

Figure 9 illustrates another orthodontic bracket configuration including an archwire bracket 26 having a slot 18 engaging an archwire 16 in a plane generally parallel to the base 20 and the associated tooth. The illustrated arrangement provides three slots 18 so that three twist variations can be selected, but other variations with fewer or more slot variations are contemplated.

Figure 10 shows an orthodontic bracket configuration including a rotatable archwire bracket 26, the archwire bracket 26 including two slots for archwires 16, in this case the two slots are at 90 degrees to each other. Each slot is formed by two sub-slots. Each slot has a different twist angle, thereby providing up to four alternative twist angle possibilities (two slots can be oriented in either an upward or downward direction to provide four twist settings). Spring clips 50 are provided for positively determining the position of the inclination and twist angle selection, the illustration showing three possible inclination angles for each twist setting, but one or both may be designed more or less.

Figure 11 illustrates an orthodontic bracket configuration including a rotatable archwire bracket 26, the archwire bracket 26 having three slots 18 for archwires 16. Each slot 18 includes two sub-slots configured to receive an archwire simultaneously and having the same slot angle. The archwire 16 is shown in a slot formed by a pair of sub-slots in figure 11. Thus, in use, each slot provides a different torsion force that is achieved and introduced according to clinical needs by positioning the tab 61 of the spring 60 in the mating groove 62 formed in the archwire bracket 26. Torque is transmitted from the archwire to the tooth by a shaped (in this case rectangular) archwire 16 that mates with the contour of the slot 18. The level of tilt can be adjusted, fixed and introduced by co-locating the protrusion 63 on the base 20 with the mating profile 64 on the spring 60. As a variant, the protrusion may be located on the spring 60, with the mating profile located on the base 20. Three mating profiles are shown in fig. 11 corresponding to three different tilt positions.

The slot in the above embodiments may alternatively still be formed by a slot that performs the same function as a slot formed by two or more sub-slots.

The examples described herein are to be understood as illustrative examples of embodiments of the invention. Further embodiments and examples are envisaged. Any feature described in relation to any one example or embodiment may be used alone or in combination with other features. Furthermore, any feature described in relation to any one example or embodiment may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other example or embodiment, or any combination of any other example or embodiment. Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described herein may also be employed within the scope of the invention, which is defined in the claims.