U.S. patent application number 15/794317 was filed with the patent office on 2018-02-15 for orthodontic bracket and method of correcting malpositioned teeth.
The applicant listed for this patent is Ormco Corporation. Invention is credited to Farrokh Farzin-Nia, Todd I. Oda, Albert Ruiz-Vela, Ronald J. Sirney.
Application Number | 20180042700 15/794317 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42340117 |
Filed Date | 2018-02-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20180042700 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ruiz-Vela; Albert ; et
al. |
February 15, 2018 |
ORTHODONTIC BRACKET AND METHOD OF CORRECTING MALPOSITIONED
TEETH
Abstract
An orthodontic bracket includes a bracket body and a ligating
member. The ligating member retains an archwire in an archwire slot
and includes archwire control structure including projecting
portions spaced apart in a mesial-distal direction with a recessed
area therebetween. The recessed area and the projecting portions
overlie the archwire slot. The recessed area may include a flat or
a curved surface in a mesial-distal direction. The recessed area
and projecting portions may define a radius of curvature that is
less than the radius of curvature of the archwire seated in the
slot. The archwire contacts one or both the projecting portions
resulting in a larger moment arm and better rotational control of
the bracket with the force applied by the archwire.
Inventors: |
Ruiz-Vela; Albert; (Alta
Loma, CA) ; Farzin-Nia; Farrokh; (Inglewood, CA)
; Sirney; Ronald J.; (Alta Loma, CA) ; Oda; Todd
I.; (Torrance, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Ormco Corporation |
Orange |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
42340117 |
Appl. No.: |
15/794317 |
Filed: |
October 26, 2017 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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15292794 |
Oct 13, 2016 |
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15794317 |
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14682453 |
Apr 9, 2015 |
9492247 |
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15292794 |
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12689145 |
Jan 18, 2010 |
9004916 |
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14682453 |
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61145345 |
Jan 16, 2009 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61C 7/303 20130101;
A61C 7/287 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A61C 7/28 20060101
A61C007/28; A61C 7/30 20060101 A61C007/30 |
Claims
1. An orthodontic bracket comprising: a bracket body that is
adapted to be secured to a tooth and includes an archwire slot for
receiving an archwire, the archwire slot including a base surface
and opposing side walls each extending from the base surface and
defining an archwire slot width therebetween, and a U-shaped clip
that is movable between an opened position and a closed position
and is coupled to the bracket body in the closed position with a
first leg closing off the archwire slot and a second leg connected
to the first leg by a lateral section, the first leg including a
first portion spaced apart from a second portion by a cutout, the
first leg and the second leg extending from one opposing side wall
to the other opposing side wall and the cutout having a depth at
least as large as the archwire slot width.
2. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the cutout has a
U-shape and the depth is defined at an apex of the U-shape.
3. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the second leg
includes a tab adapted to abut at least one of a portion of the
bracket body or a surface of the archwire slot when the clip is in
the open position.
4. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the clip includes
flat spring metal.
5. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the bracket body
further comprises at least one slot in one of the opposing side
walls of the archwire slot and a tip of each of the first leg and
the second leg enters the slot and limits deflection of the first
leg away from the base surface.
6. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the first portion
has a first width and the second portion has a second width equal
to the first width.
7. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the cutout has a
U-shape or a rectangular shape.
8. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the clip has a
uniform thickness.
9. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the width of the
first leg approximates a full mesial-distal dimension of the
archwire slot.
10. An orthodontic bracket comprising: a bracket body that is
adapted to be secured to a tooth and includes an archwire slot
having a base surface and opposing side walls each extending away
from the base surface, the opposing side walls defining an archwire
slot width, and a clip movable between an opened position and a
closed position, the clip being coupled to the bracket body in the
closed position and including a first leg and a second leg
connected by a lateral section, the first leg including a cutout
separating the first leg into a mesial portion and a distal
portion, wherein the cutout has an occlusal-gingival depth greater
than the archwire slot width and a width of the first leg
positioned outwardly of the archwire slot when the clip is in the
closed position is greater than a width of the lateral section and
greater than a width of the second leg.
11. The orthodontic bracket of claim 10, wherein the width of the
first leg approximates a full mesial-distal dimension of the
archwire slot.
12. The orthodontic bracket of claim 10, the bracket body further
comprising a slot that receives a tip of the mesial portion and a
tip of the distal portion when the clip is in the closed position,
the slot being configured to provide a limit to movement of the
first leg in a direction away from the base surface.
13. The orthodontic bracket of claim 10, wherein the cutout has a
U-shape or a rectangular shape.
14. The orthodontic bracket of claim 10, wherein the mesial portion
has a first width and the distal portion has a second width equal
to the first width.
15. The orthodontic bracket of claim 10, wherein the clip has a
uniform thickness.
16. An orthodontic bracket comprising: a bracket body that is
adapted to be secured to a tooth and includes an archwire slot
including a base surface and opposing side walls each extending
from the base surface, and a U-shaped clip that is movable between
an opened position and a closed position and is coupled to the
bracket body in the closed position, the clip including a first leg
and a second leg connected to the first leg by a lateral section,
the first leg closing off the archwire slot when the clip is in the
closed position and including a first portion spaced apart from a
second portion by a cutout allowing the archwire to contact each of
the first portion and the second portion and arch between them
without contacting another portion of the U-shaped clip.
17. The orthodontic bracket of claim 16, wherein the opposing side
walls define an archwire slot width and the cutout has an
occlusal-gingival depth greater than the archwire slot width.
18. The orthodontic bracket of claim 16, wherein the cutout has a
U-shape or a rectangular shape.
19. The orthodontic bracket of claim 16, wherein the width of the
first leg is equal to a full mesial-distal dimension of the
archwire slot.
20. The orthodontic bracket of claim 16, the bracket body further
comprising a slot that receives a tip of the mesial portion and a
tip of the distal portion when the clip is in the closed position,
the slot being configured to provide a limit to movement of the
first leg in a direction away from the base surface.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 15/292,794 filed Oct. 13, 2016, which is a continuation of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/682,453, filed Apr. 9, 2015,
which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
12/689,145, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,004,916, filed Jan. 18, 2010, which
claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No.
61/145,345 entitled "ORTHODONTIC BRACKET AND METHOD OF CORRECTING
MALPOSITIONED TEETH," filed on Jan. 16, 2009, the disclosures of
which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Orthodontic treatment involves the application of mechanical
forces to urge improperly positioned teeth into correct alignment.
One form of orthodontic treatment includes the use of orthodontic
brackets respectively fixed to individual teeth either by bands or,
more commonly, fixed into place with adhesive. After the brackets
are fixed to the teeth of the upper or lower arch, a resilient
archwire is then seated in the archwire slots of the upper or lower
brackets. The upper and/or lower teeth may be treated in this
manner. The archwire(s) may then be secured in place with respect
to each bracket by individual ligature wires or elastic bands. This
results in active ligation or, in other words, ligation that forces
the archwire to the base surface of the archwire slot.
[0003] Alternative bracket designs ligate the archwire into
position by a movable closure member or cover. Such movable closure
members may be permanently, but movably, coupled with the bracket
body or may be a separate element non-permanently coupled with the
bracket body. These types of archwire slot closure members may
ligate the archwire either passively or actively. In passive
designs, the closure member does not force the archwire to the base
surface of the archwire slot but, instead, allows the archwire, or
at least a portion thereof, to be spaced from the base of the
archwire slot or from the movable closure member. In contrast, in
active ligation, the movable closure member or other ligating
element forces the archwire to the base surface of the archwire
slot. The movable closure member is opened for inserting the
archwire into the slot and then closed for retaining the archwire
in the archwire slot. This movable closure member includes, but is
not limited to, a ligating slide, a clip, an elastic or resilient
cover, etc. Correction occurs as the archwire aligns the teeth to
the shape of the archwire.
[0004] There is a need for an orthodontic bracket that provides
consistent rotational control of the tooth and an improved method
for controlling rotation of the tooth during treatment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In one aspect, an orthodontic bracket is provided comprising
a bracket body adapted to be secured to a tooth. The bracket body
includes a mesial end, a distal end, a lingual side, a labial side,
and an archwire slot extending generally in a mesial-distal
direction. The archwire slot includes a base surface, opposing side
walls extending in a labial direction from the base surface and an
opening on the labial side opposite the base surface for receiving
an archwire. The bracket further comprises a closure member movable
between an open position and a closed position. The closure member
is coupled to the bracket body in the closed position to retain the
archwire in the archwire slot. The closure member includes a
lingual side with archwire control structure including first and
second projecting portions spaced apart in a mesial-distal
direction and a recessed area therebetween. The recessed area and
the first and second projecting portions overlie the archwire slot
when the closure member is in the closed position, with first
projecting portion being proximate the mesial end of the archwire
slot and the second projecting portion being proximate the distal
end of the archwire slot when the closure member is in the closed
position, and at least one of the first or second projecting
portions is adapted to contact the archwire when the closure member
is in the closed position.
[0006] The closure member may further comprise various structures
such as a slide member, a clip, a resilient closure, a pivoting
member, etc. The recessed area and the first and second projecting
portions may also take many forms. As examples, these elements of
the closure member may generally form a generally rectangular cross
sectional shape when viewed in an occlusal-gingival direction.
Optionally, the recessed area may include a flat surface or a
surface curved in a mesial-distal direction. The recessed surface
and first and second projecting portions together define a radius
of curvature that is less than the radius of curvature of the
archwire portion that is seated in the associated slot of that
bracket. This will ensure that the archwire contacts the first
and/or second projecting portions instead of the recessed surface
thereby resulting in a larger moment arm and better rotational
control of the bracket with the force applied by the archwire.
[0007] More specifically, the lingual side or surface of the
closure member can include a recess overlying the archwire slot
when the closure member is in the closed position and the recess
can have mesial and distal edges. At least one of the mesial edge
or distal edge is adapted to contact the archwire when the closure
member is in the closed position.
[0008] In another embodiment, the recessed area is defined by a
mesial side wall, a distal side wall, and a surface therebetween.
The surface is configured such that the archwire does not contact
the surface when the clip is in the closed position and when the
archwire is in contact with one or both of the mesial and distal
projecting portions.
[0009] In another aspect, an orthodontic bracket is provided
comprising a bracket body adapted to be secured to a tooth and a
clip movable between an open position and a closed position. The
bracket body includes a mesial end, a distal end, a lingual side, a
labial side, an occlusal side, a gingival side, an
occlusal-gingival slot extending generally from the occlusal side
to the gingival side, and an archwire slot extending generally from
the mesial end to the distal end. The archwire slot includes a base
surface, opposing side walls extending in a labial direction from
the base surface, and an opening on the labial side opposite the
base surface for receiving an archwire.
[0010] The clip is coupled to the bracket body in the closed
position to retain the archwire in the archwire slot. The clip
includes a lingual leg and a labial leg connected by a lateral
section and has a generally U-shaped cross section. The lingual leg
is configured to slidably cooperate with the occlusal-gingival
slot. The labial leg has a lingual side with archwire control
structure that includes mesial and distal projecting portions
having a recessed area therebetween. The archwire control structure
overlies the archwire slot when the clip is in the closed position
and at least one of the mesial and distal projecting portions is
adapted to contact the archwire when the clip is in the closed
position. In one embodiment, the clip is bifurcated.
[0011] In another embodiment, an orthodontic member is provided for
use with an orthodontic bracket that is adapted to be secured to a
tooth. The bracket includes a mesial end, a distal end, a lingual
side, a labial side, an occlusal side, and a gingival side. The
bracket further includes a viewing and an archwire slot that
extends generally from the mesial end to the distal end. The
archwire slot includes a base surface and gingival and occlusal
side walls that extend in a labial direction from the base surface,
and an opening on the labial side opposite the base surface that
receives an archwire therein.
[0012] The member includes a main body that is configured to cover
at least a portion of the bracket when the orthodontic member is
coupled to the bracket. The main body has labial and lingual
surface. The lingual surface includes archwire control structure.
The archwire control structure includes mesial and distal
projecting portions separated by a recessed area. The member
further includes an engaging member that extends from the main body
and that is configured to engage the tie wing to removably couple
the orthodontic member to the bracket. When the archwire is
positioned in the archwire slot and the orthodontic member is
coupled to the bracket, the mesial and distal projecting portions
overlie the archwire slot and are adapted to contact the
archwire.
[0013] A method of correcting malpositioned teeth according to the
invention can comprise applying a plurality of orthodontic brackets
constructed in one or more of the manners discussed herein to the
teeth of a patient. An archwire is then retained in the respective
archwire slots of the orthodontic brackets with the ligating
members coupled to the bracket such that the archwire contacts at
least one of the first or second projecting portions or at least
one of the mesial or distal edges, and without contacting another
area of the ligating member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and
constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of
the invention and, with the general description given above,
together with the detailed description given below, serve to
explain various aspects of the invention.
[0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a bracket
body, closure member, and archwire of a conventional bracket and
archwire assembly;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an orthodontic bracket
holding an archwire in accordance with one embodiment of the
invention;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a closure member in the
illustrative form of a slide, as used in the orthodontic bracket
shown in FIG. 2;
[0018] FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view taken along section line
4A-4A of FIG. 2 that illustrates a position of the archwire in the
archwire slot;
[0019] FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along section line
4-4 of FIG. 2 that illustrates a position of an archwire in the
archwire slot;
[0020] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4B that
illustrates a finishing position of the archwire in accordance with
the embodiment shown in FIG. 2;
[0021] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an orthodontic bracket
holding an archwire in accordance with another embodiment of the
invention;
[0022] FIG. 7A is a perspective view of a closure member in the
illustrative form of a U-shaped clip, as used in the bracket shown
in FIG. 6.
[0023] FIG. 7B is a plan view of the bracket of FIG. 6 that
illustrates one location of the U-shaped clip relative to the
archwire and bracket body, which is shown in phantom line;
[0024] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line
8-8 of FIG. 6 that illustrates a position of an archwire in the
archwire slot;
[0025] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 8 that
illustrates a finishing position of the archwire in accordance with
the embodiment shown in FIG. 6;
[0026] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an orthodontic bracket
holding an archwire in accordance with another embodiment of the
invention;
[0027] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a closure member in the
illustrative form of a second U-shaped clip, as used in the bracket
shown in FIG. 10;
[0028] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along section line
12-12 of FIG. 10 that illustrates a position of an archwire in the
archwire slot;
[0029] FIG. 13 is a plan view of the bracket of FIG. 10 that
illustrates one location of the U-shaped clip relative to the
archwire and bracket body, which is shown in phantom line;
[0030] FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 12 that
illustrates a finishing position of the archwire in accordance with
the embodiment shown in FIG. 10;
[0031] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a removable ligating member
coupled to a bracket for holding an archwire in accordance with
another embodiment of the invention; and
[0032] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the removable ligating
member, as used on the bracket shown in FIG. 15.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0033] Referring to FIG. 1, the manner in which a ligated archwire
10 engages with a typical movable cover or closure member 12 of an
orthodontic bracket 14 is depicted. As shown, the archwire 10 is
passively ligated. That is, the archwire 10 is not secured to
either of the closure member 12 or the bracket 14 and may,
consequently, move or bend during treatment. Due to its radius of
curvature, especially along anterior teeth, the archwire 10 can
develop a point contact 16 with the underside or lingual side 18 of
the closure member 12 at the apex 20 of its curvature. Where the
archwire 10 also contacts the bracket 14 at the mesial or distal
portions of the archwire slot (shown at 22), a moment arm 24 is
formed.
[0034] The moment arm 24 allows application of torque 26 to the
tooth (not shown) due to the force 28 generated by the archwire 10
contact on the closure member 12 at 16 and on the bracket 14 at 22.
The torque 26 causes the bracket 14, and therefore the tooth, to
rotate into a predetermined position. Unfortunately, this point
contact 16 provides minimal control of bracket rotation since the
apex 20, and thus the point contact 16, can easily shift or move
along the lingual side 18 of the closure member 12 during
treatment. Consequently, as the apex 20 moves, the moment arm 24
changes length. This in turn causes problems controlling tooth
rotation because the torque 26 may change in an unpredictable
manner. The practitioner, therefore, has less control over the
movement of the tooth. It will be appreciated that a lack of
control or limited control of tooth rotation may lead to extended
treatment time.
[0035] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, in one exemplary
embodiment, an orthodontic bracket 30 includes a bracket body 32
configured to be mounted to a tooth (not shown) using any suitable
base structure 34 and a suitable ligating or closure member 36,
which in this illustration, is a slide member for captivating an
archwire 38 within an archwire slot 40. The closure member 36 is
coupled to the bracket body 32 and in the closed position, retains
the archwire 38 in the archwire slot 40.
[0036] According to embodiments of the invention, the closure
member 36 is designed with archwire control structure 72, described
below, that provides predictable, consistent contact between the
archwire 38 and the orthodontic bracket 30. In this regard, the
archwire control structure limits contact between the archwire 38
and the closure member 36 to specific locations. Further, the
specific locations may be predetermined and during treatment may
not shift. By way of example, the archwire control structure may
provide two-point contact between the orthodontic bracket 30 and
the archwire 38. The archwire 38 may contact both the bracket body
32 and the closure member 36. In another configuration, two-point
contact may occur at two locations on the closure member 36. In one
exemplary embodiment, the archwire control structure limits contact
between the archwire 38 and the closure member 36 to one or two
predetermined locations. In addition, three- and four-point contact
between the archwire 38 and the orthodontic bracket 30 is also
contemplated.
[0037] To that end, the orthodontic bracket 30, unless otherwise
indicated, is described herein using a reference frame with the
orthodontic bracket 30 attached to a labial surface of a tooth on
the upper jaw. Consequently, as used herein, terms such as labial,
lingual, mesial, distal, occlusal, and gingival used to describe
the bracket 30 are relative to the chosen reference frame. The
embodiments of the invention, however, are not limited to the
chosen reference frame and descriptive terms, as the orthodontic
bracket 30 may be used on other teeth and in other orientations
within the oral cavity. For example, the bracket 30 may also be
located on an anterior tooth in the lower jaw or maxilla and be
within the scope of the invention. Those of ordinary skill in the
art will recognize that the descriptive terms used herein may not
directly apply when there is a change in reference frame.
Nevertheless, the invention is intended to be independent of
location and orientation within the oral cavity and the relative
terms used to describe embodiments of the invention are to merely
provide a clear description in conjunction with the drawings. As
such, the relative terms labial, lingual, mesial, distal, occlusal,
and gingival in no way limit the invention to a particular location
or orientation.
[0038] Accordingly, and with reference to the bracket body 32 shown
in FIG. 2, when the bracket body 32 is mounted to the labial
surface of a tooth carried on the patient's upper jaw, the bracket
body 32 has a lingual side 42, a labial side 44, an occlusal side
46, a gingival side 48, a mesial end 50, and a distal end 52. The
archwire slot 40 extends generally in a mesial-distal direction,
such as from the mesial end 50 to the distal end 52. The archwire
slot 40 includes a base surface 54, opposing side walls 56, 58
extending in a labial direction from the base surface 54 and an
opening 60 on the labial side 44 opposite the base surface 54 for
receiving the archwire 38. The lingual side 42 of the bracket body
32 is configured to be secured to a tooth in any conventional
manner, including for example, by an appropriate orthodontic cement
or adhesive or by a band around an adjacent tooth (not shown).
[0039] The bracket body 32 may further include one or more tie
wings. As shown best in FIG. 2, in one embodiment, the bracket body
32 may be formed with two occlusal tie wings 62a, 62b projecting
from the occlusal side 46 and two gingival tie wings 62c, 62d
projecting from the gingival side 48. The tie wings 62a-62d permit
coupling of other orthodontic elements such as, ligatures, power
chains, among others, to the bracket body 32. While tie wings are
shown and described, embodiments of the invention are not so
limited, as it will be appreciated that embodiments of the
invention may or may not have one or more tie wings 62a-62d.
[0040] Additionally, as shown in FIG. 2, the bracket body 32 may
further include a horizontal slot 64 generally aligned parallel to
the archwire slot 40 and configured for receiving temporary
attachment devices, for example, a removable hook (not shown). The
horizontal slot 64 may extend from the mesial end 50 to the distal
end 52 of the bracket body 32 to form one continuous horizontal
slot.
[0041] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the closure member 36 has a
labial surface 66 and a lingual surface 68. As shown in FIG. 3, the
lingual surface 68 of closure member 36 includes a retaining slot
70 that extends generally in the gingival-occlusal direction (e.g.,
in the direction of movement of closure member 36). A spring pin
(not shown) in the bracket body 32 is received in retaining slot
70. Additional details of the retaining slot 70 and spring pin can
be found in co-owned U.S. application Ser. No. 12/147,877, the
disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its
entirety. The closure member 36 may, therefore, be slid from an
open position to a closed position without unintentional removal of
the closure member 36 from bracket body 32. However, other means
for retaining the closure member 36 are known in the art and, as
such, embodiments of the invention are not limited to those having
a retaining slot/spring pin securing mechanism.
[0042] With reference to FIG. 3, in one embodiment, the lingual
surface 68 of the closure member 36 is designed with archwire
control structure, generally designated 72. In the embodiment
depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4A, the archwire control structure 72 may
include mesial and distal projecting portions 74, 76 or edges
spaced apart in a mesial-distal direction with a recess or a
recessed area 78 therebetween. The recessed area 78 may be defined
by mesial, distal, and occlusal side walls 80, 82, 84 to define a
rectangular shaped recessed area 78. The recessed area 78 may also
be defined by a recessed surface 86 that is inset or recessed into
the lingual surface 68 or offset in the labial direction from the
lingual surface 68. Thus, the recessed area 78 may be a blind
recessed area in the lingual surface 68 of the closure member 36.
However, the recessed area 78 may include a through-hole, cutout,
or opening that extends through the closure member 36 from the
lingual surface 68 to the labial surface 66 thereof.
[0043] Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4A, when the closure member 36
is in the closed or ligating position, the archwire control
structure 72, opposing side walls 56, 58 and base surface 54 of the
archwire slot 40 form a four-sided boundary to retain the archwire
38 in the archwire slot 40. As is known, the archwire 38 may have
cross-sectional dimensions that are generally less than the
corresponding cross-sectional dimensions of the four-sided
boundary, as shown. In this way, the archwire 38 is not tightly
restrained by the closure member 36 in the archwire slot 40. Due to
the relative size difference, the archwire 38 may bend and/or move
in the archwire slot 40 relative to the orthodontic bracket 30.
[0044] In particular, when the closure member 36 is in the closed
position, the projecting portions 74, 76 with recessed area 78 are
positioned labially of the archwire slot 40 and form the labial
boundary thereof. Thus, movement of the archwire 38 may cause the
archwire 38 to contact one or both of projecting portions 74, 76.
Since the projecting portions 74, 76 form the labial boundary, the
archwire 38 may not contact another portion of the closure member
36 during treatment.
[0045] Further in this regard, and as shown in FIG. 4A, the
occlusal side wall 84 of the recessed area 78 may reside in the
plane of opposing side wall 56, as shown, or may be positioned
occlusally thereof (labeled 84'). Thus, when the archwire 38
contacts the closure member 36, it will not contact any portion of
the closure member 36 other than one or both of the projecting
portions 74, 76. In other words, the recessed area 78 encompasses
the labial boundary between the projecting portions 74, 76.
[0046] Accordingly, due to the archwire control structure 72, the
rotational forces may be predetermined and controlled to a greater
extent because the moment arm formed thereby may be both larger and
more consistent throughout orthodontic treatment. By way of example
and as illustrated in FIG. 4B, the archwire 38 may be oriented such
that it contacts both the bracket body 32 and the projecting
portion 74, thereby forming a moment arm 88 defined by the distance
between the contact points. As shown, with the archwire 38 in this
orientation, a force 90 generated by the archwire 38 may produce a
torque 92, due to the moment arm 88, to rotate the bracket 30 (and
tooth) into the desired position. By way of comparison with the
bracket 14 shown in FIG. 1, the moment arm 88 may be at least as
large as the moment arm 24 for equivalent bracket dimensions. In
addition, with reference to FIG. 4B, since the contact points
between the archwire 38 and the bracket 30 are relatively constant,
as the contact points on the closure member 36 (i.e., on the
archwire control structure 72) remain consistent during treatment,
the moment arm 88 remains relatively consistent compared to the
moment arm 24 of FIG. 1, as described above.
[0047] With regard to consistency of the contact points, according
to embodiments of the invention, the contact points between the
bracket body 32 and the closure member 36 may not substantially
shift as treatment progresses. Accordingly, the moment arm and thus
the torque applied to the tooth are more consistent. Thus, the
rotational forces are more predictable. By way of example, with
reference to FIGS. 2 and 4B, the archwire 38 may be oriented in a
non-parallel manner relative to the archwire slot 40. During
treatment, where the archwire 38 bends, due to movement of the
bracket 30, such that an apex (not shown) of the bend forms between
the projecting portions 74, 76, and within the recessed area 78,
the apex does not contact another location. That is, the archwire
38 does not contact the surface 86. Therefore, no forces develop
between the surface 86 and the archwire 38 that would lead to an
unpredictable moment arm. Rather, the archwire 38 remains in
contact with one of the projecting portions 74, 76 and the moment
arm 88 may remain substantially constant until the bracket 30 moves
to an orientation where the archwire 38 does not contact the
closure member 36. At this point, the archwire 38 may be
substantially aligned with the archwire slot 40. While the
embodiment shown illustrates the archwire 38 contacting the
projecting portion 74 and the archwire slot 40 on the base surface
54 at the distal end 52 thereof, it will be appreciated that the
orientation of the archwire 38 may be reversed. For example, the
archwire 38 may have an orientation whereby contact occurs at the
projecting portion 76 and at the mesial end 50 of the base surface
54. Such a configuration will provide the benefits and advantages
as described above related to a more consistent moment arm and
torque, but provide rotation in a direction opposite to that
described above.
[0048] In the finished state, as shown in FIG. 5, the archwire 38
may make two points of contact on the archwire control structure
72. By way of example, the archwire 38 makes contact with each of
the projecting portions 74, 76. Near the end of treatment, this
configuration mimics the fine rotation control provided by
traditional methods of ligation, such as ligating an archwire to a
bracket with traditional ligatures, and thereby improves finishing
in clinical cases. It will be appreciated that for the anterior
section of lower and upper jaws, the flat occlusal edges of the
incisor teeth magnify distortions in rotation such that fine
control is desired and fine control may be provided according to
embodiments of the present invention.
[0049] Given that the archwire-closure member contact points are
limited to specific, predetermined locations in the embodiments
shown, e.g., the projecting portions 74, 76, the clinician may be
more likely to be able to assess the clinical result of a change in
treatment for a given orthodontic bracket, archwire, and tooth
orientation or may be able to effect a certain rotational motion
more quickly. Furthermore, the moment arm formed by contact between
the archwire and the archwire control structure may be maximized to
rotate the bracket 30 and tooth in more efficient and optimal
manner.
[0050] Various modifications may be made to the archwire control
structure 72 in accordance with the description set forth above.
For example, the desired contact locations between the archwire 38
and the closure member 36 may be adjusted to allow for a particular
torque or to allow use of archwires of differing dimension. In this
regard, the depth of the recessed area 78 may be changed to
accommodate changes in the bracket and/or archwire dimensions. In
one embodiment, the recessed area 78 has minimum depth such that
the apex or deepest central point thereof together with the
projecting portions 74, 76 on the mesial and distal ends thereof
form or define a radius of curvature, r.sub.1, that is less than
the radius of curvature, R.sub.1, of the archwire 38. Further in
this regard, to change the radius of curvature, r.sub.1, it will be
appreciated that while the surface 86 is depicted as a near-planar
surface having side walls 80, 82, 84, embodiments in accordance
with aspects of the invention are not so limited. By way of
example, the surface 86 may be a generally non-planar surface, such
as a uniform arc (labeled 86' in FIG. 4B) that extends from the
mesial to the distal sides of the closure member 36 with or without
side walls 80, 82, 84. The radius of curvature, r.sub.1, may then
be defined by the configuration of the arc. By way of additional
example, the radius of curvature, r.sub.1, may also be defined by
other regular and/or irregular-shaped recessed areas. It will be
appreciated that, regardless of the shape of the recess, the
concepts employed and features described remain similar.
[0051] Additionally, to change the magnitude of the moment arm 88,
the recessed area 78 may be extended to cover a larger portion of
the lingual surface 68 of the closure member 36. It will be
appreciated that moving the projecting portions 74, 76 apart in the
mesial-distal direction may further improve the length of the
moment arm 88. Maximizing the distance between the two points of
contact (e.g., one on the base surface 54 of the archwire slot 40
and the other on the lingual surface 68 of the closure member 36),
maximizes the moment arm 88 and, consequently, maximizes the torque
for a given force. Accordingly, smaller forces may be used to
provide the same amount of torque. In one embodiment, the recessed
area 78 extends a sufficient dimension along the lingual surface 68
such that projecting portions 74, 76 reside on the mesial-most and
distal-most edges of the closure member 36. In this case, the
projecting portions 74, 76 may each appear to be pointed edges
oriented toward the archwire slot 40.
[0052] In another embodiment in accordance with aspects of the
invention and with reference to FIGS. 6-9, in which like reference
numerals refer to like features, an orthodontic bracket 100 similar
to those illustrated in FIGS. 2-5 is depicted. With reference
specifically to FIG. 6, the orthodontic bracket 100 has a bracket
body 102 having an occlusal-gingival slot 104 positioned lingually
of the archwire slot 40 and a ligating member, closure member, or a
U-shaped clip 106 for sliding movement in the occlusal-gingival
direction within slot 104 for retaining/releasing the archwire 38
from the archwire slot 40.
[0053] Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the clip 106 captivates the
archwire 38 within the archwire slot 40 when it is in a closed
position. The clip 106 moves within the occlusal-gingival slot 104
from an open position to allow the archwire 38 to be removed from
the archwire slot 40 to a closed position (as shown in FIG. 6). The
clip 106 includes archwire control structure 108 (described in more
detail below) that provides predictable, consistent contact between
the archwire 38 and the orthodontic bracket 100 similar to that
described above.
[0054] With reference to FIG. 7, the clip 106 may be generally
U-shaped and may be made from a resilient, flat spring material,
such as a cobalt-chrome (Co--Cr) alloy, nickel-titanium (Ni--Ti)
alloy, other shape memory alloys, or another suitable material. The
clip 106 may be formed from a single sheet of the material and thus
the through-thickness of the clip 106 may be uniform. However, it
will be appreciated that the clip 106 need not be uniform in
thickness depending on, for example, the bracket design and the
material from which the clip 106 is made, among other factors.
[0055] In one embodiment, the clip 106 has a lingual leg 110 and a
labial leg 112 that are connected by a generally lateral section
114. The lingual leg 110 may be of a generally uniform thickness
that fits within the occlusal-gingival slot 104 (as shown in FIG.
6). The lingual leg 110 may include a tab 116 that projects from
the labial surface thereof generally toward the lateral section 114
or otherwise provides a discontinuity in the overall thickness of
the lingual leg 110. Where the lingual leg 110 extends through the
occlusal-gingival slot 104, the clip 106 resists unintentional
removal because tab 116 may abut a portion of the gingival side 48
of the orthodontic bracket 100 once the clip 106 is moved to the
open position. Alternatively, the tab 116 may abut the surface 56
of the archwire slot 40 when in the open position and thereby
resist removal of the clip 106 from the bracket body 32.
[0056] The lateral section 114 may form a generally smooth arc, as
shown, and may cooperate with a portion the occlusal side 46 and/or
labial side 44 of the bracket body 102 and may, for example, reside
in a channel 115 between the two occlusal tie wings 62a, 62b. The
channel 115, in cooperation with other portions of the bracket 100,
such as the slot 104, may stabilize mesial-distal movement of the
clip 106 when contacted by the archwire 38. The resilient
properties of the clip 106, particularly of the lateral section
114, together with the configuration of the lateral section 114 may
provide spring-like clamping forces on the bracket body 102 along
the occlusal and labial surfaces thereof to resist unintentional
movement of the clip 106 in such a way as to expose the archwire
slot 40.
[0057] With reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the labial leg 112 is
oriented in a direction generally in the gingival direction at an
angle to the lingual leg 110. The labial leg 112 has a lingual
surface 118 that projects labially over the archwire slot 40 when
the clip 106 is in the closed position and a labial surface 120. In
addition, the labial leg 112 may widen relative to the lingual leg
110 and/or lateral section 114, as shown, and may extend the
mesial-distal dimension of the archwire slot 40, though the width
of the labial leg 112 may be less or more than the length of the
archwire slot 40.
[0058] In one embodiment and with reference to FIGS. 7A and 8, the
labial leg 112 includes archwire control structure 108 that may
include mesial and distal projections or wings 128, 130 that extend
mesially and distally, respectively, from the labial leg 112. In
addition, each of the mesial wing 128 and the distal wing 130 has a
tip 132, 134 that may extend generally lingually therefrom to form
a mesial projecting portion 138 and a distal projecting portion
140, respectively.
[0059] As shown in FIG. 8, the tips 132, 134 may be oriented toward
the lingual leg 110 such the labial leg 112 may be generally curved
in the form of an arc that is convex in the labial direction. By
way of example, the labial leg 112 may be curved in the
mesial-distal direction over the archwire slot 40, the curve or arc
may extend from the mesial projecting portion 138 to the distal
projecting portion 140. In one embodiment, the curved form of the
clip 106 may be made by bending a flat spring metal such that the
clip 106 has a permanent curvature in the mesial-distal direction
in the labial leg 112 thereof.
[0060] With continued reference to FIG. 8, the curvature defined by
the orientation of the mesial and distal wings 128, 130 and tips
132, 134 forms a recessed area 136 with projecting portions 138,
140 being spaced apart in the mesial-distal direction over the
archwire slot 40. The recessed area 136 may be defined by a
recessed surface 146 that is formed by curvature of the lingual
surface 118 of the labial leg 112. As with projecting portions 74,
76 of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2-5, the projecting portions
138, 140 with recessed area 136 are positioned labially of the
archwire slot 40 and form the labial boundary thereof to restrain
or limit movement of the archwire 38 beyond a certain amount in the
labial direction. In other words, the archwire 38 may move mesially
or distally but only a limited direction in any of the gingival,
occlusal, lingual, or labial directions, with the projecting
portions 138, 140 limiting the movement in the labial direction.
However, the recessed area 136 may include a through-hole, cutout,
or opening that extends through the clip, as shown in the exemplary
embodiment of FIG. 11, for example.
[0061] Since the archwire control structure 108 forms the labial
boundary, the archwire 38 may not contact any other portion of the
clip 106 during orthodontic treatment. In other words, and in the
embodiment shown, the archwire 38 may contact only one or both of
the projecting portions 138, 140 of the clip 106.
[0062] The archwire control structure 108, similar to the archwire
control structure 72, described above, may provide more consistent
contact points between the archwire 38 and the bracket 100 during
orthodontic treatment. With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9, the
archwire 38 may be oriented in a non-parallel manner relative to
the archwire slot 40. By way of example, the archwire 38 may be
oriented such that it contacts both the bracket body 102 and the
clip 106 thereby forming the moment arm 148, which is defined by
the distance between the two contact points. For example, the
archwire 38 may contact the distal end 52 of the bracket body 102
at 150 and the projecting portion 138 at 152. As illustrated in
FIG. 8, a force 154 having moment arm 148 produces a torque 156 to
rotate the bracket 100 (and tooth) into the desired position. By
way of comparison with the bracket 14 shown in FIG. 1, the moment
arm 148 may be at least as large as the moment arm 24 for
equivalent bracket dimensions. In any event, in one embodiment and
with reference to FIG. 8, since the contact points between the
archwire 38 and the bracket 100 are relatively constant, the moment
arm 148 remains relatively consistent compared to the moment arm 24
of FIG. 1.
[0063] Furthermore, according to embodiments of the invention, the
two-point contact configuration shown in FIG. 8 between archwire 38
and both of the bracket body 102 and the clip 106 may not
substantially shift as treatment progresses. Therefore, no forces
may develop other than at one or both of the projecting portions
138, 140. While the embodiment shown illustrates the archwire 38
contacting the projecting portion 138 and the archwire slot 40 on
the base surface 54 at the distal end 52 thereof, it will be
appreciated that the orientation of the archwire 38 may be
reversed. For example, the archwire 38 may have an orientation
whereby contact occurs at the projecting portion 140 and the mesial
end 50 of the base surface 54. Therefore, the moment arm 148 may
remain substantially constant until the bracket body 102 moves to
an orientation where the archwire 38 does not contact the clip 106.
In this situation, the archwire 38 may be substantially aligned
with the archwire slot 40.
[0064] As shown in FIG. 9, the archwire 38 may make two points or
locations of contact with the bracket 100, for example, two-point
contact may include contact at 158 and 160 between the archwire 38
and the archwire control structure 108. In particular, the archwire
38 makes contact with each of the projecting portions 138, 140. To
provide the desired contact locations between the archwire 38 and
the clip 106, for example, at both projecting portions 138, 140,
the shape of the recessed area 136 may be changed to accommodate
changes in the bracket and/or archwire dimensions. In one
embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the recessed area 136 has minimum
curvature such that the apex thereof or deepest central point in
combination with the projecting portions 138, 140 form or define a
radius of curvature, r.sub.2, that is less than the radius of
curvature, R.sub.2, of the archwire 38. In this regard, the radius
of curvature, r.sub.2, may decrease by increasing the depth of the
recessed area 136. Other configurations of the recessed area 136
may produce similar results, for example, the recessed area 136 may
be defined by other regular and irregular-shaped recessed areas
that define a radius of curvature that is less than the radius of
curvature, R.sub.2, of the archwire 38.
[0065] Various additional or alternative modifications may be made
to the archwire control structure 108 in accordance with the
description set forth above. For example, the dimensions of the
clip 106, particularly the distance between the projecting portions
138, 140 may affect the length of the moment arm 148. Maximizing
the distance between the two points of contact, maximizes the
moment arm 148 and, consequently, maximizes the torque available to
rotate the tooth. The length of the moment arm 148 may be increased
by increasing the width of the labial leg 112, and particularly
increasing the distance between the projecting portions 138, 140;
by increasing the overall width of the labial leg 112; by
increasing the size of the wings 128, 130; or by changing the
orientation between the wings 128, 130 and tips 132, 134. In one
embodiment, the projecting portions 138, 140 approach or are
proximate the respective mesial distal sides of the archwire slot
40.
[0066] Additionally, the recessed area 136 may form a rectangular
shape such that the tips 132, 134 are nearly perpendicular to the
archwire slot 40. In addition, the recessed area 136 is
sufficiently deep for a given archwire and archwire slot dimension
such that the apex of the archwire 38 may not reach the surface 146
or contact another portion of the clip 106 during orthodontic
treatment. However, even where the apex in the archwire 38 may
shift, possibly due to movement of the teeth, the two-point contact
between the archwire and the clip 106 shown in FIG. 8 may not
change.
[0067] The labial leg 112 may further include an extension 122 that
extends generally in the same direction as the lingual leg 110. The
extension 122 fits within a retention slot formed 124 by a labial
stop 126 (shown in FIG. 6) that extends between tie wings 62c, 62d.
The extension 122 may be narrower, the same width, or wider than
the lingual leg 110 or labial leg 112 or the lateral section 114.
When the clip 106 is in the closed position, the extension 122 may
also stabilize the clip 106 against mesial-distal movement when in
contact with the archwire 38. Furthermore, the extension 122 may
contact the labial stop 126 to substantially prevent the clip 106
from unintentionally releasing the archwire 38. In this way, the
extension 122 may further stabilize the contact locations between
the archwire control structure 108 and the archwire 38 when the
archwire 38 is in a non-parallel orientation with respect to the
archwire slot 40. Labial movement of the archwire 38 may be further
limited by the extension 122 such that the contact points between
the archwire 38 and projecting portions 138, 140 are more
consistent because the clip 106 may not significantly flex or
distort. While FIGS. 6 and 7 depict the clip 106 as including
extension 122, it will be appreciated that clip 106 need not have
extension 122 and be designed to not substantially flex or distort
under the loads that may be experienced during use of the clip
106.
[0068] In another embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 10-14,
in which like reference numerals refer to like features of FIGS.
6-9, the orthodontic bracket 200 is similar to the bracket 100
illustrated in FIGS. 6-9. With reference specifically to FIG. 10,
the orthodontic bracket 200 includes a bracket body 202 and a
ligating or closure member which in this illustration is a U-shaped
clip 204 for sliding movement in the occlusal-gingival direction
within slot 104.
[0069] The clip 204 is similar in some respects to clip 106
depicted in FIG. 7. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 10, the clip 204
captivates the archwire 38 within the archwire slot 40 when it is
in a closed position. The clip 204 moves within the
occlusal-gingival slot 104 to an open position to allow the
archwire 38 to be removed from the archwire slot 40.
[0070] The clip 204 includes archwire control structure 206
(described in more detail below) that provides more predictable,
consistent contact between the archwire 38 and the orthodontic
bracket 200. In this regard, the archwire control structure 206
limits contact between the archwire 38 and the clip 204 to specific
locations. Further, the specific locations may be predetermined and
may not substantially shift during orthodontic treatment. By way of
example, the archwire control structure 206 may provide two-point
contact between the orthodontic bracket 200 and the archwire 38. In
this case, the archwire 38 may contact both the bracket body 202 at
one location and the clip 204 at one location. Specifically, the
contact points may include a contact point on the archwire control
structure 206 and one at the mesial end 50 or distal end 52 of the
base surface 54 of the archwire slot 40. In one embodiment, the
archwire control structure 206 limits contact between the archwire
38 and the clip 204 to one or two predetermined locations.
Two-point contact may also include contact between the archwire 38
and two locations on the archwire control structure 206. That is,
the archwire 38 does not contact the bracket body 202. In addition,
three- and four-point contact between the archwire 38 and the
orthodontic bracket 200 is also contemplated according to
embodiments of the present invention.
[0071] With reference to FIG. 11, the clip 204 may be generally
U-shaped and may be made from a single sheet of a resilient, spring
material, such as a suitable metal. The metal may be cobalt-chrome
(Co--Cr) alloy, nickel-titanium (Ni--Ti) alloy, other shape memory
alloys, or other suitable material. Thus, the through-thickness of
the clip 204 may be uniform. The clip 204 may be formed by bending
the flat spring metal to have the U-shape. However, it will be
appreciated that the clip 204 need not be uniform in thickness
depending on, for example, the bracket design and the material from
which the clip 204 is made, among other factors. In one embodiment,
the clip 204 is made from a flat spring metal.
[0072] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 11, the clip 204
has a lingual leg 208 and a labial leg 210 that are connected by a
lateral section 212. The lingual leg 208 is generally uniform in
thickness and fits within the occlusal-gingival slot 104. The
lingual leg 208 may include a tab 216 that functions similar to tab
116 shown in FIG. 7.
[0073] The lateral section 212 may form a generally smooth arc, as
shown, and may cooperate with a portion of the occlusal side 46
and/or labial side 44 of the bracket body 202. In one embodiment,
the resilient properties of the clip 204 together with the
configuration of the lateral section 212 may provide spring-like
clamping forces that improve friction between the clip 204 and the
bracket body 202 along a portion of the occlusal and labial
surfaces thereof to resist unintentional movement of the clip 204
in such a way as to expose the archwire slot 40.
[0074] In one embodiment, the clip 204 may be formed such that the
labial leg 210 projects gingivally from the lateral section 212 to
form a U-shaped cross section. In this configuration, the labial
surface 218 forms a portion of the labial side 44 of the bracket
200, though embodiments of the present invention are not so
limited, as a portion of the labial leg 210 and/or the lateral
section 212 may extend through a slot or other recess formed in the
bracket body 202 on the occlusal side 46 thereof. Furthermore, the
lingual surface 220 of the labial leg 210 projects labially over
the archwire slot 40 when the clip 204 is in the closed position,
as shown in FIG. 13, and forms the labial boundary thereof.
[0075] In the exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 10-14, the
labial leg 210 includes a mesial portion 222 and a distal portion
224. Rather than a recessed area between the mesial portion 222 and
distal portion 224, the mesial and distal portions 222, 224 may
define a generally U-shaped cutout 230 such that labial leg 210
appears bifurcated, i.e., the clip 204 may be a so-called
bifurcated clip. The cutout may have a depth D from the end of the
mesial and distal portions 222, 224 to the apex of the cutout 230
that is greater than the occlusal-gingival dimension of the
archwire slot 40. It will be appreciated, however, that the mesial
and distal portions 222, 224 may define other configurations, such
as a rectangular notch, having a similar depth D.
[0076] In addition, as shown best in FIGS. 11 and 13, the labial
leg 210 may widen relative to the lingual leg 208 and lateral
section 212. In this regard, the mesial portion 222 and distal
portion 224 of the labial leg 210 may be spaced apart in the
mesial-distal direction along the archwire slot 40. Specifically,
the mesial-distal dimension from the mesial edge of mesial portion
222 to the distal edge of distal portion 224 may be greater than
the width of the lateral section 212 and/or the lingual leg 208.
However, the maximum mesial-distal dimension of the labial leg 210
may be less or more than the dimension of the archwire slot 40. In
one embodiment, the maximum width of the labial leg 210 may extend
the full width of the mesial-distal dimension of the archwire slot
40 or be proximate thereto.
[0077] As shown in FIGS. 11, 12, and 13, in one embodiment, the
labial leg 210 includes archwire control structure 206. The
archwire control structure 206 may include mesial and distal
lingual surfaces 232a, 232b of mesial portion 222 and distal
portion 224, respectively. As with projecting portions 74, 76 and
projecting portions 138, 140, described above, the mesial and
distal lingual surfaces 232a, 232b are positioned labially of the
archwire slot 40 when the clip 204 is in the closed position. The
surfaces 232a and 232b form the labial boundary of the archwire
slot 40 to restrain or limit movement of the archwire 38 beyond a
certain amount in the labial direction. In one embodiment, the
archwire 38 may not contact another portion of the clip 204 during
orthodontic treatment. In other words, and in the embodiment shown,
the archwire control structure 206 limits contact between the
archwire 38 and clip 204 to one or both of the mesial and distal
lingual surfaces 232a, 232b. Since the contact points are limited
to two specific, predetermined locations, e.g., the mesial and
distal lingual surfaces 232a, 232b, the clinician may be more
likely to be able to assess the clinical result of a change in
treatment for a given orthodontic bracket, archwire, and tooth
orientation. Furthermore, as set forth in more detail below, a
moment arm is formed by contact between the archwire 38 and the
archwire control structure 206 and the archwire 38 and the bracket
body 202 are more consistent over the course of treatment.
[0078] By way of example and with reference to FIG. 12, the
archwire 38 may be oriented in a non-parallel manner relative to
the archwire slot 40 such that it contacts both the bracket body
202 and the archwire control structure 206 of the clip 204. This
orientation forms a moment arm 236 defined by the distance between
the two contact points. Specifically, the archwire 38 may contact
the bracket body 202 at the base surface 54 at location 238 of the
archwire slot 40 and the mesial lingual surface 232a at location
240 of the archwire control structure 206 to form moment arm 236.
Where the archwire 38 exerts a force 244 having moment arm 236, a
torque 246 is created to rotate the bracket 200 and tooth.
[0079] Furthermore, according to embodiments of the invention, the
two-point contact configuration shown in FIGS. 12 and 13 between
the bracket body 202 and the clip 204 may not shift as orthodontic
treatment progresses even though the archwire may move or bend
within the archwire slot 40. For example, during treatment, where
the archwire 38 bends such that an apex (not shown) of the bend
forms between the mesial portion 222 and distal portion 224 of the
labial leg 210, i.e., in the cutout 230, the archwire 38 does not
contact the clip 204 other than at one or both of the mesial and
distal lingual surfaces 232a, 232b. Because the archwire control
structure 206 limits contact to two locations on the clip 204, the
moment arm 236 may not change significantly during treatment. Thus,
adjustments to the force 244, for example, by changing the archwire
38, may produce more predictable rotational movement of the bracket
200. While the embodiment shown illustrates the archwire 38
contacting the mesial lingual surface 232a and the archwire slot 40
on the base surface 54 at the distal end 52 thereof, it will be
appreciated that the orientation of the archwire 38 may be
reversed. For example, the archwire 38 may have an orientation
whereby contact occurs at the distal lingual surface 232b and the
mesial end 50 of the base surface 54.
[0080] In view of the above and with reference to FIG. 13, various
configurations of the archwire control structure 206 may be used to
control the contact points. For example, the depth D of the cutout
230 may be sufficient to prevent contact between the archwire 38
and surfaces other than the surfaces 232a and 232b. That is, the
cutout 230 may be sufficient to allow a bend or apex of the
archwire 38 to pass between the mesial and distal portions 222, 224
should a bend develop during treatment. In particular, in one
embodiment, the depth D of the cutout 230 is sufficient to position
the apex 242 of the cutout 230 in the plane of opposing side wall
56, or gingivally thereof, as shown, for a given archwire and
archwire slot dimensions. However, the depth D may depend on the
shape of the lateral section 212 and the labial leg 210. In any
case, even where the apex in the archwire 38 may shift, possibly
due to movement of the teeth or installation of the archwire 38,
the two-point contact between the archwire 38 and the clip 204, as
shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, may not significantly change. Therefore,
the moment arm 236 may remain substantially constant until the
bracket 200 moves to an orientation where the moment arm 236 ceases
to exist, i.e., when the tooth reaches the selected position.
[0081] Additionally, changes to the moment arm 236 may be selected
by changing the configuration of the mesial and distal portions
222, 224. For example, while the mesial and distal portions 222,
224 are shown to have an axis of symmetry about the longitudinal
axis of the clip 204 (i.e., a symmetrical bifurcation), the
embodiments of the invention are not so limited. Accordingly, the
positions of the mesial and distal portions 222, 224 may not be
equally spaced relative to the mesial-distal dimension of the
archwire slot 40. Similarly, the mesial and distal portions 222,
224 may vary in width relative to one another and change the moment
arm 236. By way of additional example, by increasing the width of
the labial leg 210 and particularly the distance between the mesial
and distal portions 222, 224; by increasing the overall
mesial-distal width of the labial leg 210; or by decreasing the
individual size of one or both of the mesial and distal portions
222, 224, the length of the moment arm 236 may be increased. In
other words, the dimensions of the clip 204, particularly the
distance between mesial and distal lingual surfaces 232a, 232b may
affect the length of the moment arm 236.
[0082] It will be appreciated that maximizing the distance between
the two points of contact (e.g., between contact on the base
surface 54 of the archwire slot 40 and contact on the archwire
control structure 206 of the clip 204), maximizes the moment arm
236 and, consequently, maximizes rotation control. It will be
further appreciated that with a consistently larger moment arm,
smaller forces may generate an equivalent amount of torque. By way
of comparison with the bracket 14 shown in FIG. 1, the moment arm
236 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 may be at least as large as
the moment arm 24 for equivalent bracket dimensions. In addition,
with reference to FIG. 12, since the contact locations, (e.g. at
238 and 240) between the archwire 38 and the bracket 200 are
relatively constant, the moment arm 236 remains relatively
consistent compared to the moment arm 24 of FIG. 1, as described
above.
[0083] With reference to FIGS. 10, 11, and 13, in one embodiment,
the mesial and distal portions 222, 224 may further include
opposing extensions 226, 228, respectively. Opposing extensions
226, 228, extend generally in the same direction as the lingual leg
208 from the mesial and distal portions 222, 224, respectively. The
opposing extensions 226, 228 may be configured to contact a portion
of the bracket body 202 to substantially prevent the clip 204 from
unintentionally releasing the archwire 38 during treatment. For
example, the opposing extensions 226, 228 may fit within mesial and
distal retention slots (not shown) formed in the opposing side wall
58 of the archwire slot 40 in the bracket body 202. In this regard,
the opposing extensions 226, 228 may further stabilize the contact
locations between the archwire control structure 206 and the
archwire 38 when the archwire 38 is in a non-parallel orientation
with respect to the archwire slot 40. Furthermore, opposing
extensions 226, 228 may allow the force 244 at contact to be
greater and therefore the torque 246 on the bracket 200 to be
greater, to rotate the tooth more quickly. As with the extension
122 of the clip 106 of FIG. 7, when the clip 204 is in the closed
position, the opposing extensions 226, 228 may also stabilize the
clip 204 against mesial-distal movement due to sliding contact with
the archwire 38. While FIGS. 10 and 11 depict the clip 204 as
including opposing extensions 226, 228, it will be appreciated that
clip 204 need not have opposing extensions 226, 228 and be designed
to not substantially flex or distort under the loads that may be
experienced during use of the clip 204.
[0084] As set forth above and shown in FIG. 14, the archwire 38 may
make two points of contact on the archwire control structure 206.
For example, the archwire 38 may make contact with each of the
mesial and distal lingual surfaces 232a, 232b at locations 248 and
250. Similar to the previous embodiments, near the end of treatment
this configuration may mimic the fine rotation control provided by
traditional methods of ligation and thereby improve finishing in
clinical cases.
[0085] To that end, to provide the desired contact locations
between the archwire 38 and the clip 204, the dimensions of the
clip 204 may be changed similar to that described above. For
example, the distance between the mesial and distal portions 222,
224 of the labial leg 210, may be changed to accommodate changes in
the bracket and/or archwire dimensions. In one embodiment, the
distance between the mesial and distal portions 222, 224 allows the
archwire 38 to bend to a minimum curvature. However, unlike the
embodiments of the invention described above, the radius of
curvature, r.sub.3, of the clip 204 is not limited by a third
location between the mesial and distal portions 222, 224 since the
cutout 230 is open. Therefore, where an archwire forms an apex
between the mesial and distal portions 222, 224, the apex may pass
without any contact with another portion of the clip 204. Thus, the
radius of curvature, r.sub.3, will be smaller than the radius of
curvature R.sub.3 of the archwire 38, as shown in FIG. 14.
[0086] While the above-described exemplary embodiments include
orthodontic brackets that are so-called self-ligating brackets,
i.e., the bracket includes a moveable closure member, such as a
ligating slide or clip, embodiments of the invention are not
limited to brackets that are designed with a moveable closure
member coupled thereto. In this regard, and by way of example,
embodiments of the present invention include a removable ligating
member, such as an elastic or resilient cover that is not meant to
be permanently coupled to the bracket but is configured to be a
separate element selectively coupled to or removed from the
bracket.
[0087] Accordingly, in another embodiment of the invention shown in
FIGS. 15 and 16, in which like reference numerals refer to like
features of FIGS. 2-14, an orthodontic member 300, which, in this
illustration, is a removable ligating member or cover, may be
secured to a conventional edgewise bracket. By way of example, such
members are described (albeit in the context of self-ligating
brackets) in commonly-owned, co-pending U.S. application Ser. No.
12/622,090, which is incorporated by reference herein in its
entirety. Member 300 may be attached to an edgewise bracket 302
having viewings 311a-d and may be made from an elastomeric material
or hard plastic, though the member 300 may be made from other
suitable materials.
[0088] As shown in FIG. 15, the member 300 is configured to be
releasably coupled to the bracket 302 and, when coupled to bracket
302, captures the archwire 38 within archwire slot 40. The member
300 includes archwire control structure 304 that provides
predictable, consistent contact between the archwire 38 and the
member 300. As with the archwire control structures 72, 108, 206,
each described above, the archwire control structure 304 may
provide two-point contact between the edgewise bracket 302 and the
archwire 38 or two-point contact between the archwire 38 and the
member 300.
[0089] To this end, in one exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 15
and 16, the member 300 includes a main body 306 having labial and
lingual surfaces 308, 310. In one embodiment, the lingual surface
310 includes archwire control structure 304 thereon. By way of
example, the archwire control structure 304 may include a first
projecting portion 312 and second projecting portion 314 separated
by a recessed area 316. Projecting portions 312, 314 are configured
similarly to projecting portions 74, 76 or projecting portions 138,
140, described above, and have similar functions. Similarly,
recessed area 316 is configured similar to the recessed area 78,
136, as well as having similar functions thereof. Accordingly, the
recessed area 316 may include a blind recess (as shown) or may
include a through-hole or cutout. In one embodiment, the recessed
area 316 is defined by a mesial side wall 322, a distal side wall
324, an occlusal side wall 326, and gingival side wall 328 and a
recessed surface 330. The recessed surface 330 being similar to
surfaces 86, 146 described above.
[0090] The member 300 also includes an engaging member, such as
engaging members 318, 320 extending from the main body 306, which
are configured to releasably couple the member 300 with bracket
302. For example, in one embodiment, the engaging members 318, 320
may include a pair of stretchable closed loops. The engaging
members 318, 320 may be stretched over and secured with the
viewings 311a-d. It will be appreciated that the member 300 or a
portion thereof may not protrude into the archwire slot 40.
[0091] When secured to the bracket 302, a portion of the lingual
surface 308 of the main body 306 extends over the archwire slot 40,
as shown. Accordingly, the archwire control structure 304 forms the
labial boundary of the archwire slot 40. As set forth in the
exemplary embodiments above, the archwire 38 may move in the mesial
and distal directions. However, the archwire control structure 304
limits movement beyond a certain distance in the labial direction.
By way of example, the first and second projecting portions 312,
314 may form the labial boundary of the archwire slot 40.
Accordingly, the archwire 38 may contact either or both projecting
portions 312, 314 should the archwire 38 be in sufficient
non-parallel alignment. By controlling the contact locations, a
moment arm formed by contact between the archwire control structure
304 and the archwire 38 and between the base surface 54 and the
archwire 38 may be controlled. In order to control the contact
locations, in one embodiment, the occlusal side wall 326 resides in
the same lingual-labial plane as the occlusal side wall 56 of the
archwire slot 40 or occlusally thereof. In another embodiment, the
gingival side wall 328 is in the same lingual-labial plane as the
gingival side 58 of the archwire slot 40 or gingivally thereof. It
will be appreciated that it may be desirable to form a cavity or
through hole in the main body 306 rather than the blind recessed
area 316.
[0092] In another embodiment of the invention, a method of
correcting malpositioned teeth includes applying a plurality of
orthodontic brackets constructed according to at least one of the
embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGS. 2, 6, 10, and 15 to
teeth of a patient, and retaining an archwire 38 in the respective
archwire slot 40 of the orthodontic bracket with the closure
members, for example, closure member 36, clip 106, clip 204, or
removable ligating member 300 in the closed positions such that the
archwire 38 contacts archwire control structure, such as at least
one of the first or second projecting portions 74, 76; at least one
of first or second projecting portions 138, 140; at least one of
first or second lingual surfaces 232a, 232b; or at least one of
projecting portions 312, 314 and without contacting another portion
of the closure member 36, clip 106, clip 204, or member 300. For
example, the archwire 38 may not contact the recessed area 78,
recessed area 136, or recessed area 316.
[0093] In one embodiment, the recessed area 78, 136, or 316 and the
first and second projecting portions 74, 76 or 138, 140 or 312, 314
of closure member 36, clip 106, or member 300, respectively, define
respective curved surfaces, and the respective curves of the curved
surfaces each have a radius of curvature that is less than a radius
of curvature of the portion of the archwire 38 retained in the
respective bracket.
[0094] In another embodiment, the method includes retaining the
archwire 38 by contacting the archwire 38 with, for example, both
the first projecting portion 74, 138, or 312 or surface 232a and
the second projecting portion 76, 140, 314, or surface 232b of at
least one of the brackets.
[0095] In yet another embodiment, the method of correcting
malpositioned teeth includes applying a plurality of orthodontic
brackets constructed according to at least one of the orthodontic
brackets 30, 100, 200, and 302 to teeth of a patient, and retaining
an archwire 38 in the respective archwire slot 40 of the
orthodontic brackets 30, 100, 200, 302 with the closure member 36,
clip 106, clip 204, or member 300, for example, in the closed
positions such that the archwire 38 contacts at least one of the
projecting portions 74, 76, 138, 140, 312, 314 and without
contacting a surface 86, 146, 330 in the recessed area 78, 136, 316
respectively.
[0096] In yet another embodiment, the surfaces 86, 146, 330 in the
recessed areas 78, 136, 316 and the projecting portions 74, 76;
138, 140; or 312, 314 of the closure member 36, clip 106 or 204, or
member 300, respectively, define respective curves, and the
respective curves each have a radius of curvature less than a
radius of curvature of the portion of the archwire retained in the
associated bracket. In addition, retaining the archwire 38 may
further include contacting the archwire 38 with both the mesial end
50 and the distal end 52 of at least one of the brackets, such as
the mesial end 50 or the distal end 52 of the base surface 54 of
the archwire slot.
[0097] While the present invention has been illustrated by a
description of various embodiments and while these embodiments have
been described in some detail, it is not the intention of the
Applicants to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the
appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and
modifications will readily appear to those of ordinary skill in the
art. The various features discussed herein may be used alone or in
any combination depending on the needs and preferences of the user.
This has been a description of illustrative aspects and embodiments
of the present invention, along with the methods of practicing the
present invention as currently known. However, the invention itself
should only be defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *