Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments of orthodontic biassing devices having means for preventing backing-off of the elongated threaded actuating member under reaction forces in the mouth. The backing-off preventing means may comprise angulated or off-set bores for the threaded member and/or guide bars, various means for causing binding up of the guide bars and/or elongated threaded members in the body members, and arrangements wherein the dimensional tolerances are such that one body member may angulate relative to the other body member under force applying conditions to cause binding of the members to thereby prevent backing-off of the threaded member due to reaction forces.

Abstract: An orthodontic biassing device with deformed screw threads on the elongated threaded member or receptacle member to provide an interference, but threadable, fit with its respective threaded member to substantially prevent backing-off of the screw due to reaction forces in the mouth of a patient. Sufficient play and tolerance is provided to enable the device to be relatively loose to facilitate alignment and installation in a patient's mouth. After installation, and under expansion conditions, the device tightens up to provide a substantially rigid structure.

Abstract: Orthodontic biassing devices including various means for preventing screw actuators from becoming disengaged from the body member in which it is cooperatively threadably engaged. The disengagement preventing means may include means directly associated with the screws, and/or stabilizing and retaining rod-like members which are slideably engaged with at least one of the body members of the biassing device. Further disclosed is a means for preventing screws of biassing devices from being backed into the body members due to external pressures applied thereto.

Abstract: A multi-purpose orthodontic bracket has first and second arch wire receiving openings formed therein, the first arch wire receiving opening being larger than the second arch wire receiving opening. An arch wire contact surface is defined over a minor portion of the width of the bracket and is in communication with the second arch wire receiving opening. A support is provided on at least one of the front and rear portions of the bracket for at least partially defining the first arch wire receiving openings, the support including at least a plurality of support areas distributed along at least a major portion of the width of the bracket for receiving and supporting an arch wire thereon. The bracket further includes a retaining pin receiving slot which extends substantially perpendicularly to the arch wire receiving openings. Further disclosed are retaining pin structures and a further novel bracket configuration which has an integral bent-up arch wire contact surface.

Abstract: A plastic orthodontic bracket has an insert in the arch wire opening thereof which is of a material harder than the plastic material from which the bracket is fabricated. Preferably, the insert or liner is a metal material. The bracket with the insert or liner may be made by molding the plastic material around the liner material or by molding the plastic bracket and later inserting a previously formed liner or insert. Alternatively, the bracket may be made by means of extrusion of a plastic material and/or the liner material, the resultant elongated structure being then cut up into sections to form the individual brackets.

Abstract: An orthodontic spring clip is made of bent wire and comprises a first portion which is preferably formed of at least two spaced elongated members, adapted to engage over at least a part of a portion of a bracket having an arch wire receiving opening therein, and to pass over at least a portion of the arch wire receiving opening of the bracket in order to retain an arch wire in the opening relative to the bracket. The spring clip further comprises a second portion comprised of at least two elongated members coupled to the first portion of the clip and adapted to engage the bracket with the first portion of the clip at least partially covering the arch wire receiving opening of the bracket. Further, means is provided for coupling together the elongated members of at least one of the first and second clip portions. Further disclosed are specific spring clip arrangements and novel bracket constructions having means cooperating with orthodontic spring clips.

Abstract: A tooth uprighting or separating appliance for cooperating with a pair of adjacent teeth having opposed and closely spaced side surfaces comprises a first member adapted to be interposed into a space between the pair of teeth for bearing against one of the opposed side surfaces of one of the pair of teeth, a second member adapted to be interposed into the space between the pair of teeth for bearing against the side surface of the other of the pair of teeth, and spring means interconnecting the first and second members for biassing the first and second members away from each other and toward the respective opposed side surfaces of the pair of teeth to thereby separate the teeth from each other. Preferably, the first and second members are adapted to pierce gum tissue which is located between the pair of teeth to facilitate installation. The spring means may comprise an elongated wire member or a coil spring portion from which the first and second means extend.

Abstract: A multi-purpose orthodontic bracket has first and second arch wire receiving openings formed therein, the first arch wire receiving opening being larger than the second arch wire receiving opening. An arch wire contact surface is defined over a minor portion of the width of the bracket and is in communication with the second arch wire receiving opening. A support is provided on at least one of the front and rear portions of the bracket for at least partially defining the first arch wire receiving opening, the support including at least a plurality of support areas distributed along at least a major portion of the width of the bracket for receiving and supporting an arch wire thereon. The bracket further includes a retaining pin receiving slot which extends substantially perpendicularly to the arch wire receiving openings. Further disclosed are retaining pin structures and a further novel bracket configuration which has an integral bent-up arch wire contact surface.

Abstract: An orthodontic face bow for applying at least extrusion and/or intrusion forces to teeth in a controlled and reliable manner comprises an inner bow member having first and second ends to be coupled to respective teeth in the mouth; and an outer bow member coupled to the inner bow member at a substantially central portion thereof, the inner and outer bow members being rotatable relative to each other. A resilient biassing means is coupled between the inner and outer bow members for resiliently biassing one of the bow members relative to the other to cause one of the bow members to rotate relative to the other to apply at least one of the aforementioned extrusion and intrusion forces to the teeth to which the inner bow member is coupled. Also disclosed is an arrangement in which the inner and outer bow members are both mounted intra-oral and further arrangements which limit the amount of rotation of one of the bow members relative to the other.

Abstract: Ceramic orthodontic brackets are disclosed. The brackets are fabricated from high alumina ceramic materials and, in preferred embodiments, have holes or grooves on the back or rear surfaces thereof to improve adhesion to the teeth. Light wire brackets are also disclosed which is substantially wider than prior art light wire brackets, but which comprise means defining a substantially point contact for an arch wire.

Abstract: Orthodontic biassing devices including various means for preventing screw actuators from becoming disengaged from the body member in which it is cooperatively threadably engaged. The disengagement preventing means may include means directly associated with the screws, and/or stabilizing and retaining rod-like members which are slideably engaged with at least one of the body members of the biassing device. Further disclosed is a means for preventing screws of biassing devices from being backed into the body members due to external pressures applied thereto.

Abstract: An orthodontic spring clip is made of bent wire and comprises a first portion which is preferably formed of at least two spaced elongated members, adapted to engage over at least a part of a portion of a bracket having an arch wire receiving opening therein, and to pass over at least a portion of the arch wire receiving opening of the bracket in order to retain an arch wire in the opening relative to the bracket. The spring clip further comprises a second portion comprised of at least two elongated members coupled to the first portion of the clip and adapted to engage the bracket with the first portion of the clip at least partially covering the arch wire receiving opening of the bracket. Further, means is provided for coupling together the elongated members of at least one of the first and second clip portions. Further disclosed are specific spring clip arrangements and novel bracket constructions having means cooperating with orthodontic spring clips.

Abstract: Orthodontic arch wires comprise at least one strand having a generally rectangular cross-section and which is loosely helically wound so that adjacent turns are separated from each other. The wide dimension of the strand travels helically along the length of the wire. In order to provide stiffer wires, two or more rectangular strands may be placed adjacent each other and helically wound, and/or, one or more round or other cross-sectional configuration strands may be wound with the rectangular wire, for example in the interstices thereof. The arch wire is arranged such that the outer dimension is substantially the same for all configurations. In a further embodiment, the rectangular strand is wound so as to have overlapping turns, the frictional forces developed at the overlapping portions of the turns increasing the stiffness of the arch wire.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket comprises a bracket member having a base and an arch wire receiving opening in a surface of the bracket; and a mounting layer secured to the base of the bracket member and adapted to be mounted to a tooth or the like. At least one of the bracket member and mounting layer is made of resilient material.

Abstract: A clamp, particularly suitable for orthodontia, comprises a threaded screw member and a threaded nut member which is threadably engageable therewith. The screw member has a notch thereacross to receive a wire therethrough, the notch being directed generally towards one end of the thread on the screw. The notch opens on a surface of the screw for accepting a wire and has a first portion adjacent the opening which is defined by substantially parallel opposing walls, and has a second bottom portion which is adjacent the first portion and remote from the opening, the second bottom portion being generally V- or U-shaped and defined by inclined walls which are directed toward each other and toward the bottom of the notch.

Abstract: Retaining devices for orthodontic brackets comprise means for passing through an opening behind an orthodontic bracket or through an opening between twin-brackets and including means connected thereto for retaining an arch wire in an arch wire receiving slot of a bracket. The retaining means for passing behind an orthodontic bracket includes a bent-over arrangement which springingly wedges in a space defined between the rear of the bracket and, for example, a band to which the bracket is mounted. The retaining device also has an edge which bitingly engages the band, or the like. In the embodiment for a twin-bracket, the retaining means has a rear portion which passes through an opening defined between the brackets of the twin-bracket arrangement for engaging the bracket arrangement with spring-type action.

Abstract: An orthodontic appliance, such as a plate, has means defining at least one opening therein, and an elongated wire-type member is provided having at least one end which is removably insertable in the opening of the first member. The elongated member has engaging means at an end thereof which resiliently deforms to lockingly and non-rotatably engage an inner surface portion of the opening which has means for releasably engaging the engaging means of the elongated member.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for mounting orthodontic appliances, such as brackets, to teeth involves the use of a tape which has an adhesive on a surface thereof, and means for mounting the appliance to the tape such that the rear surface of the appliance which is to be secured to a tooth is exposed to the tooth. The tape preferably comprises means for angularly and/or vertically indicating the orientation of the appliance relative to the tape so that it may be mounted to a tooth with a predetermined orientation. The tape preferably has an adhesive which adheres to wet or damp surfaces so that it is not necessary to completely dry the complete surface of the tooth on which the tape is to be mounted.

Abstract: An orthodontic arch wire adapted to be received within the channel of an orthodontic bracket includes a plurality of flexible metallic strands wound into a tightly wound elongated coil normally having an array of successively abutting and generally parallel turns. The coiled wire is made from a material sufficiently flexible to permit bending of the arch wire by selectively and at least partially separating adjacent turns thereof. According to a preferred embodiment, the wires are wound interleaved with one another so that adjacent turns are formed by different strands. A plurality of wires may be associated together to form a composite strand, and this composite strand may be used to form the elongated coil.

Abstract: An orthodontic arch wire adapted to be received within the channel of an orthodontic bracket includes a plurality of flexible metallic strands wound into a tightly wound elongated coil normally having an array of successively abutting and generally parallel turns. The coiled wire is made from a material sufficiently flexible to permit bending of the arch wire by selectively and at least partially separating adjacent turns thereof. According to a preferred embodiment, the wires are wound interleaved with one another so that adjacent turns are formed by different strands. A plurality of wires may be associated together to form a composite strand, and this composite strand may be used to form the elongated coil. .Iadd.