By Device Having Means To Apply Outwardly Directed Force (e.g., Expander) Patents (Class 433/7)
  • Patent number: 11944514
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for improved orthodontic treatment of a patient's teeth are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method includes determining an appliance geometry for a dental appliance. The appliance geometry can include a first region representing a shell comprising a plurality of teeth receiving cavities, and a second region representing at least one integrally formed component to be integrally joined to the shell. The method can also include generating instructions including a first digital representation of the shell based on the first region, and a second digital representation of the at least one integrally formed component based on the second region. The method can further include transmitting the instructions to a fabrication system configured to additively manufacture the dental appliance by fabricating the shell based on the first digital representation, concurrently with fabricating the at least one integrally formed component based on the second digital representation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Avi Kopelman, Allen Boronkay, Peter Webber, Vadim Matov, Srinivas Kaza, Ryan Kimura, Yaser Shanjani
  • Patent number: 11903868
    Abstract: An oral treatment assembly providing a plurality of medical treatments of a patient that are non-invasive and in particular provides new methods for treating jaw related medical conditions of a patient through predetermined positioning and controlled or guided movement of a patient's mandible and therefore their mandibular condyles during use, wherein the assembly includes an upper and lower assembly each defining transition portions having a reverse cut angle that extends downward from the posterior forward to the anterior, and where each are configured to selectively engage to restrict the retrusion of the mandible relative to the maxilla and to position the mandible relative to the maxilla downward and in some embodiment slightly forward in a caregiver defined treatment position and having a caregiver defined treatment movement area thereabout. Since the reversed cut angle contains two vectors it also discourages involuntary dropping of the mandible relative to the maxilla.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Inventor: Gary B. Wiele
  • Patent number: 11890162
    Abstract: Disclosed are apparatuses and techniques for distalizing, mesializing and/or expanding teeth in the upper or lower dental arch of a patient's mouth to make room for crowded or protruded teeth located in the anterior arch region to distally and laterally shift into. In some aspects, an apparatus includes a body; a first arm coupled to an adjustment mechanism of the body and attachable to a molar; a second arm coupled to the apparatus body and attachable to a non-molar tooth; and an anchorage device attachable to a bone in the mouth, which the first arm is configured to transfer a force onto the molar when the adjustment mechanism is actuated to cause movement of the molar in the dental arch, and which the anchorage device is operable to positionally stabilize the body and the second arm to prevent movement of the non-molar tooth in the dental arch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Inventor: Robert Kelleher
  • Patent number: 11864974
    Abstract: An orthodontic appliance and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the present technology includes a positioning member configured to position an orthodontic appliance during installation in the patient's mouth. The positioning member may comprise a first portion configured to be coupled to the patient's teeth and a second portion extending away from the first portion. The second portion may be configured to be detachably coupled to the orthodontic appliance. While the positioning member is coupled to the orthodontic appliance, the positioning member is configured to be positioned in the patient's mouth and coupled to the patient's teeth, thereby positioning the orthodontic appliance at a desired location adjacent a patient's oral anatomy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: BRIUS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Seyed Mehdi Roein Peikar, James Sylvester Wratten, Jr.
  • Patent number: 11826218
    Abstract: The invention is a device for moving a patient's tooth or related group of teeth. It is comprised of a housing which is fastened onto a base arch within the patient's oral cavity and which includes an adjuster which is connected to a palatal lock on the tooth to be moved using the adjuster. The base arch originates at a fixed jaw implant and is inserted into a channel in the housing which is freely accessible from outside and securely clamped using a lock connected to the housing, preferably a turn-type lock with a threaded shaft by tightening the threaded shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Inventor: Winfried Schuetz
  • Patent number: 11806207
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods, devices, and systems for adjusting a tooth position. A system for adjusting a tooth position can include an attachment configured to be attached to a tooth to be moved, a dental appliance including a guide slot configured to receive the attachment and to define an adjustment trajectory of the tooth, and an adjustment band to generate force on the tooth to move the tooth along the adjustment trajectory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventor: Avi Kopelman
  • Patent number: 11751979
    Abstract: An orthodontic appliance is disclosed that integrates an arch expander with a first segment and a second segment. The first and second segments are disposed on opposite sides of a midline of a dentition of an orthodontic patient. Both the first segment and the second segment are disposed over multiple teeth on the respective side of the midline, with a gap existing proceeding along the dentition between anterior-most portions of the first segment and the second segment. The arch expander is integrated with the first and second segments to exert an anteriorly-disposed expansion force on the patient's dentition through the first and second segments, for instance where the posterior-most location where these expansion forces are exerted corresponds with a first bicuspid on each side of a permanent the dentition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2023
    Inventor: William J. Clark
  • Patent number: 11744676
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides method, computing device readable medium, and devices for dental appliances with repositioning jaw elements. An example of a removable dental appliance includes a shell having a number of tooth apertures configured to receive and reposition a number of teeth of a patient along one jaw of a patient, a repositioning jaw element that extends from a buccal or lingual surface of the shell, the element having a first outer surface oriented to face the tongue of the patient surface and a second outer surface oriented to face the cheek of the patient, and a reinforcement member formed along at least one of the first and second outer surfaces to provide reinforcement of the repositioning jaw element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Rohit Tanugula, Crystal Tjhia, Dennis Te
  • Patent number: 11744680
    Abstract: An orthodontic bracket assembly treatment system comprising a bracket base and at least two rigid selectable bracket covers slidably engageable with the bracket base wherein the selectable at least two rigid selectable bracket covers are removably slidably couplable to said bracket base by slidably engaging the upper lip with the upper retention element and the lower lip with the lower retention element and wherein the width of the face of a first one of the at least two rigid selectable bracket covers is wider than the width of the face of a second one of the at least two rigid bracket covers and can be selectively releasably attached to the base during a treatment such that the treatment utilizes either the first bracket cover or the second bracket cover depending on a patient's treatment needs at a stage of the treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Inventor: Dalia El-Bokle
  • Patent number: 11737854
    Abstract: A dental appliance includes a first polymeric shell portion having one or more cavities shaped therein to removably conform to one or more teeth. The dental positioning appliance further includes at least one spacer. At least one spacer is coupled to the first polymeric shell portion. The dental appliance can also have a first arch member coupled to the at least one spacer and configured to provide at least some of a force needed to reposition one or more teeth from a first orientation to a second orientation different from the first orientation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2023
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventor: Richard E. Raby
  • Patent number: 11723790
    Abstract: Described herein is an oral appliance. The oral appliance includes upper and lower trays that each include at least one axial spring configured to contact a palatal/lingual surface of at least one tooth, where each axial spring is coupled to the respective upper or lower tray, and where each axial spring is configured to produce and transmit intermittent, cyclic forces to the palatal/lingual surface of the tooth to promote palatal and upper/lower jaw development. The upper and lower trays each include an expansion mechanism to enable adjustment of the size of the upper and lower trays to account for palatal expansion and upper and lower jaw development. The oral appliance includes first and second adjustable hinge arms that are removably connected to the upper and lower trays so that the oral appliance advances the mandible to provide temporary relief from sleep disordered breathing, sleep apnea and/or snoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2023
    Assignee: VIVOS THERAPEUTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Todd Nickolas Huntsman, Braden Charles Bennett, Justin Dean Harris, Cathryn H. Bonar
  • Patent number: 11648092
    Abstract: Provided is an exchangeable or replaceable maxillary skeletal expander. The exchangeable maxillary skeletal expander including: a pair of guides configured to be fixed by micro implants implanted into maxilla; and an expansion part including: a pair of main bodies configured to be inserted and extended while sliding between the pair of guides; and an expansion screw configured to penetrate the pair of main bodies and adjust an interval between the pair of main bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: BIOMATERIALS KOREA INC.
    Inventor: Won Moon
  • Patent number: 11633261
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides method, computing device readable medium, and devices for dental appliances with repositioning jaw elements. An example of a method can include identifying a misaligned jaw of a patient from a virtual image of the patient's jaw, providing a treatment plan for the patient including a virtual model of a dental appliance having a first shell and a second shell configured to reposition at least one tooth of the patient, and adjusting the position of the repositioning jaw elements on the first shell and the second shell to comply with a number of constraints. The virtual model of the dental appliance including repositioning jaw elements on the first shell and the second shell configured to move a position of the misaligned jaw of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: ALIGN TECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Ken Wu, Eric E. Kuo, Mitra Derakhshan, Crystal Tjhia, Eric Yau, Allen R. Boronkay, Chunhua Li, Gleb Krivovyaz
  • Patent number: 11628043
    Abstract: A dental appliance and method of treatment are disclosed. The dental appliance attaches to predetermined teeth of an upper jaw of a patient, and includes a constrainment mechanism positioned above a patient's tongue, wherein the constrainment mechanism is shaped to limit movement of a posterior zone of the patient's tongue. The constrainment mechanism allows at least an anterior zone and lateral edges of the patient's tongue to perform movements necessary for speech and swallowing. The method of treatment includes use of the dental appliance to reduce the volume of a patient's tongue and enlarge the airways, and can be combined with use of another dental appliance to correct another aspect of the patient's tongue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Inventor: Claude Mauclaire
  • Patent number: 11602415
    Abstract: The orthodontic appliance includes a spread plate for spreading location of right and left molars of an upper dentition portion by spreading right and left plate portions, and the right and left plate portions include plate body portions arranged respectively on the sides of the molars of the upper dentition portion and the engagement portions extending from the plate body portions to the positions each facing the vicinity of the front teeth of the upper dentition portion, and the engagement portions are configured to be engaged with the lower front teeth when the upper dentition portion and a lower dentition portion are engaged with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: SHEEPMEDICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru Ishigame, Motohiko Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 11589958
    Abstract: Embodiments of bone anchored expander devices described herein along with the protocol provide improved orthodontic/orthopedic appliances and protocol for expanding or contracting, protracting or retracting, extruding or intruding the upper jaw and dental arch unilaterally or bilaterally in parallel or non-parallel way, as well as enlarging the nasal cavity and nasopharyngeal airway. This expander design and protocol gives the clinician the ability to direct expansion or constriction, protraction or retraction, extrusion or intrusion forces to various segments of the maxillary jaw and arch in parallel or nonparallel configuration minimizing the need for major osteotomies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Inventor: Joseph Yousefian
  • Patent number: 11576750
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and devices for producing appliances for expansion of the arch of a patient are provided. An arch expanding appliance comprises a force generating portion to apply an arch expansion force and a retention portion to hold the force generating portion on the teeth. The retention portion comprises a flexible portion and a stiff portion. The force generating portion applies a force to move teeth associated with the flexible portion, while the stiff portion resists movement of its associated teeth. The orthodontic appliances can be designed according to the specifications provided herein and manufactured using direct fabrication methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Avi Kopelman, Allen Boronkay, Ryan Kimura, Yaser Shanjani
  • Patent number: 11426222
    Abstract: An osseous anchoring implant with optimized expansion, having a tubular body and a rod whose external profile of the rod and internal profile of the tubular body are complementary. The implant being expandable between a rest configuration in which an abutment mechanism interlocks the tubular body and the rod thanks to the reversal of their two respective screw pitches, so that they provide in an expanded configuration radially: a proximal bearing point, a distal bearing point, a “central” bearing point located between these two bearing points, formed by the cooperation between the outer diameter of the rod and the inner diameter of the tubular body which induce an outer diameter of the tubular body at the “central” level greater than the outer diameter of the tubular body at the proximal bearing point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: LOCK IN SA
    Inventor: Guillaume Lacaze
  • Patent number: 11406477
    Abstract: An orthodontic device, including: an inner housing that covers teeth, an outer housing that covers the inner housing, a bracket that is capable of pressing against the teeth and that penetrates the inner housing, and a pressing force adjuster that engages with the outer housing and the bracket and that is capable of adjusting a pressing force of the bracket on the teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: CHUBU MEDICAL CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hiroaki Ando
  • Patent number: 11389274
    Abstract: An orthodontic expansion screw including at least two bodies, the mutual distance between which can be changed by means of a spindle, and with one or two guide pins, which engage both bodies and guide them while preventing a relative rotation of the bodies given a change in their distance relative to each other. In order to prevent or impede an inadvertent twisting of the spindle relative to the bodies, the outer periphery of the activating part has a shell surface, whose configuration differs from a shell surface of a circular cylinder in such a way that there is at least one first position of the spindle in which the activating part contacts the guide pins with a pressure that leads to an elastic deformation of a guide pin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: Bernhard Foerster GmbH
    Inventor: Michael Regelmann
  • Patent number: 11376101
    Abstract: A removable arch adjustment appliance includes a removable shell having a plurality of cavities formed therein, wherein the plurality of cavities are shaped to receive at least one posterior tooth of a patient on each side of a patient's jaw. The shell can include an elastic transpalatal element that spans a palate of the patient and provides force to expand at least one of the spaces between the posterior teeth on each side of a patient's jaw or the palate of the patient. The transpalatal element can include a predetermined force characteristic, a number of force control elements to control the force provided by the transpalatal element, and/or a regulating structure to balance and direct the force provided by the transpalatal element, wherein the transpalatal element has a width specific to a stage of a treatment plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2022
    Assignee: Align Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jun Sato, Yaser Shanjani, Ryan Kimura
  • Patent number: 11247116
    Abstract: An oral appliance system for a human mouth comprises at least one maxillary appliance and at least one mandibular appliance that can be removably anchored to teeth of a maxilla and mandible, respectively. Respective biasing members are carried by the at least one maxillary appliance and the at least one mandibular appliance. When the at least one mandibular appliance is anchored to the human mandible and the at least one maxillary appliance is anchored to the human maxilla of a common jaw, the respective biasing members act between the at least one maxillary appliance and the at least one mandibular appliance to urge the at least one mandibular appliance inferiorly and anteriorly away from the at least one maxillary appliance with a force between about 250 grams at contact and about 1200 grams at contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Inventor: Nicola Crichigno
  • Patent number: 11219508
    Abstract: An orthodontic device having at least one first bearing element configured for bearing on the left-hand side of an upper jaw of a patient to be treated, at least one second bearing element configured for bearing on the right-hand side of the jaw and a central actuator for modulating a distance between the bearing element in order to expand the palate of the patient. The device further includes a mechanical rotary link between the actuator and the first bearing element and a mechanical rotary link between the actuator and the second bearing element in order to allow geometric adjustment while the device is being fitted in the mouth of the patient, at least in the vertical direction, the anterior-posterior direction, or the transverse direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Inventor: David Atlan
  • Patent number: 11197742
    Abstract: An intra-oral device comprising upper and lower jaw applicators, the upper jaw applicator comprising upper left and upper right components, and the lower jaw applicator comprising lower left and lower right components; a transverse adjustment mechanism for simultaneously adjusting a distance between the upper left and upper right components, and the lower left and lower right components wherein the transverse adjustment mechanism comprises: a threaded rod having one end portion engageable with the upper left and lower left components, and another end portion engageable with the upper right and the lower right components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: 3D MED AG
    Inventor: Islam Khasanovich Raslambekov
  • Patent number: 11179268
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are splints for a mandibular advancement device, each splint comprising one or more guided fins, wherein each guided fin is located at a distance D from back of the splint; a back post; at least one threaded rod connecting the back post to the guided fin, wherein the distance between the guided fin and the back post is changed when the threaded rod is turned either clockwise or counterclockwise; and a guiding mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: PROSOMNUS SLEEP TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Sung Kim, David W. Kuhns, Leonard A. Liptak
  • Patent number: 11083543
    Abstract: A fan screw for the expansion of the upper jaw, including two bodies (1, 2) connected by at least one driving screw (4; 7) and placed on opposite sides with respect to a sagittal plane (x-x), the longitudinal axis (v-v; k-k) of the at least one expansion screw (4; 7) being perpendicular to the plane (x-x), each of the bodies (1, 2) having a lingual side (L1, L2) and an opposite upper side and being provided with a structure for anchoring it to several teeth of a dental arch destined to be expanded. The longitudinal axis (v-v; k-k) of the at least one driving screw (4; 7) is at a predetermined distance (h) from the lingual sides (L1, L2) of bodies (1, 2), the distance (h) being measured along a lingual direction (L) parallel to the plane (x-x), such that the distance between the axis (v-v) of the at least one driving screw (4; 7) and the upper sides of bodies (1, 2) is greater than the distance between the upper and the lower sides of bodies (1, 2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: LEONE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Gabriele Scommegna, Maurizio Dolfi
  • Patent number: 11045348
    Abstract: An apparatus for mandibular advancement of an oral appliance for use in the treatment of sleep apnea, snoring, and other conditions. The apparatus for mandibular advancement of an oral appliance generally includes a first appliance portion comprising a gear assembly having a drive gear, wherein rotation of the drive gear linearly displaces links. The appliance also has a second appliance portion with a link-engaging members, wherein the links exert a force on the link-engaging members when they are linearly displaced, and wherein the force causes the second appliance portion to be displaced relative to the first appliance portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: Archis Health Investments LLC
    Inventors: Subhalakshmi Giridharagopalan, Jayant Parthasarathy
  • Patent number: 11020207
    Abstract: An orthodontic appliance is disclosed that integrates an arch expander with a first segment and a second segment. The first and second segments are disposed on opposite sides of a midline of a dentition of an orthodontic patient. Both the first segment and the second segment are disposed over multiple teeth on the respective side of the midline, with a gap existing proceeding along the dentition between anterior-most portions of the first segment and the second segment. The arch expander is integrated with the first and second segments to exert an anteriorly-disposed expansion force on the patient's dentition through the first and second segments, for instance where the posterior-most location where these expansion forces are exerted corresponds with a first bicuspid on each side of a permanent the dentition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Inventor: William J. Clark
  • Patent number: 10993785
    Abstract: Systems and methods of repositioning teeth, using one or more appliances for installing on a patient's teeth are described. The appliance includes an arch shaped member; a plurality of spring members coupled to or provided on the arch shaped member; and a plurality of securing members for securing to a corresponding plurality of the patient's teeth on a one-to-one basis, the securing members being supported by the arch shaped member. The arch shaped member and the plurality of springs, together, comprise a two dimensional structure having a length dimension and a width dimension with varying widths along the length dimension, that is bent into a three dimensional structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: Brius Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Seyed Mehdi Roein Peikar, James Sylvester Wratten, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10973614
    Abstract: Expansion screw for orthodontics, comprising at least one stem (1) with at least a threaded portion (10) extending along the longitudinal extension of the stem (1), at least one receiving body (3) adapted for receiving said threaded portion (10) and provided with a complementarily threaded hole allowing said threaded portion (10) to be screwed therein, guide means (2) allowing said at least one receiving body (3) to be moved, actuation means (11, 12) for actuating said stem (1). The hole (31) of said at least one receiving body (3) has a longitudinal extension substantially corresponding to that of the threaded portion (10) of said at least one stem (1). The receiving body (3) is a technopolymer receiving body and the stem (1) is embedded in the technopolymer of the receiving body when the expansion screw (100) is made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: LEONE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Gabriele Scommegna, Maurizio Dolfi
  • Patent number: 10959875
    Abstract: Systems and methods for treating sleep-disordered breathing and related masticatory and temporomandibular joint disorders are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an oral appliance for treating the sleep-disordered breathing and/or the related masticatory and temporomandibular joint disorders includes an upper section configured for attachment to upper teeth and a lower section configured for positioning behind lower teeth. The oral appliance also includes an extender connecting the lower section to the upper section. The extender is configured to advance the lower section into a contact with the lower teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Inventor: Joseph Yousefian
  • Patent number: 10932887
    Abstract: A removable orthodontic device includes an anchorage cap segment, a moving cap segment, a pair of spring elements, and a guiding wire. The anchorage cap segment is removably worn on the anterior teeth of a dental arch. The moving cap segment is removably worn on at least one posterior tooth on one side of the dental arch. The spring elements are disposed between the anchorage and moving cap segments to generate an elastic resilient force to move the moving cap segment relative to the anchorage cap segment. The guiding wire has a U-shaped portion and two rod portions. The U-shaped portion is embedded in and disposed around three sidewalls of the moving cap segment, and the rod portions are received in guiding channels formed in the buccal and lingual sidewalls of the anchorage cap segment to guide the movement of the moving cap segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Inventor: Cheng-Hsiang Hung
  • Patent number: 10905527
    Abstract: Systems and methods of repositioning teeth, using one or more appliances for installing on a patient's teeth are described. The appliance includes an arch shaped member; a plurality of spring members coupled to or provided on the arch shaped member; and a plurality of securing members for securing to a corresponding plurality of the patient's teeth on a one-to-one basis, the securing members being supported by the arch shaped member. The arch shaped member and the plurality of springs, together, comprise a two dimensional structure having a length dimension and a width dimension with varying widths along the length dimension, that is bent into a three dimensional structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: Brius Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Seyed Mehdi Roein Peikar, James Sylvester Wratten, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10842596
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a palatal and jaw expansion device comprising at least one screw, at least two blocks that are positioned on the screw so as to move on the screw, at least one stabilization rod whereon the blocks are seated, a movement mechanism disposed at the center of the screw and an arm that has a fixed end fixed to the movement mechanism perpendicularly to the horizontal axis where the screw extends and a free end and hat, when force is applied on the free end, rotates the movement mechanism whereon the arm is fixed and the screw around the horizontal axis where the screw extends, enabling the blocks to move on the screw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: AHMET OZLEM KELES
    Inventors: Ahmet Ozlem Keles, Ahmet Eren Keles
  • Patent number: 10743965
    Abstract: A palatal expansion appliance includes one pair of bone screw joints arranged to face each other, each of the one pair of bone screw joints extending in one direction and having a plurality of bone screw holes formed thereon, and a driving portion arranged between the one pair of bone screw joints, in which, as at least a part of the driving portion is moved in one direction, the one pair of bone screw joints are moved in another direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Inventor: Sung Chul Moon
  • Patent number: 10575926
    Abstract: An orthodontic device and method to treat maxillary deficiencies by expanding the upper palate of a patient is provided. The device and method do not require any engagement with teeth of the patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: Craniofacial Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Cameron Kaveh, Richard Beranek
  • Patent number: 10548689
    Abstract: An adjustable segmental distalization appliance for orthodontic treatments features elongated first and second components that cooperatively define a central body of the appliance spanning longitudinally between an anterior end of the first component and a distal end of the second component. First and second terminal heads are respectively carried at the anterior and distal ends and adapted for attachment to first and second teeth of a dental arch. The first and second components are arranged for selective longitudinal displacement relative to one another to adjust an overall length of the central body to adapt to a patient-specific mesial-distal distance between the first and second teeth of the dental arch. In one embodiment, one component is a tubular female component carrying a ratchet pawl, and the other component is an insertable male component with cooperating ratchet teeth for incremental extension of the central body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Inventor: Robert Ward
  • Patent number: 10485635
    Abstract: Provided herein is an orthodontic frame work and methods of making and using the same. The framework is configured to be placed within a dental arch nearby a tooth or teeth of a patient in combination with an appliance via an attachment for moving the tooth or teeth, the framework being less pliable than the appliance so as to serve as an anchor or a backbone of the appliance, the appliance is effective to move a tooth or teeth from an initial position to an intermediate position or final position of the tooth or teeth according to a prescription by a treating doctor, and the attachment is via a material forming the appliance and is configured to allow the framework to exert a non-reciprocal force upon the appliance and the appliance to exert a non-reciprocal force upon the tooth or teeth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Inventors: Won Moon, Ehab Abdelbar, Paul Kim
  • Patent number: 10478271
    Abstract: The invention relates to orthodontic appliances that simulate the center of resistance in orthodontic treatment. The orthodontic appliance includes at least one bonding pad for attaching said appliance to a corresponding lingual side of a tooth and a netted structure extending in a mesial-distal direction substantially below the at least one bonding pad. The netted structure engages or passes components for delivering force in orthodontic treatment. With aid of the force delivering components engaged or passed in the netted structure, a dentist or a clinician can advantageously simulate the center of resistance in a dentition or a tooth in orthodontic treatment for space closure and/or distalization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Inventor: Vishnu Jagdishbhai Patel
  • Patent number: 10478270
    Abstract: An oral appliance that attaches to molars or bicuspids and that combines the capability for side-to-side and front-to-back expansion and contraction in one unit as a self-stopping mechanism. Further, this embodiment can be activated to compress or expand and be deactivated in two planes of side-to-side or front-to-back, along three different arms/bridges respectively. This is to say that one arm can compress front-to-back while the other arm expands, the jaw/teeth front-to-back, simultaneously). With proper arrangements and anchorage preparation the device shown and described can move front teeth forward or backward or back teeth forward or backward independently on either side of the mouth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Inventor: Joseph Yousefian
  • Patent number: 10456218
    Abstract: Disclosed is a palatal expander for widening a patient's upper jaw that includes portions that are anatomically contoured to the arched shape of a patient's palate. Specifically, the palatal expander includes expansion screws with movable bodies having anatomically contoured palatal surfaces that do not impinge palate tissue during jaw widening procedures. The expansion screws may further include features that allow for reduced hindrances to speech and eating during jaw widening procedures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Inventor: Cameron Mashouf
  • Patent number: 10383707
    Abstract: Systems and methods of repositioning teeth, using one or more appliances for installing on a patient's teeth are described. The appliance includes an arch shaped member; a plurality of spring members coupled to or provided on the arch shaped member; and a plurality of securing members for securing to a corresponding plurality of the patient's teeth on a one-to-one basis, the securing members being supported by the arch shaped member. The arch shaped member and the plurality of springs, together, comprise a two dimensional structure having a length dimension and a width dimension with varying widths along the length dimension, that is bent into a three dimensional structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: MECHANODONTICS, INC.
    Inventors: Seyed Mehdi Roein Peikar, James Sylvester Wratten, Jr.
  • Patent number: 10342639
    Abstract: Expansion screw for orthodontic appliances, including at least one stem (1) with at least a threaded portion (10) extending along the longitudinal extension of the stem (1), at least one receiving body (3) for receiving the threaded portion (10) provided with a receiving hole complementarily shaped with respect to the threaded portion (10) so as to allow its screwing, guide structure (2) for guiding the at least one receiving body (3), driving mechanism (11, 12) for driving the stem (1), and including a positioning tab (6) composed of multiple parts (60, 61) associated with each other to support the expansion screw (100) when the orthodontic appliance is made, the tab (6) being provided with at least an appendix (62) that can be stably inserted into a cavity (12) exhibited by the expansion screw (100).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: LEONE S.P.A.
    Inventors: Gabriele Scommegna, Maurizo Dolfi
  • Patent number: 10172692
    Abstract: Rapid palatal expander provided with a first and a second main body actuatable to be moved along a longitudinal slide direction by an actuator element, and connected to at least one first and one second thread-like support arm intended to interact with opposite portions of a dental arch. The support arms comprise a transversely projecting portion, which is engaged in a shape relationship within an enlarged portion of a shaped seat obtained in the two main bodies. The shaped seat is extended on the external surface with an insertion opening of size at least equal to the transversely projecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: VISOTTICA INDUSTRIE S.P.A.
    Inventor: Rinaldo Montalban
  • Patent number: 10098711
    Abstract: An orthodontic screw system includes two rods connected to rotatable head members. The two rods are couplable to one or more of lower teeth or mandibular bones of a patient. The rotatable head members have threaded holes and pairs of the rotatable head members have opposite hand threads. The screw system also includes two twin screws that have threaded ends of opposite hand threads. Each of the two twin screws is engaged to threads of a pair of the rotatable head members. Rotation of one of the twin screws causes the pair of rotatable head members and the ends of the rods to either move together or move apart. The two twin screws are independently rotatable to cause independent expansion or contraction of different portions of the screw system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Inventor: Joseph Yousefian
  • Patent number: 10010383
    Abstract: An orthodontic distractor includes two rods connected to rotatable head members. The two rods are couplable to one or more of upper teeth or palatal bones of a patient. The rotatable head members have threaded holes and pairs of the rotatable head members have opposite hand threads. The screw system also includes two twin screws that have threaded ends of opposite hand threads. Each of the two twin screws is engaged to threads of a pair of the rotatable head members. Rotation of one of the twin screws causes the pair of rotatable head members and the ends of the rods to either move together or move apart. The two twin screws are independently rotatable to cause independent expansion or contraction of different portions of the screw system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Inventor: Joseph Yousefian
  • Patent number: 9980791
    Abstract: An orthodontic remodeling device includes a sleeve having first and second screw holes in two ends thereof. The first and second screw holes have opposite thread directions. A first screw rod includes a first threaded portion threadedly engaged with the first screw hole and a first assembling portion exposed outside of the sleeve. A second screw hole includes a second threaded portion threadedly engaged with the second screw hole and a second assembling portion exposed outside of the sleeve. Two tooth pushing members are respectively engaged with the first and second assembling portions. Each tooth pushing member includes at least one tooth coupling ring mounted on at least one tooth of a patient for pushing the at least one tooth outward. The sleeve is rotatable to move the first and second screw rods toward or away from each other to change a relative position between the two tooth pushing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Metal Industries Research & Development Centre
    Inventors: Yue-Jun Wang, Tung-Lin Tsai, Chun-Chieh Tseng, Li-Wen Weng, Chih-Lung Lin
  • Patent number: 9925019
    Abstract: An aesthetic, partially removable orthodontic appliance is described, including a polymeric body that conforms to the lingual soft tissue and at least one wire member extending from the polymeric body. Each wire member releasably engages with a respective anchor that is, in turn, connected to the lingual surface of a respective tooth when the polymeric body is moved in a generally gingival direction into abutting relationship with the lingual soft tissue. Other features of the appliance include self-guiding magnetic couplings and couplings based on interlocking mechanical structures that provide releasable engagement between the removable section and the anchors, as well as related methods for making and using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: David K. Cinader, Jr., Philip P. Soo, James D. Cleary, Oliver L. Puttler
  • Patent number: 9884181
    Abstract: A vestibular electronic orthodontic appliance expediter constituted of a lingual sub-member and a buccal sub-member, the lingual sub-member arranged to fit a lingual contour of a gum of a patient, the buccal sub-member arranged to fit a buccal contour of a gum of the patient; a control circuitry; a power supply; a plurality of lingual electrodes, each associated with a particular tooth socket; and a plurality of buccal electrodes, each associated with a particular tooth socket. Either a first or a second type current is generated between lingual and buccal electrodes responsive to the control circuitry. Biochemical molecules involved in bone remodeling, augmented by the electric currents, may be applied to the expediter as a layer of gel containing those molecules on the expediter surface facing the gum tissue. Temperature control enhances the gel effects. pH measurement, as indicators of the cellular response to the combined treatment is further provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Rapid Orthodontics, Inc.
    Inventors: Zeev Davidovitch, Robert Sanford, Moshe Davidovitch
  • Patent number: 9877803
    Abstract: An orthodontic/orthognathic device for correcting and changing tooth placements and bone structure, and a method of using orthodontic/orthognathic device for tooth movement, correcting syndromic conditions of the mouth and osteogenetic correction. The device may be used for maxillary distraction and expansion as well as mandibular separation and expansion. The device can be controlled by computer to direct tooth and bone placement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Inventor: Bandar Alyami