Abstract: A self-ligating bracket includes a bracket body with a mesial and a distal channel. A spring clip includes a distal arm with a distal arm body and a distal finger and a mesial arm with a mesial arm body and a mesial finger. The spring clip is slidably secured within the bracket body by a sliding engagement of the distal arm with the distal channel and the mesial arm with the mesial channel. The spring clip is movable between an open position and a closed position wherein in the open position, the arch wire slot is unobstructed and in the closed position the mesial finger and distal finger extend into and across the arch wire slot to occlude the arch wire slot.

Abstract: An indirect bonding tray includes a least on tooth position each tooth portion includes an occlusal surface that conforms to an occlusal surface of an associated tooth of a patient's dentition. At least one of bracket arm includes a bracket arm tip configured to engage an orthodontic bracket. The at least one bracket arm movably attached to at least one tooth portion to move between a first position and second position relative to a bonding surface of the associated tooth. In the second position, the bracket arm is in a position configured to hold an orthodontic bracket in a predetermined treatment position relative to the bonding surface of the associated tooth.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket includes a slot for attaching auxiliary attachments. The slot is formed into the pad of the bracket rather than being included in the bracket body. By forming the slot into the pad of the bracket rather than incorporating it into the bracket body, the slot may have a vertical orientation and may be centered on the bracket.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket system includes a bracket and a clip. During closing, an arm of the clip rides down against an inclined rear surface of a first tie wing and a portion of the clip bends resiliently, exerting a force that locks a locking edge portion of the clip in a recess beneath second tie wings. During opening, the arm rides up against the inclined rear surface of the first tie wing as the locking edge portion of the clip is removed from the recess beneath the second tie wings. The clip is then moved to an open position to permit placement and removal of the archwire and held in that position.

Abstract: A packaged, pre-pasted orthodontic bracket includes a container having an open well therein and a top surface surrounding the well. A cover film with a central hole is disposed over the top opening of the well and secured to the top surface of the container with a layer of adhesive. An orthodontic bracket mounted in the central hole of the cover film has a base, a central portion extending from the base, at least two opposed tie wings extending from the central portion of the bracket, and a layer of light-curable adhesive disposed on the base of the bracket. The bracket is mounted in the central hole of the cover film such that the cover film contacts the central portion of the bracket and supports the bracket with the adhesive layer and base inside the well and the tie wings outside the well.

Abstract: An orthodontic distalizing apparatus comprises at least one force generating element positioned intermediate a force dissipating element secured to the hard palate and/or alveolar ridge and a first tooth (e.g., a molar) that is being distalized. The at least one force generating element is positioned to apply a distalizing force on the molar in a direction substantially along a longitudinal axis of the dental arch and at a low level of the basal gingiva. The at least one force generating element may be configured to prevent inadvertent disassembly thereof during installation, adjustment and/or conversion of the apparatus between an active and a passive state. In addition, the at least one force generating element may be configured to be reversibly convertible between an active state and a passive state without requiring removal of the device from the patient's mouth.

Abstract: The invention provides a non-unitary jumper or connecting element that can utilize a thin strip as the jumper body while providing one or preferably both ends of the jumper with a reinforced end cap instead of a thin end flange that is subject to breakage. An orthodontic appliance of the invention includes a first attachment appliance attached to first teeth associated with a first jaw of a patient and a second attachment appliance attached to second teeth associated with a second jaw of the patient. A connecting element or jumper includes a generally flat, elongated, resilient strip configured for developing an axial pushing force from end to end when flexed between the first attachment appliance and the second attachment appliance for moving the first teeth relative to the second teeth. The strip has a pair of end portions.

Abstract: The invention provides a package for a prepasted orthodontic bracket that includes a cover having a hollow projection thereon and a lateral flange extending from and surrounding an open end of the projection, and a base having a flat upper surface. An orthodontic bracket having a layer of light-curable paste thereon is placed with the paste layer in contact with a flat upper surface of the base. The bracket is surrounded by and spaced from the cover. Each of the cover and base are opaque to visible light and actinic radiation. The cover, or both cover and base, comprise a bilayered plastic structure including a first plastic layer containing particles of an opaque filler in an amount effective to render the first layer opaque to visible light, and a second plastic layer containing an effective amount of an actinic blocking agent.

Abstract: The invention provides an orthodontic bracket having a base portion configured for attachment to a mounting device such as a bonding pad that is directly secured to the tooth of a patient. A central portion of the bracket adjacent the base portion has a pair of sides that taper to a minimum diameter at a midline of the central portion, preferably giving the bracket an hourglass shape. A pair of single tie wings extend in gingival and occlusal directions respectively from the central portion, which tie wings define outer end portions that are wider than the central portion and have undersurfaces positioned for mounting archwire retaining bands therein. An outwardly opening archwire slot elongated in the mesial direction is formed in the central portion, which slot extends at an acute angle relative to an imaginary line extending in a buccal-lingual direction such that the slot opens closer to the gingival tie wing than the occlusal tie wing.

Abstract: A bond card for mounting prepasted orthodontic appliances that includes a substantially rigid planar substrate and a flexible adhesive-releasing film attached to the substrate and having a plurality of unmounted or unattached portions serving as sites for the appliances that are capable of being lifted from the surface of the substrate to facilitate removal of the appliance for mounting on a tooth.

Abstract: A bonding pad for an orthodontic attachment to be bonded to a tooth, including a foil or plate having a photoetched surface, and a layer of mesh material diffusion bonded to the photoetched surface of the foil, thereby greatly increasing the bonding strength of the attachment to which the bonding pad is secured.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for prepasting orthodontic appliances such as brackets with a light-cure adhesive and facilitating the mounting of the brackets in the mouth of a patient. The apparatus includes a kit having a storage box capable of storing a plurality of bond cards on which prepasted brackets are mounted in an organized fashion, a work box for facilitating the initial mounting of the brackets on the bond cards, a bond card cover for protecting the prepasted brackets against curing of the adhesive at the chairside of the patient, and a mouth shield for delaying the curing of the adhesive following initial placement of the prepasted brackets in the mouth of a patient.

Abstract: An improved orthodontic appliance is described which includes a main body manufactured from a polymeric material. A polycrystalline diamond coating is deposited on the main body. The coating has a thickness greater than 0.5 microns and is substantially transparent to the visible light spectrum and is deposited at a temperature of less than 140.degree. C.

Abstract: An orthodontic band having a textured inner surface for enhancing the adhesive bonding to a tooth, wherein the textured surface is formed by photoetching a pattern of pockets, indentations, or raised portions.

Abstract: A buccal tube insert including a frusto-conically shaped main body having a predetermined cross-sectional dimension and which defines a longitudinally disposed passageway which extends substantially therethrough, the main body disposed in friction fitting relation within a lumen defined by a buccal tube.

Abstract: A bonding base and method of making the base for a plastic orthodontic bracket to provide a mechanical lock that inhibits both shear and tensile forces when bonded to a tooth with a mechanical bonding adhesive. The bonding base includes a coating or layer of thermoset epoxy, urethane or acrylate chemistry having partially embedded therein a layer of textured particles that define multi-directional undercuts and projections. The method of making the bonding base includes the steps of applying a substantially uniform in thickness coating of the chosen chemistry to the tooth-attaching side of the bracket, next applying a layer of textured particles to the coating while it is wet, and then curing the coating to lock the textured particles to the bracket for producing a textured mechanical lock.

Abstract: A bonding base and method of making a base for a ceramic orthodontic bracket to provide mechanical retention between the bracket and the tooth so that the bracket may be debonded by the failure of the mechanical bond at the bracket/bond interface when the shear strength of the bond is exceeded. The bracket bonding base includes a glass frit fired to the tooth-attaching side of the bracket and a layer of textured aluminum oxide fired to the frit. The method of making the bonding base includes controlled preparation of a glass ceramic glaze (frit) to have a coefficient of thermal expansion slightly less than that of the bracket and application of the glaze to the bracket base. Thereafter, a proper firing sequence transforms the glaze into a sintered glass ceramic. A specially prepared textured substance is then applied to the sintered ceramic glaze and the bracket is again fired under controlled conditions in order to fuse the textured substance with the glaze.

Abstract: A twin tie wing orthodontic bracket having a pair of substantially parallel spaced tie wings extending from a base portion adapted to be attached to a tooth, and a horizontally opening buccolabially extending archwire slot and cutouts at the mesial and distal sides of the bracket at the archwire slot and the buccolabial face which increases the interbracket distance and thereby increases the range of the archwire and decreases the force the archwire exerts on the brackets.