Patents Assigned to American Orthodontics
  • Patent number: 4659309
    Abstract: An orthodontic bracket for use with an archwire to impart corrective forces to a tooth, including a base portion attachable directly to a tooth, a bonding pad or a band and at least one tie wing extending from the base portion which includes gingival and occlusal tips and an archwire slot opening buccolingually and extending mesiodistally. The buccolingual profile of the bracket is rhomboidal, wherein the backside of the base portion and the front face are parallel and the occlusal and gingival sides are parallel, while an obtuse angle is defined between the outer face of the bracket and one of the occlusal or gingival sides depending upon the tooth on which the bracket is mounted and the torque desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1987
    Assignee: American Orthodontics Corporation
    Inventor: Daniel A. Merkel
  • Patent number: 4639219
    Abstract: Surgical ball hooks for intermaxillary fixation that are adjustably positionable on an archwire and which include a tubular base received by the archwire and an elongated bar or arm fixed at one end to the base and at right angles to the base and having its other end ball shaped. The tubular base may be seamless or split wherein the seamless version is mounted on the wire prior to placement of the wire and the split version may be mounted onto the wire subsequent to placement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1987
    Assignee: American Orthodontics Corporation
    Inventor: William P. Gagin
  • Patent number: 4604057
    Abstract: A cast orthodontic appliance for bonding to a tooth having an appliance portion with an archwire slot and a pad or base portion with a curved tooth-conforming bonding surface. The bonding surface is formed with a plurality of horizontal or vertical grooves or slots opening lingually. The grooves on each side of center diverge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1985
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1986
    Assignee: American Orthodontics Corporation
    Inventor: John E. Viglietti
  • Patent number: 4536154
    Abstract: An orthodontic bracket for use with an archwire to orthodontically treat a patient by imparting corrective forces to a tooth. The bracket includes a base portion for attachment to the tooth, mesial and distal tie wings extending from the base portion, each of which includes gingival and occlusal tips defining therebetween a buccolabial opening archwire slot. The archwire slots are in mutual alignment and define a reference line for orienting the bracket in parallel relation to the occlusal plane and the tie wings are oriented such that they are obliquely angled to the reference line. The gingival tips have surfaces that are in parallel alignment with the reference line and substantially equidistant therefrom, and the outer borders of the tie wings form a trapezoidal configuration as the tie wings are of unequal size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 1984
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1985
    Assignee: American Orthodontics Corporation
    Inventors: Robert E. Garton, Jr., John E. Viglietti
  • Patent number: 4193195
    Abstract: An orthodontic appliance to be used in a straight-wire technique setup as an auxiliary for applying closing forces between spaced teeth, wherein the appliance is mounted on a bracket attached to a band or pad. The appliance includes a base attachable to the bracket and an arm extending from the base and terminating in a hook for the attachment thereto of a force transmission member, such as an elastic. The appliance is attached to the bracket so that it is removable from the bracket after the use of the appliance has been completed and while the bracket remains mounted on a tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1978
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1980
    Assignee: American Orthodontics Corporation
    Inventors: Daniel A. Merkel, John E. Viglietti, William P. Gagin