Abstract: An apparatus for controlling asymmetrical coasting of an endodontic reciprocating motor includes a controller operatively connected to the endodontic motor. The controller may include a processing unit that is configured to direct the rotation of the endodontic motor in the forward direction for a coast time and configured to direct the rotation of the endodontic motor in the reverse direction for a coast time. The forward coast time is separately calculated from the reverse coast time. A method for asymmetrically coasting a reciprocating endodontic motor includes rotating an endodontic motor in a forward direction and calculating a forward coast time for the forward direction and coasting the endodontic motor in the forward direction for the calculated forward coast time. After coasting the endodontic motor in the forward direction, the endodontic motor is rotated in a reverse direction. The reverse coast time is different than the forward coast time.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for heating an endodontic instrument by infrared radiation includes a housing defining a chamber. An infrared heating element is positioned within the chamber. The housing includes an aperture and an adjacent holder for holding the endodontic instrument, such as an obturator. The endodontic instrument held by the holder extends through the aperture and into the chamber. The infrared heating element directs infrared radiation toward the endodontic instrument, which heats the endodontic instrument.

Abstract: An orthodontic appliance for use in orthodontic treatment. The orthodontic appliance is selected from the group consisting of an orthodontic bracket, an orthodontic archwire, an orthodontic tool, and a discrete component thereof. The orthodontic appliance is made of a metallic glass. The orthodontic appliance may be an orthodontic bracket for coupling an archwire with a tooth. The orthodontic bracket comprises a bracket body including an archwire slot, the bracket body being made of a metallic glass. The orthodontic bracket further comprises a movable member made of a metallic glass and operatively coupled to the bracket body and movable between an opened position in which the archwire is insertable into the archwire slot and a closed position in which the movable member retains the archwire in the archwire slot. The orthodontic bracket further comprises a pin coupling the movable member to the bracket body.

Abstract: Various features are provided for a custom orthodontic appliance manufacturing or designing system. These include features for inputting of data of patient anatomy and practitioner decisions, features for interactively or automatically manipulating data to arrive at appliance characteristics, and features for affecting design or manufacture of the appliance.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket having a bracket body configured to be mounted to a tooth includes an archwire slot having a base surface defining a base plane and a slide engagement track defining a translation plane. The translation plane is angled with respect to the base plane. A ligating slide is engaged with the slide engagement track of the bracket body and movable along the slide engagement track and parallel to the translation plane between an opened position, in which an archwire is insertable into the archwire slot, and a closed position, in which the archwire is retained within the archwire slot. The translation plane is angled with respect to the base plane so as to prevent the ligating slide from contacting the gingiva surrounding the tooth when the ligating slide is moved to the opened position.

Abstract: A portable three-dimensional intra-oral imaging system is comprised of a processor, a housing encasing the processor, an imaging sensor extensibly coupled to the housing for capturing images, and a touchscreen display to display the images acquired by the imaging sensor. An arm is coupled to the housing and supports the touchscreen display, wherein the arm is configurable to be retracted and protracted to allow placement of the touchscreen display within a range of heights. A handle of the housing is provided for portability.

Abstract: Dental arches of single-crystal shape memory alloys, methods of fabrication and apparatus for fabrication. The methods include drawing a single crystal of a shape memory alloy from a melt of the alloy. This is followed by heating, forming, and quenching the crystal sufficiently rapid to limit the formation of alloy precipitates to an amount which retains hyperelastic composition and properties of the crystal.

Abstract: A green metal body includes metal particles and a binder in the shape of an orthodontic bracket and/or base plate. The green metal body is fabricated by being laser-cut with a laser to shape the green metal body into the shape of an orthodontic bracket and/or to carve recesses and/or undercuts into the bonding surface of the bracket. The green metal body is sintered to shrink its volume into a denser and less porous sintered metal body configured to be an orthodontic bracket. The resultant sintered orthodontic bracket includes recesses and/or undercuts in the bonding surface to provide a mechanical aspect when bonded to a tooth.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket for coupling an archwire with a tooth includes a bracket body having an archwire slot for receiving the archwire and a movable member engaged with the bracket body and movable between opened and closed positions. The movable member includes a leading edge having a non-uniform pushing element configured to guide the archwire into the archwire slot as the movable member is closed. An associated method includes providing a movable member for an orthodontic bracket and providing a non-uniform pushing element on a leading edge thereof. The pushing element may include a chamfer formed along the leading edge of the movable member.

Abstract: A method for fabrication of an orthodontic device having tooth-fitting cavities, such as an aligner, using layer-by-layer printing of a single or multiple polymeric materials. The cavities of the appliance or an appliance mold are defined by the boundaries of the multiple layers, encapsulating up to fourteen teeth of a patient, and shaped to apply a load to at least one tooth that is sufficient to cause movement of the tooth, and remodeling of the adjacent bone. In the case where the cavities form an appliance mold, the mold is used to form a positive model and an appliance is formed thereon. A series of such appliances may be used to treat malocclusion of teeth, each appliance used in series to incrementally move one or more teeth from initial positions toward a desired final position. The appliance may be fabricated with a variety of disclosed materials, and may include auxiliary features for interaction with other orthodontic elements.

Abstract: A dental apparatus for use with a connecting member coupled to a jaw in a patient's mouth. The apparatus includes an orthodontic device and a connecting device carried by the orthodontic device. The connecting device includes a receptacle adapted to partially receive the connecting member and a blocking member. The blocking member is moveable relative to the receptacle between an opened position in which the connecting member may be disengaged from the receptacle and a closed position in which the connecting member is captured within the receptacle for pivotally engaging the orthodontic device with the connecting member. The orthodontic device may further include a biasing member selectively activated to provide a spring-biased force to the jaw. A method of using the dental apparatus includes moving the blocking member to capture/release the connecting member in the receptacle and activating/deactivating the biasing member to operate the apparatus in a different mode.

Abstract: A method for direct fabrication of an orthodontic device having tooth-fitting cavities, such as an aligner, using layer-by-layer printing of a single or multiple polymeric materials. The cavities of the appliance are defined by the boundaries of the multiple layers, encapsulating up to fourteen teeth of a patient, and shaped to apply a load to at least one tooth that is sufficient to cause movement of the tooth, and remodeling of the adjacent bone. A series of such appliances may be used to treat malocclusion of teeth, each directly manufactured appliance used in series to incrementally move one or more teeth from initial positions toward a desired final position. The appliance may be fabricated with a variety of disclosed materials, and may include auxiliary features for interaction with other orthodontic elements.

Abstract: An orthodontic aligner of the type that is deformable from its initial shape to a deformed shape when fitted upon a patient's teeth in order to apply a load to the teeth to move the teeth to an orthodontically preferred position is made from a polymeric material that generates a continuing elastic return stress driving toward the initial shape after a substantial period of continuous deformation, such as longer than one day and up to or exceeding two weeks. Elastic stress loads applied to teeth over such durations cause greater remodeling of the bone adjacent to a tooth's roots than is possible with known aligner materials.

Abstract: An orthodontic adhesive includes a curable resin monomer component; a quaternary curing initiator system; and filler. Another orthodontic adhesive having a W/C ratio (working time to curing time ratio) of at least 10, 12, 14 or 20, includes a curable resin monomer component; a curing initiator system; and filler. The adhesives are suitable as light-curing and may include a colorant. Suitable colorants include reversible, thermochromic dyes. The adhesive may also include a resin toughening component.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket having a bracket body configured to be mounted to a tooth includes an archwire slot having a base surface defining a base plane and a slide engagement track defining a translation plane. The translation plane is angled with respect to the base plane. A ligating slide is engaged with the slide engagement track of the bracket body and movable along the slide engagement track and parallel to the translation plae between an opened position, in which an archwire is insertable into the archwire slot, and a closed position, in which the archwire is retained within the archwire slot. The translation plane is angled with respect to the base plane so as to prevent the ligating slide from contacting the gingiva surrounding the tooth when the ligating slide is moved to the opened position.

Abstract: Shape-setting methods for fabricating devices made of single crystal shape memory alloys. In particular the methods described may be used to fabricate dental arches of single-crystal shape memory alloys. The methods include drawing a single crystal of a shape memory alloy from a melt of the alloy. This is followed by heating, forming, and quenching the crystal sufficiently rapid to limit the formation of alloy precipitates to an amount which retains hyperelastic composition and properties of the crystal.

Abstract: A dental apparatus for use with a connecting member coupled to a jaw in a patient's mouth. The apparatus includes an orthodontic device and a connecting device carried by the orthodontic device. The connecting device includes a receptacle adapted to partially receive the connecting member and a blocking member. The blocking member is moveable relative to the receptacle between an opened position in which the connecting member may be disengaged from the receptacle and a closed position in which the connecting member is captured within the receptacle for pivotally engaging the orthodontic device with the connecting member. The orthodontic device may further include a biasing member selectively activated to provide a spring-biased force to the jaw. A method of using the dental apparatus includes moving the blocking member to capture/release the connecting member in the receptacle and activating/deactivating the biasing member to operate the apparatus in a different mode.

Abstract: Metal seeds for forming single-crystal shape-memory alloys (SMAs) may be fabricated with high reliability and control by alloying thin films of material together. In particular, described herein are methods of forming AlCuNi SMAs by first producing high-quality seeds (ingots) of copper, aluminum, and nickel to produce for pulling single crystal shape memory alloys, in particular superelastic or hyperelastic alloys. The method is applicable to a wide range of alloys in which one or more of the components are reactive. The method is an improvement upon traditional methods such as mixing and melting pellets. In this improved method, a reactive layer (e.g., aluminum) is provided in thin flat layers between layers of other materials (e.g., copper and layers of nickel).

Abstract: An archwire assembly comprises an archwire with a crimpable sleeve adapted to slidably move along the archwire so as to be positioned between two adjacent brackets of orthodontic braces. The archwire assembly further includes a stop applied to the archwire and adapted to limit the movement of the sleeve along the archwire. The stop may include removable stops where the sleeve is movable along the archwire between the stops. The removable stops may be movable along the archwire with the application of a sufficient force. The stop may also include a friction-creating substance applied to either the sleeve or the archwire such that it takes a sufficient force to move the sleeve along the archwire. The stop may also include a partially crimped sleeve applied to the archwire such that it takes a sufficient force to move the sleeve along the archwire.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket for coupling an archwire with a tooth includes a bracket body that has an archwire slot adapted to receive the archwire. A movable member is engaged with the bracket body and is movable between an opened position and a closed position. The bracket body and the movable member may be made from a transparent or translucent polycrystalline ceramic for improved aesthetics. The polycrystalline ceramic has a grain size distribution characterized by an average grain size in the range of larger than 3.4 ?m to about 6 ?m. The polycrystalline ceramic may have a fracture toughness of at least 4.0 MPa·m1/2. The grain size distribution may not be characterized as a lognormal distribution and may be a multimodal distribution. The polycrystalline ceramic may comprise aluminum oxide or alumina. The grain size distribution may be characterized by having up to about 50% of the grains being less than about 3 ?m in size.