Abstract: A palladium-based alloy having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of about 12.0 to about 13.0 and having one or more of the following additive metals: platinum, gallium, molybdenum, tin, silicon, ruthenium, rhenium, indium, tungsten, niobium, boron and lithium.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides self-ligating orthodontic brackets with improved control over access to the archwire slot. Access to the archwire slot is controlled by a latch assembly featuring a door rotatable about an axis relative to the bracket body and a lock positioned near the axis to prevent inadvertent rotation of the door. The lock engages a surface of the door and is capable of preventing undesired rotation between an open state, where an archwire is insertable into the archwire slot, and a closed state, where access to the slot is prohibited. The self-ligating brackets may also include a biasing spring to provide active ligation and further inhibit undesired rotation of the door.

Abstract: A method for treating orthodontitis (i.e., gingivitis caused by malpositioned teeth). The process includes evaluating improper morphologies of alveolar bone in the horizontal dimension (i.e., orthodontosis) caused by displaced root(s) of a tooth, uprighting the root of the malpositioned tooth utilizing an orthodontic bracket system thereby causing the alveolar bone to be restored, which in-turn alleviates the orthodontitis. An orthodontic bracket is provided for use with an arch wire to apply corrective forces to a tooth. The bracket includes a vertical member having a slot formed therein for receiving the arch wire and a wide base horizontal member connected to the vertical member. The vertical member is positioned gingivally with respect to the horizontal member. The horizontal member includes opposing first and second ends that extend away from the vertical member and define a pair of spaced-apart wire engaging points engageable with the arch wire during treatment.

Abstract: A method for treating orthodontitis (i.e., gingivitis caused by malpositioned teeth). The process includes evaluating improper morphologies of alveolar bone in the horizontal dimension (i.e., orthodontosis) caused by displaced root(s) of a tooth, uprighting the root of the malpositioned tooth utilizing an orthodontic bracket system thereby causing the alveolar bone to be restored, which in-turn alleviates the orthodontitis. An orthodontic bracket is provided for use with an arch wire to apply corrective forces to a tooth. The bracket includes a vertical member having a slot formed therein for receiving the arch wire and a wide base horizontal member connected to the vertical member. The vertical member is positioned gingivally with respect to the horizontal member. The horizontal member includes opposing first and second ends that extend away from the vertical member and define a pair of spaced-apart wire engaging points engageable with the arch wire during treatment.

Abstract: An dental implant has a substantially cylindrical solid base member; an abutment; an implant-abutment junction (IAJ) portion at one end of the base member to retain the abutment to the base member, so that the abutment is able to move within a predetermined distance in an axial direction of the base member, a first cushion adapted to be mounted between the abutment and the base member, and a second cushion, preferably an elastomer, which is sandwiched between the IAJ portion and the abutment, wherein the first and second cushion are able to provide a resistance force when the abutment is pressed to move relatively toward the base member and providing a bouncing back force when the abutment is released from the pressing.

Abstract: A porous three-dimensional structure of polytetrafluoroethylene was created featuring an enhanced ability of soft tissue ingrowth, or, in the second embodiment, combining the properties of an enhanced ability of soft tissue ingrowth with a barrier for the deposition of the living tissue cells. In the first embodiment of the porous three-dimensional structure of polytetrafluoroethylene it contains the open through pores and the blind pores, uniformly distributed over the inner surfaces of the open pores and connected therewith, and is made of mixture of the free-flow polytetrafluoroethylene having the granules sized from 100 to 300 microns, and the constraint-flow polytetrafluoroethylene having the granules sized up to 20 microns. In the second embodiment of the porous three-dimensional structure at least one surface of the three-dimensional body is provided with a barrier layer.

Abstract: A segmented orthodontic aligner includes at least a first segment and a second segment. Each segment is shaped to fit over a set of teeth of a patient. The segmented aligner further includes a connector that joins the first segment to the second segment. The connector isolates the transmission of force between the first segment and the second segment.

Abstract: A method for forming a surgical guide for a dental patient rotates material about a rotation axis to a first angular position and drills a drill guiding hole using a drilling tool having a drilling tool axis. The drill guiding hole is centered about a guide axis that is orthogonal to the rotation axis. A first planar surface of the guide is formed from the material, wherein the first surface is. oblique to the guide axis. The material is repositioned to orient the first surface orthogonal to the drilling tool. A hole pattern is formed having two or more positioning holes in the first surface, with the pattern corresponding to a pin pattern in a tray that is positionally registered to a dental arch of the patient. A second planar surface of the surgical guide is formed, parallel to the first planar surface.

Abstract: A dental membrane disposed in a deficient region of an alveolar bone to form a space for regeneration of the alveolar bone or to surround a bone graft, wherein the dental membrane is fixed by an insert inserted and fixed in the alveolar bone and a cover member combined to the insert, the dental membrane including: an upper portion surrounding a top surface of the deficient region of the alveolar bone; and a side bending portion bended downward from the upper portion and surrounding a side surface of the deficient region of the alveolar bone, wherein the upper portion includes: a combined portion combined to the insert and the cover member to be fixed; and a protruding portion extending and protruding upward from the combined portion.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a dental model for removable insertion in a recess of a holder, which dental model has a referencing, comprising at least one tooth part having a base to be inserted into the recess, wherein the at least one tooth part is produced using digitized data of a jaw in that the digitized data are saved in a computer beforehand and supplied to a processing machine to produce the at least one tooth part. In order to ensure simple handling of the dental model and in particular to prevent faulty insertion of the dental model or segment, according to the invention the referencing is saved in the computer and, in consideration of the referencing, the at least one tooth part is produced as having the base as a unit.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides intra-oral devices for repositioning the relationship between upper and lower dental arches. The devices are attached to appliances on molar teeth of each arch and can be reactivated without removal or replacement of substantial components of the device.

Abstract: An orthognathic correction device includes a first retainer, a second retainer and at least two elastic members. The first retainer is configured to be removably worn on the maxillary dental arch of a patient and has at least two first connection parts fixed on the left and right buccal surfaces of the first retainer. The second retainer is configured to be removably worn on the mandibular dental arch of the patient and has at least two second connection parts fixed on the left and right buccal surfaces of the second retainer. The elastic members couple the first and second retainers worn and retained on the maxillary and mandibular dental arches of the patient, respectively, so as to drive the second retainer to move relative to the first retainer, thereby adjusting the relative position between the mandible and the maxilla of the patient.

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.

Abstract: Various apparatus and methods for cleaning teeth and gingival pockets are disclosed herein. A fluid platform can include a pressure wave generator configured to propagate pressure waves through a treatment fluid. The pressure waves may be sufficient to remove undesirable dental deposits from a treatment tooth, neighboring gums, and/or spaces between the tooth and gums.

Abstract: A tooth-whitening process includes providing an array of LEDs disposed in a first plane and forming an inner arc having an inner focal point and an outer arc having an outer focal different from the inner focal point; applying a whitening composition to at least the anterior surfaces of at least six mandibular or maxillary anterior teeth and maintaining the whitening composition on the at least six teeth for a first time period; after the first time period, directing a light radiation comprising blue visible light or near-visible UV light of at least a threshold intensity from the least a first array of LEDs for a second time period to the anterior surfaces of the at least six teeth, the first time period having a duration greater than 50% of a total duration of the first time period and the second time period; and removing the whitening composition from the at least six teeth.

Abstract: An orthodontic retention system includes a fixed component that remains on teeth and a component that attaches to this fixed component. The fixed component and the component have mating or interlocking parts. The component that mates with the fixed component can be removable. The component that mates with the fixed component can be adjustable. The retention system also can include magnetic retention components to retain the removable component with respect to one or more teeth. The retention system also can include an element that replaces as tooth.

Abstract: For producing dentures, a new method and device render it possible to evaluate and shape movements generated by the individual jaw joints of the patient such that work with appropriate articulators becomes possible, which employ the individual jaw joints as articulation joints and thus carry out the identical movements. The known articulators are equipped with joint-space duplicates such that they can be employed with optimal equipment for the respective patient. The support pin is moved back as fixing pin in the retral space of the articulator such that it does not constitute an impediment when working on and when inspecting the jaw models arranged on the frame upper part and the frame base part. Moreover, setting different biting positions is made significantly easier, because the frame upper part is fixed to a swivel arch of the frame base part by an adjustable position stabilizer but can also be detached.

Abstract: A disposable prophy angle is provided, the prophy angle comprising a housing containing a drive shaft and a driven shaft; the drive shaft having a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis therebetween, the distal end having a substantially conical driving portion and a projection, the proximal end of the drive shaft configured to engage a dental hand piece; and the driven shaft having a driven portion comprising a recess configured for engagement by the projection and/or the substantially conical portion of the drive shaft to oscillate the driven shaft at an oscillation angle greater than 90 degrees. In some embodiments, there is a method of making a disposable prophy angle by overmolding a prophy cup to the prophy angle. In other embodiments, there is a method of using the prophy angle to prevent tooth decay.

Abstract: An orthodontic self-locking bracket includes a bracket body having an arch wire bracket slot and a bracket cover matched with the bracket body. Two sides of the arch wire bracket slot are provided with work wings. A bracket opening is arranged at the intersection of the arch wire bracket slot on the bracket body, and the bracket cover is inserted into the bracket opening and is in sliding fit with the bracket body. Left side of the arch wire bracket slot is provided with a pin shaft penetrating through the bracket opening, and the pin shaft is in clamping fit with the lower part of the bracket cover, so that the arch wire bracket slot can be closed and opened by the bracket cover. The bracket is locked and unlocked only by sliding rather than overturning the bracket cover. Complex operation for ligaturing a steel wire is eliminated.

Abstract: The present application discloses a vibration application method including a stage for contacting a contact portion with at least one tooth, and a stage for causing the contact portion to vibrate so as to impart displacement of 0.04 ?m or more to the contact portion. The difference between the maximum value and minimum value of a vibrational load during the time the contact portion is vibrating may be 3 gf to 10 gf. The stage for contacting the contact portion with the at least one tooth may include a stage for contacting the contact portion with an orthodontic appliance attached to the at least one tooth.