Abstract: An orthodontic bracket includes a protective coating material on the bracket surface to increase resistance to wear and deformation and/or to improve surface properties. The coating layer includes a cured resin chemically bonded to or cross-linked with a plurality of organically modified inorganic particles. The protective coating layer makes the surface of the bracket very hard and resistant to abrasion. The entire bracket, or any portion thereof, can be coated. For example, the arch wire slot and/or ligation cover can be coated since these portions of the bracket typically receive the greatest mechanical stress and/or abrasion. The coating material can be applied in very thin layers such as less than 10 microns, thereby minimizing the effect that the coating has, on the overall shape and size of the orthodontic bracket.

Abstract: A method of shaping a green body provides a shaped green body comprised of a plurality of sinterable particles and an organic binder. Such a method includes: (1) molding a mixture of sinterable particles and organic binder into the shape of an initial green body or intermediate, wherein the sinterable particles include at least one of metal particles or ceramic particles; and (2) shaping the green body intermediate with at least one of a stream of energy or a stream of matter, wherein the shaping yields a green body having a desired shape. The shaped green body can be sintered in order to provide a hardened body having substantially the shape of the shaped green body.

Abstract: A green metal body comprised of 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, 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: A green metal body is comprised of 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 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: A self-ligating orthodontic bracket includes a bracket base, an arch wire slot in the bracket base, and a ligation cover. The bracket base and the ligation cover comprise a polymer resin reinforced glass or ceramic fibers, and further comprising a particulate filler. The cover is hingedly connected to the bracket base and rotatable relative to the bracket base between an open, non-ligating position and a closed, ligating position. The combination of reinforcing fibers and filler (e.g., spherical glass particles) provides substantially increased overall strength and durability while providing increased flexibility and toughness in the region of an optional hinge connection between the ligation cover and the bracket base.

Abstract: A self-ligating orthodontic bracket includes a bracket base, an arch wire slot in the bracket base, and a ligation cover. The bracket base and the ligation cover comprise a polymer resin reinforced with c-glass fibers. The cover is hingedly connected to the bracket base and rotatable relative to the bracket base between an open, non-ligating position and a closed, ligating position. Reinforcing the polymer resin with c-glass fibers provides substantially increased overall strength and durability while providing increased flexibility and toughness in the region of the hinge connection between the ligation cover and the bracket base.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket that includes coloring means for coloring to create a desired aesthetic appearance. The orthodontic bracket includes a bracket base, an arch wire slot formed in the bracket base, and a ligation cover hingedly connected to the bracket base and selectively rotatable relative to the bracket base between an open, non-ligating position relative to the arch wire slot and a closed, ligating position relative to the arch wire slot. According to one embodiment, the coloring means a colored dye or pigment impregnating the thermoplastic resin from which the bracket base and/or ligation cover are formed. According to another embodiment, the coloring means for coloring comprises a curable resin containing a colored dye or pigment that has been applied and cured over at least a portion of the bracket base and/or ligation cover.

Abstract: Manufacture of custom brackets in which a three-dimensional representation of the teeth is used to remove portions or the base to custom-bit the tooth to a predetermined tooth surface, and/or to remove portions of the bracket to create an archwire slot in order to provide a custom orientation and position of the archwire slot in the bracket. The ideal tooth surface for bracket placement and/or the ideal archwire orientation at that bracket may be determined in a computerized fashion by forming a three-dimensional representation of a ideal corrected position of the teeth, and then determining where the bracket and archwire would need to be placed on each of the misaligned teeth in order to achieve the ideal correction.

Abstract: A bite ramp includes a tooth-attachment element and ramp element. The tooth-attachment element is sized and configured for bonding to the lingual surface of a person's tooth, while the ramp element may be either fixed or else hingedly or bendably adjustable relative to the tooth-attachment element. The ramp element provides a ramp at a desired angle for engaging a corresponding tooth of the opposite dental arch when the person's mouth is closed. The engagement between the ramp element and the corresponding tooth of the opposite dental arch may cause the lower jaw to move forward, rearwardly, or not at all relative to the upper jaw, thereby incrementally correcting a deep bite or other abnormal orthodontic condition. A kit may be provided that includes multiple bite ramps, at least two of which initially include different ramp angles.

Abstract: A two-part orthodontic bracket comprises a base and a holding device produced separately therefrom, with the base and the holding device being connected to one another via a joint having a pivot axis. The holding device can be selectively moved about the pivot axis between open and closed positions relative to the base and slot. When in an open position, the holding device can also be tilted about at least one tilt axis lateral or perpendicular to the pivot axis in order to provide better clearance in the case of tooth crowding. A guide system may also be provided that reduces the ability of the holding device to tilt as it is moved toward the closed position.

Abstract: Mechanisms for facilitating and performing precision bending of an orthodontic bracket archwire. A digital representation of an ideal bent orthodontic bracket archwire is obtained. The digital representation is then used to generate a holographic image of the bent orthodontic bracket archwire. The orthodontist then has a three-dimensional image to use as a guide in properly bending an actual physical archwire.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket system includes a plurality of orthodontic brackets, each bracket sized and configured to be placed on a particular tooth of a patient during an orthodontic treatment procedure. Each bracket includes at least two arch wire slots that lie in different planes. The arch wire slots are positioned relative to the bracket base so that when the patient's teeth have become properly aligned as a result of the orthodontic procedure, the corresponding arch wire slots of all the brackets will be substantially aligned.

Abstract: A torque spring includes two curved arch wire portions that are configured to engage secondary arch wire slots of brackets attached to at least a person's canines and bicuspids on either side of a person's incisors. The torque spring also includes two or more bent regions between the curved arch wire portions that substantially frame the selected incisors so as to tip the incisors in a desired direction during an orthodontic treatment. The engagement between the bent regions and the framed incisors causes the incisors to tip in place, correcting any abnormal inclination of the incisors. The inventive torque spring may be used in combination with a primary arch wire to concurrently correct a plurality of different malocclusions.

Abstract: A self-ligating orthodontic bracket includes a bracket base, an arch wire slot in the bracket base, and a ligation cover. The bracket base and the ligation cover comprise a polymer resin reinforced with c-glass fibers. The cover is hingedly connected to the bracket base and rotatable relative to the bracket base between an open, non-ligating position and a closed, ligating position. Reinforcing the polymer resin with c-glass fibers provides substantially increased overall strength and durability while providing increased flexibility and toughness in the region of the hinge connection between the ligation cover and the bracket base.

Abstract: A self-ligating orthodontic bracket includes a bracket base, an arch wire slot in the bracket base, and a ligation cover. The bracket base and the ligation cover comprise a polymer resin reinforced glass or ceramic fibers, and further comprising a particulate filler. The cover is hingedly connected to the bracket base and rotatable relative to the bracket base between an open, non-ligating position and a closed, ligating position. The combination of reinforcing fibers and filler (e.g., spherical glass particles) provides substantially increased overall strength and durability while providing increased flexibility and toughness in the region of an optional hinge connection between the ligation cover and the bracket base.

Abstract: An adjustable bite ramp includes a tooth-attachment element and ramp element. The tooth-attachment element is sized and configured for bonding to the lingual surface of a person's tooth, while the ramp element is hingedly or bendably adjustable relative to the tooth-attachment element. The ramp element provides a ramp at a desired angle for engaging a corresponding tooth of the opposite dental arch when the person's mouth is closed. The engagement between the ramp element and the corresponding tooth of the opposite dental arch causes the lower jaw to move forward relative to the upper jaw, thereby incrementally correcting the deep bite condition.

Abstract: A treatment method that can be used to concurrently correct multiple malocclusion conditions. The method involves attaching a set of orthodontic brackets onto a person's teeth, each bracket having at least two arch wire slots. Two or more auxiliary orthodontic devices that concurrently move teeth in multiple ways are then installed. The auxiliary orthodontic devices may be selected from: (1) a torque spring, (2) at least one adjustable bite ramp; (3) Class II elastics; and (4) a single primary arch wire that is not replaced at any time with a larger arch wire, the single primary arch wire being used with a system of brackets having multiple arch wire slots that become substantially aligned when the person's teeth are aligned.

Abstract: A latch device comprises a base suitable for attachment to a substrate, a cover, an elongate strap hinge that connects the base and cover, a hinge guide structure and/or a camming structure, and a locking mechanism. The cover is selectively movable about the strap hinge relative to the base between an open position and a closed position. The hinge guide structure includes a curved surface proximal to the elongate strap hinge that assists in distributing forces throughout a significant portion of the entire length of the strap hinge as the cover is moved relative to the base. A camming structure may be included that has a camming surface that biases the cover toward the open position. The latch device is useful in a variety of areas, including tie downs for sail boats, campers, tarps, suit cases, back packs, and other sporting goods.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket comprises a bracket base, an arch wire slot configured to receive an arch wire, a ligation cover, an elongate film hinge that interconnects the bracket base and ligation cover, and a cam structure. The ligation cover is selectively rotatable about the film hinge relative to the bracket base between an open, non-ligating position and closed, ligating position relative to the arch wire slot. The cam structure includes a curved surface proximal to the elongate film hinge that assists in distributing forces throughout a significant portion of the entire length of the film hinge as the cover is rotated relative to the bracket base. The cam structure also includes a camming surface that biases the ligation cover toward the open, non-ligating position. The ligation cover covers at least a portion of the slot when in the closed, ligating position.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket comprises a bracket base, an arch wire slot configured to receive an arch wire, a ligation cover, an elongate film hinge that interconnects the bracket base and ligation cover, and a cam structure. The ligation cover is selectively rotatable about the film hinge relative to the bracket base between an open, non-ligating position and closed, ligating position relative to the arch wire slot. The cam structure includes a curved surface proximal to the elongate film hinge that assists in distributing forces throughout the entire length of the film hinge as the cover is rotated relative to the bracket base. The cam structure also includes a camming surface that biases the ligation cover toward the open, non-ligating position. The ligation cover covers at least a portion of the slot when in the closed, ligating position.