Abstract: An orthodontic bracket enables orthodontic treatment to be performed without resetting of a bracket body and an arch wire relative to the tooth, even in an advanced stage of the treatment. The orthodontic bracket comprises a bonding plate having a bonding surface matching the curvature of the tooth, a base having a bottom surface united with the bonding plate and an upper surface serving as a sliding surface parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tooth and taking an approximately rectangular shape in plan with a convex curve formed in accordance with the long axis of the tooth. A bracket body is mounted on the sliding surface of the base so as to be slidable along the tooth axis. The base has, at opposing sides of the sliding surface, grooved parallel rails for slidably holding the bracket body therebetween. Each rail has, at its opposite ends, stoppers to prevent detachment of the bracket body. The sliding surface has a central longitudinally-extending visible median line.

Abstract: Metallic devices are frequently used in dental treatments, such as orthodontic archwires, rackets, or dental mini-screws. This invention provides metallic dental devices with a color of tooth or close to tooth, and their preparation methods.

Abstract: An adjustable orthodontic bracket including an body member for fixing orthodontic arch wire in a position such that a predetermined stress is generated and applied to the tooth to be treated; a bonding base member for bonding the bracket to a buccal or lingual surface of a tooth to be treated; and a bendable element, wherein the bendable element connects the body member to the bonding base member. The body member includes a slot for the arch wire, wherein the bendable element enables to adjust accurate angles of the slot. The bendable element can be rigid or flexible wherein in the flexible form, a holding device is further included. The present invention further provides tools to band and/or rotate the adjustable orthodontic bracket of the present invention.

Abstract: This invention provides an adjustable orthodontic bracket. The adjustable orthodontic bracket includes an orthodontic arch wire slot/tube and fixing part, an adjustable part, and a tooth surface fixing part. The orthodontic arch wire slot and fixing part is used to fix one or several orthodontic arch wire(s). The adjustable part is fixed under the orthodontic arch wire slot/tube and fixing part and provides a structure allowing the orthodontic arch wire slot/tube and fixing part to be turned around and fixed, and thereby the orthodontic arch wire slot/tube and fixing part is able to generate a stress to teeth for orthodontic treatment through turning itself around to pull and drag the orthodontic arch wire(s). The tooth surface fixing part is used to fix the adjustable part on tooth surface.

Abstract: An orthodontic appliance comprises a base, a main body equipped on one side of the base, an archwire slot furnished to the main body, a convertible cap closing the archwire slot along the length direction, and stepwise portions provided at ends of the archwire slot for receiving ends of the convertible cap. The convertible cap is fixedly soldered with a silver soldering material containing Ag 90% or more.

Abstract: Disclosed is an orthodontic article that includes a fluoropolymer and that exhibits at least 0.001% transmittance at 546 nm when measured according to the Transmittance Test Procedure.

Abstract: An improved orthodontic bracket including a horizontally opening archwire slot for a main aligning archwire for allowing crown tipping, limiting root uprighting, and controlling torquing, and a relatively small horizontal uprighting slot, tunnel or lumen extending substantially mesiodistally for receiving an additional small wire for uprighting teeth and eliminating the need to use individual uprighting springs in the final stage of patient treatment.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket defining a wire guide therethrough is described. The bracket includes first and second planar surfaces in the wire guide. The first planar surface is disposed at a predetermined angle from the second planar surface so that the first and second planar surfaces act as stops to limit tipping of the bracket when either planar surface abuts a wire disposed through the wire guide. In this manner the bracket incorporates stops to prevent the over-correction of a tooth during an orthodontic procedure.

Abstract: An adjustable orthodontic bracket assembly includes a plurality of brackets. Each bracket is attachable to a front face of a tooth such that the bracket is positionable in series relation to one or more other of the brackets. Each bracket is continuously adjustable in at least three planes and, preferably, in six planes of motion without a need to replace any parts thereof. The adjustment of each bracket in one of the planes of motion can be accomplished without affecting the adjustment of the bracket in any of the other planes of motion. Specifically, each bracket is capable of adjustment in at least three and, preferably, all of vertical, lateral and mesio/distal translational planes of motion and tip, torque and circular rotational planes of motion. Also, the assembly includes an arch wire extending between and retained on the brackets.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a plastic orthodontic bracket reinforced with a metal insert having rotation wings. The bracket includes a protrusion extending into the archwire slot and having an upper end elevated above the bottom wall of the archwire slot. The upper end of the protrusion is adapted to contact the underside of an orthodontic archwire located in the archwire slot and to support at least a portion of the archwire above the bottom wall of the archwire slot.

Abstract: A device for correcting teeth irregularities includes a bracket to be fixed on a tooth. The bracket has a slit, and a base plate is interposed between the bracket and the surface to be fixed to the tooth. A wire is inserted into the slit and engaged with the bracket. The base plate has a thickness which is in a range of 0.5 to 5 mm, and the base plate is composed of an easily plastically deformable resin on a surface to be fixed to the tooth. The base plate is capable of deforming to allow the bracket to be inclined at an angle relative to the vertical direction.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket system includes a plurality of rectangular wires having a plurality of different sizes and a plurality of brackets. The plurality of brackets include an upper bicuspid bracket, an upper cuspid bracket, an upper lateral bracket, an upper central bracket, a lower bicuspid bracket, a lower cuspid bracket, and a lower anterior bracket. Each of the plurality of brackets includes a 0.020 inch width slot aligned at a selected torque angle for receiving the rectangular wire therein. The upper central bracket applies any actual torque force to an upper central tooth in a range of actual torque forces from about 0.degree. to about +10.degree.. The upper lateral bracket applies any actual torque force to an upper lateral tooth in a range of actual torque forces from about 0.degree. to about +6.degree.. The upper cuspid bracket applies any actual torque force to an upper cuspid tooth in a range of actual torque forces from about 4.degree. to about +4.degree..

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: The present invention relates to a two piece fixed functional orthodontic bracket appliance to which a flexible archwire can be engaged. This two piece orthodontic bracket appliance allows for constant mobility through a full range of orthodontic tooth movement, and provides for greater innerbracket distance. It also allows free sliding of wires through its components in such a way as to reduce binding and friction. It also provides an irregular base which promotes mechanical bonding to teeth.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket having a horizontal archwire slot and wire-engaging surfaces for use in any treatment technique and coacting with an archwire and force generating means to produce tooth movement through crown tipping and root uprighting actions and for defining predetermined tip values. The bracket includes pivot edges for permitting pivotal movement between the bracket and the archwire, and a stop for limiting over-root-uprighting. It may also have a stop for limiting over-crown-tipping.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket having a horizontal archwire slot and wire-engaging surfaces for use in any treatment technique and coacting with an archwire and force generating means to produce tooth movement through crown tipping and root uprighting actions and for defining predetermined tip values. The bracket includes pivot edges for permitting pivotal movement between the bracket and the archwire, and a stop for limiting over-root-uprighting. It may also have a stop for limiting over-crown-tipping.

Abstract: An edgewise bracket with a Sved shaped archwire slot and stop means for coating with the bracket and an archwire for limiting crown tipping or root uprighting movements so as to achieve predetermined uprighting or tip values. The archwire slot includes edges for permitting pivotal tipping or uprighting movement between the bracket and the archwire and surfaces inclined in excess of any desired tipping or uprighting movement. The stop means may be in the form of pins mounted on a base for the bracket, a clip snap fitting over the bracket and having stop tabs or lugs for engaging the archwire, or elastic ligatures having enlargements that engage the archwire and induce the bracket to remain in a predetermined position relative to the archwire.

Abstract: A combination edgewise bracket for selective use in crown tipping root uprighting or torquing, which includes a pair of labiobuccally opening archwire slots one of which when coacting with an archwire and there being selective forces applied between the archwire and bracket will allow crown tipping and root uprighting movements and the other of which when coacting with a rectangular archwire may provide both torquing and mesio-distal axial control. The other slot may function to cause or stabilize tooth movement in three dimensions.

Abstract: An adjustable orthodontic bracket assembly that avoids the need to twist and bend arch wire to correct the position of a malposed tooth. The assembly includes a base member attached directly to a tooth, a bracket holder and interfitting means for engagement with the base member which is adjustable relative to the longitudinal axis of the arch wire, and passive fastening means that connects the assembly together without creating frictional forces that could cause disassembly of the component parts. The mechanism is adaptable to control separately vertical, angular and torque adjustments of a tooth by the use of cooperative, interchangeable, adjustable, component parts within the assembly.

Abstract: An orthodontic appliance comprising: an orthodontic channel bracket having two channels therein at right angles to each other in adjacent sides of the bracket; an orthodontic tube bracket providing the static components of a spring latch or locking mechanism; a supplemental tube bracket providing the movable components of a spring latch or locking mechanism, and removable and replacable molar tube components of an orthodontic appliance; and an orthodontic arch wire movable spring latch component mechanism.

Abstract: A Begg bracket for controlling the tipping and/or uprighting movements of a tooth on which the bracket is mounted which includes mesial and/or distal archwire stops at the mesial and/or distal sides of the archwire slot to limit the mesial and/or distal tipping and/or uprighting of a tooth to predetermined amounts where mesial or distal tipping force is applied to the crown of the tooth by archwires and/or elastic auxiliaries to principally move the crown, and mesial or distal uprighting forces are applied to a tooth to principally move the root of the tooth.

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.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a two piece, adjustable, orthodontic bracket system to which a flexible archwire is tied. The distortions at various points along the archwire are automatically set by specially-oriented archwire slots cut into the face of interchangeable working brackets. Maintenance or modifying of any desired tooth position during treatment is done through the use of these working brackets which are inserted and removed from their bracket support bases as case needs dictate. The dentist or orthodontist, as a result need not make bends in the wire or change bracket positions on the teeth as in prior art.From the amount and direction of the local distortion at each bracket, tooth moving forces are derived which are of the correct magnitude and direction to achieve in time the proper orientation of the teeth.

Abstract: An improved orthodontic bracket for mounting on the inside surface or lingual of a tooth having an upwardly opening longitudinal channel for receiving an arch wire therein. The bracket includes a one-piece body having a locking groove formed in a front wall. A locking pin is rotatably mounted in a key-hole shaped opening formed in the body and is removable therefrom for replacement if it becomes damaged. The locking pin has a locking plate at one end of a shaft which is engageable in the locking groove of the body wall to secure an arch wire in the channel. A locking tab is mounted on the other end of the shaft and moves along a ramped surface formed in a recess for securing the locking plate in the locking groove. Rotation of the locking pin 180.degree. moves the locking plate between an arch wire retaining or locked position and an arch wire receiving or unlocked position. Rotation of the pin 90.degree.

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.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket system for edgewise orthodontic therapy which is adapted for attachment to the lingual surface portions of a patient's teeth. The lingual orthodontic bracket system of this invention is designed to permit occlusal and mesial insertion of an edgewise archwire into precision archwire slots that are defined by the respective brackets of incisors, cuspids, bicuspids and molars. At least some of the lingual orthodontic brackets incorporate fulcrum controlled twin tie wing systems to permit efficient controlled rotation of the teeth as well as archwire tipping and torque activities. The lingual bracket system of this invention also incorporates a molar tube that is designed for mesio-occlusal insertion of the end portion of the edgewise archwire and also permits pivoting or rotation of the archwire about the molar tube structure so as to bring the archform portion thereof occlusally into properly seated relation with respect to the archwire slots of other brackets.

Abstract: An orthodontic appliance that is convertible to function in both light wire and edgewise techniques and which includes a sheath mountable on a tooth that may selectively receive any one of several wire receiving inserts. Each of the inserts is lockable to the sheath and thereafter removable so that the sheath, while still mounted on a tooth, can alternately be fitted with any one of several inserts. One of the inserts is formed to function as a light wire buccal tube, while another is formed to function as an edgewise buccal tube. A further insert is formed to function as an edgewise bracket.

Abstract: An orthodontic appliance for attachment to a tooth for attachment of arch wires and the like includes a base member for attachment to a tooth with an elongated arm extending from the base member for extending parallel to the tooth axis and including an attachment bracket that is adjustably mounted on the arm for positioning at or beyond the gum line of the tooth.

Abstract: Orthodontic converters for converting straight wire archwire tooth receptacles to light wire appliance system treatment and light wire archwire tooth receptacles to straight wire appliance system treatment. The converters have snap clips for selectively and conveniently attaching and detaching the converter to the tooth receptacle. The converter also includes a cut-out to accept an archwire of the chosen system.

Abstract: An improved orthodontic bracket is formed of a wire gripping block secured within a spring metal base having wings or string tabs which set within tab receiving slots on opposite ends of the block. A slot within the face of the block is configured for gripping an orthodontic banding or arch wire extending from tooth to tooth, the face being large enough to accommodate any desired orientation of the slot to convert tension forces in the wire to a desired amount of torque for inducing a predetermined rotation of the tooth. A central plate portion of the base includes a slot elongated for the guidance of an orthodontic pin between the block and the base while transverse wing portions of the aperture serve as keyways for cooperation with alignment pins extending from a back face of the block. A channel for receipt of the orthodontic pin is also located on the back face of the block.

Abstract: An orthodontic bracket assembly is adapted for use with an arch wire in straightening a tooth having a crown long axis preferrably disposed at a particular angle with respect to an occlusal plane. The bracket assembly includes a base for fixing the assembly to the tooth and at least one tie wing having a fixed relationship with the base. The tie wing has a facial surface defined by a mesial edge, a distal edge, a gingival edge and an occlusal edge. At least one of the gingival edge and the occlusal edge are disposed at the particular angle with respect to at least one of the mesial edge and the distal edge of the tie wing, so that the facial surface of the tie wing has a generally rhomboidal configuration. This facilitates alignment of the assembly with respect to the occlusal plane and the crown long axis of the tooth.

Abstract: The arch wire of an orthodontic appliance is received in the channel of a bracket fixed to each of a patient's teeth to be repositioned. Each bracket includes a holder in which is removably located a selected one of a set of channel members, the channels of which are differently inclined to provide a selection of different force vectors to be introduced by the arch wire on the teeth. The holder is separable from the bracket base and is movable relative thereto to permit tipping the arch wire channel and changing its related height between the gingival and occlusal ends of the tooth, and means are provided which releaseably lock the holder in an adjusted position to the bracket base.

Abstract: An orthodontic tooth-rotation-effecting wedge. The wedge is made of a mouth-fluid-resistant elastomeric material. It includes a relatively thin web having a pair of openings for releasably fitting over and encircling a pair of conventional bracket posts, and a bulge, or enlargement, joined to one side of the web. The bulge is for deflecting an arch wire from the path which, in the absence of installation of the wedge, it would normally tend to follow past a bracket. A pair of spaced mounds is formed on one side of the enlargement. These mounds are adapted to straddle an arch wire to prevent twisting of the wedge out of place.

Abstract: Modular orthodontic bracket structure including a pair of releasably interengageable bracket members. One of these members, which forms an outer member, has a relatively high degree of elastic stiffness. This outer member includes ligating posts which define a socket for snap-receiving the other, or inner, member. The inner member has a lower degree of elastic stiffness, and includes a slot for receiving an arch wire. The slot is shaped to define the particular positional orientation of an arch wire received therein so as to effect the transmission of a prescribed force from the wire to the outer bracket member, and then to a tooth.

Abstract: An adjustable bracket for use in orthodontic appliances. The bracket can be fixed to a band to surround a tooth, or to a wire mesh to be cemented directly to a tooth. The bracket has a base to be carried by the tooth, and a movable member to which wires are attached, and a retainer to fix the movable member to the base. In the preferred embodiment, the base and the movable member have spherical surfaces so that motion of the movable member can dispose the bracket at any desired angle in any plane for the desired torque, and in all embodiments the movable member is rotatable about the retainer through 360 degrees and can be set at any desired angle.

Abstract: A multi-purpose orthodontic bracket has first and second arch wire receiving openings formed therein, the first arch wire receiving opening being larger than the second arch wire receiving opening. An arch wire contact surface is defined over a minor portion of the width of the bracket and is in communication with the second arch wire receiving opening. A support is provided on at least one of the front and rear portions of the bracket for at least partially defining the first arch wire receiving opening, the support including at least a plurality of support areas distributed along at least a major portion of the width of the bracket for receiving and supporting an arch wire thereon. The bracket further includes a retaining pin receiving slot which extends substantially perpendicularly to the arch wire receiving openings. Further disclosed are retaining pin structures and a further novel bracket configuration which has an integral bent-up arch wire contact surface.

Abstract: This invention is that of a combination light wire--rectangular wire orthodontic appliance system which provides the practitioner with a means for employing both treatment methods without the necessity of changing brackets during the treatment. A standard bracket is provided which is adapted to receive an archwire in an archwire receiving channel opening onto the gingival surface of the bracket. The archwire is secured to the bracket by means of a lock pin positioned in the lock pin--insert receiving slot of the bracket. This combination provides a light wire appliance.The bracket is also adapted to receive a detachably mountable insert in the lock pin--insert receiving slot. The insert has a rectangular archwire slot open on its buccal or labial surface which is adapted to receive a rectangular archwire. This combination is a rectangular wire appliance.

Abstract: An adjustable bracket assembly for use with an arch wire includes a base member, an attachment member, and means for movably associating the base member with the attachment member, whereby the attachment member is slidably received within the base member, whereby a variable sized arch wire receiving channel may be formed.