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Aesthetic self-ligating orthodontic bracket

Aesthetic self-ligating orthodontic bracket description/claims

This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/643,181, filed on Aug. 18, 2003, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/404,345, filed on Aug. 19, 2002, the disclosure of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

The invention relates generally to orthodontic brackets and, more particularly, to self-ligating orthodontic brackets.

Orthodontic brackets represent a principle component of all corrective orthodontic treatments devoted to improving a patient's occlusion. Conventional orthodontic treatments affix brackets to the patient's teeth and an archwire is threaded through a slot of each bracket. The archwire applies corrective forces that coerce the teeth to move to orthodontically correct positions. Traditional ligatures, such as small elastomeric O-rings or fine metal wires, are employed to retain the archwire within each bracket slot. Due to difficulties encountered in applying an individual ligature to each bracket, self-ligating orthodontic brackets have been developed that eliminate the need for ligatures by relying on a movable latch or slide for captivating the archwire with the bracket slot.

Conventional orthodontic brackets are ordinarily formed from stainless steel, which is strong, nonabsorbent, weldable, and relatively easy to form and machine. Patients undergoing orthodontic treatment using metal orthodontic brackets, however, may be embarrassed by the visibility of conventional metal orthodontic brackets, which are not cosmetically pleasing. To improve the cosmetic appearance, certain conventional orthodontic brackets incorporate a bracket body of a transparent or translucent non-metallic material, such as a polymer resin or a ceramic, that assumes or mimics the color or shade of the underlying tooth. Such orthodontic brackets may rely upon a metallic insert lining the archwire slot for strengthening and reinforcing the bracket body in the vicinity of the archwire slot. As a result, the appearance of metal in the patient's mouth is less noticeable in ordinary view and, therefore, brackets characterized by a non-metallic bracket body are more aesthetically pleasing. However, conventional orthodontic brackets with non-metallic bracket bodies have yet to implement self-ligation as self-ligating brackets necessitate the use of metallic materials because of the strength, ductility and toughness of metals as compared to other non-metallic materials.

Conventional self-ligating orthodontic brackets suffer from other deficiencies. For example, certain self-ligating brackets apply a spring force to hold a ligating slide in a closed position to captivate an archwire. When the ligating slide is moved between from the closed position to an open position, the spring force continues to act against the ligating slide and opposes the movement.

Thus, there would be a need for a self-ligating orthodontic bracket that overcomes these deficiencies of conventional self-ligating orthodontic brackets.

The invention overcomes the foregoing and other shortcomings and drawbacks of conventional self-ligating orthodontic brackets, as described above. According to the principles of the invention, an orthodontic bracket includes a bracket body configured to be mounted to a tooth and a metallic self-ligating assembly carried by the bracket body including an archwire slot and a ligating member movable between an open position in which an archwire is insertable into the archwire slot and a closed position in which the archwire is retained in the archwire slot. The bracket body is formed from a non-metallic material, such as a polymer, a filled polymer composite, or a ceramic. In accordance with the principles of the invention, the metallic insert includes a self-ligating member, which differs from conventional orthodontic brackets having non-metallic bracket bodies in which the metallic insert merely operates as a liner for the archwire slot.

In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a self-ligating orthodontic bracket includes a bracket body configured to be mounted to a tooth and a ligating slide carried by the bracket body for movement between an open position in which an archwire is insertable into an archwire slot of the bracket body and a closed position in which the ligating slide retains the archwire in the archwire slot. The self-ligating orthodontic bracket further includes a resilient engagement member positioned to engage a recess or throughhole in the ligating slide when the ligating slide is in the closed position. The engagement between the resilient engagement member and recess effectively constrains movement of the ligating slide relative to the bracket body.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, a self-ligating orthodontic bracket includes a ligating slide and a bracket body configured to be mounted to a tooth. The bracket body has an archwire slot and a pair of opposed guides supporting the ligating slide. The guides operate to guide the ligating slide for movement between an open position in which an archwire is insertable into the archwire slot and a closed position in which the archwire is retained in the archwire slot. At least one of the guides includes a recess or throughhole capable of being engaged by a resilient engagement member when the ligating slide is in the closed position for constraining movement of the ligating slide relative to the bracket body.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, an apparatus for coupling an archwire with a tooth includes a bracket body configured to be mounted to a tooth and a ligating slide carried by the bracket body for movement between an open position in which an archwire is insertable into an archwire slot in the bracket body and a closed position in which the ligating slide retains the archwire in the archwire slot. The ligating slide includes a rear surface facing the tooth, a front surface opposite to the rear surface, and an aperture or throughhole extending from the front surface to the rear surface. A resilient engagement member is capable of engaging the ligating slide in the closed position for constraining movement of the ligating slide relative to the bracket body. The apparatus further includes a tool including a shoulder and a tip projecting from the shoulder by a distance sufficient to deflect the resilient engagement member so that the ligating slide may be moved from the closed position to the open position when the shoulder contacts a portion of the ligating slide surrounding the aperture.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, a self-ligating orthodontic bracket includes a bracket body configured to be mounted to a tooth and a ligating slide carried by the bracket body for movement between an open position in which an archwire is insertable into an archwire slot of the bracket body and a closed position in which the ligating slide retains the archwire in the archwire slot. The ligating slide includes a rear surface facing the tooth, a front surface opposite to the rear surface, and a tool-engaging element accessible from the front surface. The front surface of the ligating slide has a channel effective for guiding the movement of a tool contacting the front surface and moving toward the tool engaging element.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, a self-ligating orthodontic bracket includes a bracket body configured to be mounted to a tooth and a ligating slide carried by the bracket body for movement between an open position in which an archwire is insertable into an archwire slot in the bracket body and a closed position in which the ligating slide retains the archwire in the archwire slot. The orthodontic bracket further includes a deflecting element on the bracket body that deflects objects in a patient's oral cavity away from a peripheral edge of the ligating slide when the ligating slide is in the closed position and the bracket body is mounted to the tooth.

In accordance with yet another embodiment of the invention, a self-ligating orthodontic bracket includes a bracket body configured to be mounted to a tooth and a ligating slide carried by the bracket body for movement between an open position in which an archwire is insertable into an archwire slot in the bracket body and a closed position in which the ligating slide retains the archwire in the archwire slot. The ligating slide includes at least one stop element that abuts a stop element on the bracket body when the ligating slide is in the open position. The above and other objects and advantages of the invention shall be made apparent from the accompanying drawings and the description thereof.

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• Utility Patent

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