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Archwire assembly with stopsRelated Patent Categories: Dentistry, Orthodontics, Means To Transmit Or Apply Force To Tooth, Arch WireArchwire assembly with stops description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070087301, Archwire assembly with stops. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a divisional application of pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/790,413, filed on Mar. 1, 2004. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The invention relates to orthodontic devices, and more particularly, to a device used in conjunction with archwires employed in orthodontic procedures. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Orthodontic treatment normally involves the application of mechanical forces to urge improperly positioned teeth into correct alignment. One common form of orthodontic treatment includes the use of orthodontic brackets that are fixed to teeth such as by a band around individual teeth or, perhaps more commonly, by adhering the brackets directly to the teeth. A resilient curved archwire is then seated in the archwire slots of the brackets. The archwires are generally attached to the brackets by ligature wires or elastic bands. In some cases, however, self-ligating brackets are used that include a movable cover that selectively closes the labial side of the archwire slot of the brackets. The movable cover is opened for inserting the archwire and then closed for retaining the archwire within the archwire slot. When a patient's teeth are incorrectly leveled and aligned, the archwire elastically deforms to engage the brackets, thereby introducing a force that urges the teeth to move to the correct position over time. [0004] A frequent problem observed during orthodontic treatment is that the archwire tends to move mesially-distally relative to the brackets. The archwire engaged with the bracket slots flexes under forces applied in the oral environment, such as forces applied for chewing and tongue, musculature actions, or orthodontic forces. These unbalanced forces have a tendency to move the archwire through the archwire slots of the brackets in a mesial-distal direction. This movement may cause a free end of the archwire to protrude from one of the brackets attached to the distalmost molars and contact gum or cheek tissue. As a result of the movement, the opposite free end of the archwire may also become disengaged from the bracket that is mounted to the distalmost molar on the opposite side of the mouth cavity. The contact leads to irritation of the gum or cheek tissue. Self-ligating brackets by definition lack structures, such as ligatures and elastic bands, that might limit the mesial-distal movement. Therefore, the mesial-distal movement of the archwire is more pronounced in both active and passive self-ligating brackets. [0005] Several conventional techniques are used to limit the mesial-distal movement of the archwire in the bracket slots. One such technique, for example, is to insert the archwire through a crimpable sleeve, such as a small diameter tube, then position the archwire within the archwire slots with the sleeve located between two adjacent brackets. The sleeve is eventually secured to the archwire at a fixed position by crimping the sleeve to the archwire. The sleeve is configured such that the sleeve cannot pass through or move beyond an archwire slot as the archwire moves in the mesial-distal direction. In this manner, the maximum mesial-distal movement of the archwire is limited to the distance between the adjacent brackets. If the distance between adjacent brackets is sufficiently small, then the free ends of the archwire do not either become disengaged from the bracket or protrude from the bracket for irritating gum or cheek tissue. [0006] A major shortcoming of the conventional technique described above is that the crimpable sleeve is mounted to the archwire in the field, such as a doctor's office, and usually by the dentist or a dental assistant. This field assembly process is often time consuming and may prove frustrating. An archwire has a small cross-sectional profile and a crimpable sleeve has a very small passageway for threading the archwire through the sleeve. Because of the small sizes, the sleeve is difficult to thread onto the archwire. Moreover, during handling of the archwire, such as during its installation into the patient's mouth, the sleeve often slides off one free end of the archwire and onto the floor, or is possibly lost into the patient's mouth. It is often difficult to find a sleeve on the floor after it has fallen off the end of the archwire. [0007] There is thus a need for an improved archwire assembly that eliminates the field assembly and further limits the movement of the sleeve once positioned on the archwire. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0008] The invention provides an improved archwire assembly without the drawbacks of existing archwire orthodontic devices. In one embodiment of the invention, the archwire assembly comprises an archwire, a crimpable sleeve adapted to slidably move along the archwire, and two removable stops positioned on opposed sides of the sleeve and adapted to limit the movement of the sleeve along the archwire. The removable stops may be placed adjacent the ends of the sleeve to substantially prevent the sleeve from moving along the archwire or may be placed adjacent to the ends of the archwire to prevent the sleeve from falling off the archwire. Furthermore, the removable stops may be movable along the length of the archwire when exposed to a sufficient force, such as a force greater than the weight of the sleeve. In this manner, the sleeve can be repositioned along the archwire to properly position it between adjacent brackets. The sleeve is eventually crimped to secure the sleeve to the archwire at a fixed position and the removable stops are then removed. [0009] In another embodiment of the invention, the archwire assembly includes an archwire, a crimpable sleeve adapted to slidably move along the archwire, and a friction-creating substance applied to either the crimpable sleeve or to the archwire and adapted to limit movement of the sleeve along the archwire. The friction-creating substance creates friction between the sleeve and archwire such that it takes a sufficient force, such as a force greater than the weight of the sleeve, to move the sleeve along the archwire. Otherwise, the position of the sleeve remains stationary. In this manner, the sleeve can be repositioned along the archwire to properly position it between adjacent brackets. The sleeve is eventually crimped to secure the sleeve to the archwire at a fixed position. The friction-creating substance may be removable, such as by being water soluble, and removed after the sleeve is secured to the archwire. [0010] In yet another embodiment of the invention, the archwire assembly includes an archwire and a crimpable sleeve that has been partially crimped so as to limit movement of the sleeve along the archwire. The sleeve is crimped just enough such that it takes a sufficient force, such as a force greater than the weight of the sleeve, to move the sleeve along the archwire. Otherwise, the position of the sleeve remains stationary. In this manner, the sleeve can be repositioned along the archwire to properly position it between adjacent brackets. The sleeve is eventually completely crimped so as to secure the sleeve to the archwire at a fixed position. [0011] By virtue of the foregoing, there is thus provided an archwire assembly that eliminates field assembly and further limits movement of the crimpable sleeve along the archwire. These and other advantages of the invention shall be made apparent from the accompanying drawings and the description thereof. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0012] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the general description of the invention given above and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the invention. [0013] FIG. 1 is perspective view of orthodontic braces incorporating an archwire assembly according to the invention; [0014] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 1; [0015] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of an embodiment of the archwire assembly according to the invention showing removable stops on the archwire; [0016] FIG. 3A is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 3 showing a pair of elastic O-rings as removable stops; [0017] FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of an archwire assembly similar to FIG. 3A showing a pair of slotted collars as removable stops; [0018] FIG. 3C is an enlarged cross sectional view of an archwire assembly similar to FIG. 3A showing a spring loaded stop as a removable stop; [0019] FIG. 3D is a top plan view of an archwire assembly similar to FIG. 3 showing discrete amounts of a substance at the ends of the archwire as the removable stops; Continue reading about Archwire assembly with stops... Full patent description for Archwire assembly with stops Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Archwire assembly with stops patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Archwire assembly with stops or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Invisible spring aligner Next Patent Application: Orthodontic bracket and method of attaching orthodontic brackets to teeth Industry Class: Dentistry ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Archwire assembly with stops patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.11448 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Computers: Graphics , I/O , Processors , Dyn. 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