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Shape memory self-ligating orthodontic bracketsRelated Patent Categories: Dentistry, Orthodontics, Bracket, Having Means To Secure Arch Wire, Resiliently Biased Clamping MemberShape memory self-ligating orthodontic brackets description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070134611, Shape memory self-ligating orthodontic brackets. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/882,165 to Nicholson, filed Jul. 2, 2004, entitled "Shape Memory Self-Ligating Orthodontic Brackets," the subject matter of which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] This invention is generally directed to orthodontic brackets that are used to align teeth and that include at least one tie wing having a pair of tie wing posts to selectively and guidingly receive an archwire within an archwire guide slot defined between the tie wing posts. More specifically, the invention is directed to self-ligating orthodontic brackets at least partially formed from shape memory metallic or non-metallic materials. [0004] 2. Brief Description of Related Art [0005] Generally, there are two basic styles of orthodontic brackets. A first style is known as a single wing wherein a single tie wing extends upwardly from a bracket base. The tie wing includes a pair of opposing tie wing posts that are spaced to define an archwire guide slot therebetween. An example of a self-ligating single wing style bracket is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,663,385 to Tepper. [0006] Twin brackets are the second style of brackets and have been developed to increase ease of bracket use and placement. Twin brackets include a pair of opposing tie wings which are spaced from one another with each tie wing defining an archwire guide slot therebetween. An example of such a twin bracket is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,232,361 to Sachdeva et al., wherein the bracket is formed of titanium so as to be very hard and rigid. An example teaching away from a spaced pair of tie wings is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,289 to Watanabe, wherein the brackets are formed of shape memory alloys or resins. [0007] A variation of the twin bracket style has been developed to make the twin brackets self-ligating in order to avoid the necessity to tie-off the archwire used with the brackets. Such self-ligating twin brackets use supplemental hooks or latches which are mounted adjacent to each pair of tie wings for securely engaging or clamping an archwire. Unfortunately, the additional structures not only increase bracket costs and size, but also decrease bracket aesthetics and provide additional structures for trapping food and bacteria. Thus, the additional structures associated with conventional self-ligating brackets cause problems for both patients and orthodontists during treatments. An example of such a bracket is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,612 to Georgakis et al. [0008] Orthodontists are faced with many treatment difficulties as they bond orthodontic brackets to a patient's teeth and move them from crooked and irregular malocclusion positions to their ideal positions. The ideal alignment of teeth demands that they must be straight and aesthetically pleasing, but the teeth must also fit together correctly into normal occlusion and look and function in a superior clinical manner. There are a number of major challenges that orthodontists must overcome to produce this superior clinical result. [0009] There is often limited access to areas of the teeth where brackets must be placed to achieve normal orthodontic movement and produce superior treatment results. Useful areas are small with access thereto very restricted, in which case, large brackets are not used successfully; whereas, smaller and compact size brackets can be placed in small areas and have enjoyed exceptional popularity among orthodontists. [0010] Ideal bracket placement on a patient's teeth is also necessary to produce ideal tooth alignment and achieve exceptional orthodontic results. To accomplish this necessary goal of ideal placement, brackets must often fit into small spaces between crooked and rotated teeth. For example, a recessed point, vertical scribe line, or horizontal groove located in the approximate center of a bracket permits an orthodontist to use a measuring device, such as a Boone Gauge, to precisely position the bracket on a tooth in an exact desired position. In addition, color-coded recessed markings on the brackets assist the orthodontist visually to align and orient the bracket correctly on the teeth. [0011] Complete archwire engagement of the brackets on the teeth during various stages of orthodontic treatment is important, but may not be possible. Many times, due to crooked alignment and closeness of the teeth, only some of the posts of the tie wings of the brackets can be engaged at the same time. This can result in an uncontrolled and unsatisfactory tooth movement. A smaller bracket size permits more tie wing posts to be engaged and subsequently improves tooth movement. [0012] The tooth movement process that is required to straighten teeth is very dynamic and constantly changing. The orthodontist must have brackets that will accommodate the dynamics of tooth movement and not require replacement with new ones when a certain movement is required due to the difficulty of a patient's case. Further, attachments such as Kobayashi hooks, removeable hook pins, uprighting springs, metal ligatures, directional force elastics, elastomeric ties, or elastomeric power chains are often used during various stages of orthodontic treatment. An orthodontist places these attachments to tie wing posts or in vertical slots to satisfactorily accomplish different aspects of a treatment. [0013] Friction occurs as a normal part of tooth movement as a bracket and tooth slide along an archwire. This process is known as the sliding mechanics of orthodontics. More points of contact between the archwire and a bracket slot during this process causes greater friction, which results in slower tooth movement and makes the treatment take longer. Larger brackets have increased friction resistance to tooth movement, and thus treatment involving larger brackets is lengthy and more complicated to complete. [0014] The aesthetic demands of an orthodontic patient are many and must be addressed to make a treatment acceptable to the patient. Smaller and less noticeable brackets are more aesthetic than larger brackets, and the bracket aesthetics can be further improved. The single wing and double wing brackets allow the orthodontists to attach colorful elastics, elastomeric ties, and elastomeric power chains to the brackets that are pleasing to the patient. [0015] A further major challenge to orthodontic treatment is the cleanliness of the brackets and areas where they are bonded or banded to the teeth. It is difficult for patients to clean areas adjacent to brackets and tooth surfaces. Bracket elements function as plaque traps that increase the chance of permanent stains, tooth decay, and gum disease. The use of larger brackets makes it much more difficult for patients to keep their braces clean. The smaller bracket designs are much easier for patients to clean and greatly reduces the amount of trapped food. Thus, smaller brackets are less likely to cause stains, tooth decay, or gum disease. [0016] During the course of orthodontic treatment, archwires are placed and removed from the archwire slot as a normal part of treatment. Since most orthodontic brackets are made of stainless steel, both the bracket and archwire slots are rigid and inflexible. Once an archwire is placed in an archwire slot, the archwire must be tied or ligated in place to prevent the archwire from coming out of the bracket and injuring the patient. The process of tying and untying every bracket to secure the archwire is a tedious and laborious procedure that must be repeated each time a new archwire is placed or removed. This process is time consuming and uncomfortable for the patient and inefficient for the orthodontist. Self-ligating brackets have the advantage of using various mechanisms to secure archwires in the archwire slots without the need for metal or elastic ligatures. However, the current self-ligating brackets are bulky and cumbersome to use in the small confines of the oral cavity. [0017] In the 1980's, nickel-titanium was introduced to orthodontics in the form of archwires named Nitinol.TM.. The flexibility, shape-memory effect, and super-elasticity of Nitinol.TM. archwires offered a new wire that could be deflected to engage misaligned teeth and would return to its original form, thereby straightening the teeth. The flexibility, shape memory effect, and superelastic nickel-titanium material has not, however, been used to construct a flexible bracket that looks and is shaped like the traditional stainless steel brackets. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0018] This invention is directed to orthodontic brackets, wherein each bracket comprising a unitary body structure including a base from which extends at least one tie wing having a pair of tie wing posts. Each tie wing post includes a head portion and a body portion, and each pair of opposing tie wing posts defines an archwire guide slot therebetween that is usually of a dimension between approximately 0.018'' to 0.022'' to slidingly receive an archwire. The head portion of each tie wing post has an inner flange which is spaced closely adjacent to, or in contact with, an inner flange of an opposing tie wing post in a normal position so as to prevent unplanned removal of an archwire seated within the archwire guide slot between the tie wing posts. The head portion of each tie wing post further includes an outwardly extending flange which may be used for securing archwires with ligating wires or for adding other attachments that may be required during a patient's treatment. [0019] In the present invention, an orthodontic bracket includes at least one tie wing post that is formed of a shape memory material, such as a metallic alloy, including nickel-titanium, or a non-metallic material, including resin and polymer type materials, so that at least one tie wing of the bracket exhibits some degree of flexibility and shape memory. Thus, at least one of the opposing tie wing posts may be flexed such that the head portions of the opposing tie wing posts may separate to a distance to permit the insertion and/or removal of an archwire relative to the archwire guide slot defined therebetween. The nickel-titanium alloy or other material exhibiting a shape memory causes the tie wing post or posts to return to a pre-determined position after an archwire is either inserted into or removed from the slot between the tie wing posts. In preferred embodiments, at least one of each of the opposing tie wing posts of at least one tie wing is formed of a shape memory material so that the at least one tie wing post may be flexed to permit insertion and/or removal of an archwire from the guide slot. [0020] In a twin bracket embodiment of the present invention, a pair of opposing tie wings are spaced from one another and extend from the front surface of a bracket base such that the archwire slots formed between the tie wing posts of each tie wing are generally axially aligned relative to one another. In other preferred embodiments of the invention, either a recessed point, scribe line, or horizontal groove is provided at or along the approximate center of each bracket base for purposes of precision alignment of the bracket with respect to a tooth using an instrument, such as Boone gauge. [0021] To reduce friction between an archwire and the orthodontic brackets of the present invention, at least a portion of the brackets, may be coated with a metallic material, a non-metallic material, a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material, such as Teflon.TM., a thermosetting polymer, or other polymeric coatings with or without a coupling agent to form a smooth surface between the bracket and the archwire. To promote adherence of the coating, the brackets may be physically, chemically, or otherwise treated, such as by a blasting process, chemical etching, micro-etching, or the like. Archwires associated with the brackets of the present invention may also be similarly coated. 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