Method of forming orthodontic brace
US5395238A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 22, 1993 |
| Grant date | Mar 7, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 22, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61C2007/004
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Contours of a patient's teeth are digitally determined from individual teeth of a model of the patient's mouth provided by an orthodontist, preferably by scanning individual teeth in a lingual-facial plane on the model with a mechanical probe. Tooth prominence parameters including tooth-gum intersections, mesial cusp tips or lingual and facial incisal edge points, and groove/ridge locations are selected on the contours. Tooth long axes are derived therefrom in the contour plane through the gum intersection and incisal edge/cusp tip midpoints and the contours are oriented to in the plane to predetermined inclination angles. From these, calculations are made to locate brackets on the contours and determine geometry of slots to cut in the brackets for disposition of a curved archwire in a horizontal plane so as to incline the axes and position the tooth parameters as desired relative to each other when the brace is installed as calculated, using a mold of the brace and model and/or written instructions provided with the brace, and without the need for the orthodontist to bend the archwire. The bite resulting preferably places lower buccal cusps in upper marginal ridges on bicuspids an…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.