Orthodontic systems

A method comprising:

• attaching a base of an orthodontic bracket to a surface of a tooth, the orthodontic bracket having a base and a rotatable module rotatably coupled to the base, the rotatable module having a first member and a second member, the first and second members being spaced apart to define an archwire slot,
• inserting an archwire into the archwire slot;
• rotating the rotatable module relative to the base, including:
• rotating a first gear in a specified direction to drive a first rod that has a first portion that engages the first gear and a second portion that extends to a first portion of the rotatable module, and causing the first rod to apply a first force to the first portion of the rotatable module to cause the rotatable module to rotate relative to the base, and
• rotating a second gear in a specified direction to drive a second gear and a second rod that has a first portion that engages the second gear and a second portion that extends to a second portion of the rotatable module, and causing the second rod to apply a second force to the second portion of the rotatable module to cause the rotatable module to rotate relative to the base;
• in response to the rotations of the first and second gears in the specified directions, generating a force based on an interaction of the archwire and walls of the archwire slot and transmitting the force to the tooth;
• wherein when the first gear drives the first rod to push the first portion of the rotatable module, the second gear drives the second rod to move away from the second portion of the rotatable module.

An orthodontic bracket, comprising:

• a base configured to be attached to a surface of a tooth;
• a rotatable module having an occlusal member and a gingival member, the rotatable module being rotatably coupled to the base, the occlusal member and the gingival member being spaced apart to define an archwire slot between the occlusal member and the gingival member, the archwire slot configured to receive an archwire,
• wherein the base comprises a miniature gear system to drive the rotatable module relative to the base, in which the miniature gear system comprises a first gear and a first rod, the first rod has a first portion that engages the first gear and a second portion that extends to a first portion of the rotatable module, and when the first gear rotates in a specified direction, the first gear drives the first rod to apply a first force to the first portion of the rotatable module to cause the rotatable module to rotate relative to the base;
• wherein the miniature gear system comprises a second gear and a second rod, the second rod has a first portion that engages the second gear and a second portion that extends to a second portion of the rotatable module, and when the second gear rotates in a specified direction, the second gear drives the second rod to apply a second force to the second portion of the rotatable module to cause the rotatable module to rotate relative to the base, and
• wherein when the first gear drives the first rod to push the first portion of the rotatable module, the second gear drives the second rod to move away from the second portion of the rotatable module.

A method comprising:

• attaching a base of an orthodontic bracket to a surface of a tooth, the orthodontic bracket having a base and a rotatable module rotatably coupled to the base, the rotatable module having an occlusal member and a gingival member, the occlusal member and the gingival member being spaced apart to define an archwire slot between a gingival surface of the occlusal member and an occlusal surface of the gingival member,
• inserting an archwire into the archwire slot;
• rotating the rotatable module relative to the base, including:
• rotating a first gear in a specified direction to drive a first rod that has a first portion that engages the first gear and a second portion that extends to a first portion of the rotatable module, and causing the first rod to apply a first force to the first portion of the rotatable module to cause the rotatable module to rotate relative to the base, and
• rotating a second gear in a specified direction to drive a second rod that has a first portion that engages the second gear and a second portion that extends to a second portion of the rotatable module, and causing the second rod to apply a second force to the second portion of the rotatable module to cause the rotatable module to rotate relative to the base;
• in response to the rotations of the first and second gears in the specified directions, generating a force based on an interaction of the archwire and walls of the archwire slot and transmitting the force to the tooth;
• wherein when the first gear drives the first rod to push the first portion of the rotatable module, the second gear drives the second rod to move away from the second portion of the rotatable module.

An orthodontic bracket, comprising:

• a base configured to be attached to a surface of a tooth;
• and
• a rotatable module having a first member and a second member, the rotatable module being rotatably coupled to the base, the first and second members being spaced apart to define an archwire slot configured to receive an archwire,
• wherein the base comprises a miniature gear system to drive the rotatable module relative to the base, in which the gear system comprises a first gear and a first rod, the first rod has a first portion that engages the first gear and a second portion that extends to a first portion of the rotatable module, and when the first gear rotates in a specified direction, the first gear drives the first rod to apply a first force to the first portion of the rotatable module to cause the rotatable module to rotate relative to the base;
• a first screw that is configured to be manually driven;
• and
• a second rod that is configured to be driven by the first screw, in which the second rod is configured to drive the first gear to cause the first gear to drive the first rod to apply the first force to the first portion of the rotatable module to cause the rotatable module to rotate relative to the base along a first direction.