# US 10,945,817 B1 · Orthodontic appliances and methods of making and using same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,945,817 B1 - Document ID: US10945817B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/178,035 - Filed: 2018-11-01 - Granted: 2021-03-16 - Earliest claimed: 2013-09-06 - Assignees: Ormco Corporation - Applicants: Ormco Corporation - Inventors: Sammel Shahrier Alauddin; Nathan Wong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10945817B1 ## CPC - A61C 7/20: Arch wires (A61C7/28 takes precedence) - A61C 7/141: {Brackets with reinforcing structure, e.g. inserts} - A61C 7/18: specially adapted to be fixed to teeth with a band; Bands therefor - A61C 7/22: Tension adjusting means - A61C 7/28: Securing arch wire to bracket - C22C 19/007: {with a light metal (alkali metal Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs; earth alkali metal Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, Al Ga, Ge, Ti) or B, Si, Zr, Hf, Sc, Y, lanthanides, actinides, as the next major constituent} - C22C 19/03: based on nickel - C22C 30/00: Alloys containing less than 50% by weight of each constituent - C22C 30/02: containing copper - A61B 2017/00526: {Methods of manufacturing} - A61B 2017/00867: {shape memory effect} - A61C 7/30: by resilient means; {Dispensers therefor} - A61C 2201/007: using shape memory effect - A61C: DENTISTRY; APPARATUS OR METHODS FOR ORAL OR DENTAL HYGIENE (non-driven toothbrushes A46B; {tongue scrapers A61B17/24;} preparations for dentistry A61K6/00; preparations for cleaning the teeth or mouth A61K8/00, A61Q11/00) - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A method for altering an orthodontic archwire of a unitary piece of shape memory alloy having a composition and generally uniformly formed properties along its length to different stiffness profiles along the length of the archwire. In one embodiment, the method includes determining a stress profile for teeth at a location. The method may include calculating a force the archwire is to produce on the teeth to satisfy the determined stress profile and determining an altered stiffness of a section of the archwire based on the calculated force. The method may include changing the composition of the section based on the determined altered stiffness. The method may include determining a load for teeth and calculating a force the archwire is to produce on the teeth to satisfy the determined load. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for altering an orthodontic archwire of a unitary piece of shape memory alloy having a composition and generally uniformly formed properties along its length to different stiffness profiles along the length of the archwire, the method comprising: determining a stress profile for one or more teeth at a particular location on an arch; calculating a force the archwire is to produce on the one or more teeth to satisfy the determined stress profile; determining an altered stiffness of a first section of the archwire based on the calculated force; and selectively changing the composition of the first section of the archwire based on the determined altered stiffness, the first section associated with the one or more teeth. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1: wherein the altered stiffness is determined based on different variables associated with the one or more teeth. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the different variables comprise at least one of interbracket distance or malocclusion magnitude. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein determining the altered stiffness comprises changing the weight percentages of elements present in the archwire. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the archwire comprises a second section, the second section having a stiffness higher than the first section. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method as recited in claim 5, wherein the archwire comprises a third section, the third section having a stiffness higher than the first section, wherein the first section is between the second and third sections. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein changing the composition of the first section of the archwire reduces an austenitic finish temperature Af of the archwire at the first section. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein changing the composition of the first section of the archwire reduces unloading plateau of the archwire by at least 20%. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein changing the composition of the first section of the archwire reduces friction between a bracket and the archwire at the first section. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the shape memory alloy has a base alloy composition of at least two different metallic elements and the first section has an alloy composition that is depleted in at least one of the at least two metallic elements of the base alloy composition as a result of the changing step. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the shape memory alloy is a copper aluminum nickel alloy (CuAlNi) and the alloy composition of the first section is depleted in at least copper relative to the base alloy composition. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the shape memory alloy is a copper chromium nickel titanium alloy (CuCrNiTi) and the alloy composition of the first section is depleted in nickel and/or titanium relative to the base alloy composition. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the base alloy composition has a first austenitic finish temperature and the first section has an austenitic finish temperature that is greater than the first austenitic finish temperature. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the shape memory alloy is a nickel titanium alloy (NiTi) and the alloy composition of the first section is depleted in nickel relative to the base alloy composition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the shape memory alloy is a copper aluminum nickel alloy (CuAlNi) and the alloy composition of the first section is depleted in at least aluminum relative to the base alloy composition. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the archwire has a length as measured from one end to another end and wherein the first portion includes a first zone along the length of the archwire. ### Claim 17 A method for altering an orthodontic archwire of a unitary piece of shape memory alloys having a composition and generally uniform mechanical properties along its length to variable mechanical properties along the length of the archwire, the method comprising: determining a load for one or more teeth at a particular location on an arch; calculating a force the archwire is to produce on the one or more teeth to satisfy the determined load; determining an altered stiffness of a first section of the archwire based on the calculated force; and selectively changing the composition of the first section of the archwire based on the determined altered stiffness, the first section associated with the one or more teeth. ### Claim 18 A method of manufacturing an orthodontic archwire made from a unitary piece of a shape memory alloy and having a composition and different stiffness profiles along the length of the archwire, the method comprising: determining an altered stiffness of a first section of the archwire based on a predetermined force the archwire is to produce on one or more teeth; and selectively changing the composition of the first section of the archwire based on the determined altered stiffness, the first section associated with the one or more teeth, by exposing a surface of the archwire having a base alloy composition of at least two different metallic elements to a source of energy to remove at least one of the metallic elements from a region including a surface such that the first section is depleted in at least one metallic element relative to the base alloy composition. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18, wherein after selectively changing the composition, the first section is configured to produce one of about 0.77 N to an L1 and L2 tooth, about 0.81 N to an L3 tooth, about 1.06 N to an L4 tooth, about 0.96 N to an L5 tooth, and about 1.9 N to an L6 tooth.