Three-dimensional orthodontic retainer and method for making a three-dimensional orthodontic retainer

Method for producing a three-dimensional orthodontic retainer (2) from a raw piece (1), having at least one elongated wire (21) with a small thickness for connecting and stabilizing two or more adjacent teeth (3), and adjusted to the exact shape of the adjacent teeth (3), each one of the at least one elongated wire (21) includes a cross section having a flat portion and a curved portion, a length of said flat portion is greater than a thickness of said cross section measured from said flat portion to a top of said curved portion, said flat portion is located opposite said curved portion, comprising the following steps:

• 1) creation of a three-dimensional model of the structure of the teeth (3) of the patient;
• 2) design of an individual accurately fitting model of the retainer (2) running along the local recesses of the surface of the respective tooth (3) and not over protruding zones of the surface of the respective tooth, at a certain height between the base and the upper end of the enamel of the respective tooth (3), this height being different for each tooth and thus not located on the same plane;
• and
• 3) production of the Retainer (2) based on the designed model wherein during step 3) the physical properties of a material of the remaining part of the raw piece (1) are unchanged and identical with respect to the nano- and microstructure in the retainer, and the retainer is elaborated from the raw piece (1) by computer controlled removal of material.