US 12,433,717 B2Granted

Tool for use with orthodontic brackets

AssigneeWorld Class Technology Corporation

InventorsAlberto Ruiz-Vela, Juergen Bathen

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Abstract

An instrument for facilitating opening of a ligating member for an orthodontic bracket. The instrument includes one tip designed to engage an opening feature on a labial side of a ligating door of the orthodontic bracket, and another tip designed to sit underneath a tie wing formed on a body of the orthodontic bracket. When the instrument is in position against the orthodontic bracket, squeezing together the handles results in the tips applying a reciprocal force on the ligating door and the bracket body to open the ligating door along the occlusal direction.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An orthodontic bracket and tool system comprising:

an orthodontic bracket comprising:
a bracket body mountable to a tooth, the bracket body including an archwire slot extending from a first side of the bracket body to an opposite second side, the archwire slot dimensioned to receive an archwire therein, the bracket body further including a recess formed on an occlusal side thereof and a recess wall forming a boundary of the recess;
and
a ligating member mountable to the bracket body and movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein at least a portion of the ligating member extends over the archwire slot to retain the archwire within the archwire slot when the ligating member is in the closed position, the ligating member further including a key slot formed on a labial side thereof, the key slot including a bottom surface and a slot wall extending along a labial direction from the bottom surface;
an orthodontic tool comprising:
a first portion having a first handle with a first jaw, wherein the first jaw includes an inner jaw surface, an outer jaw surface, and a first tip formed along an end thereof, wherein the first tip includes a projecting flange and a pocket recessed inwardly from the inner jaw surface;
a second portion having a second handle with a second jaw, wherein the second jaw includes an inner jaw surface, an outer jaw surface, and a second tip formed on an end thereof, the second tip including an end face;
and
a pin pivotally connecting the first portion and the second portion for accommodating pivotal movement of the first and second portions, wherein the inner jaw surface of the first portion faces the inner jaw surface of the second portion,
wherein when the orthodontic tool is coupled to the orthodontic bracket, the projecting flange of the first tip of the first jaw extends into the recess on the occlusal side of the bracket body and abuts the recess wall, and wherein the second tip of the second jaw abuts the slot wall of the key slot on the ligating member of the orthodontic bracket, and
wherein when the first and second portions of the orthodontic tool are manipulated toward one another, the second tip of the second jaw applies a first force to drive the slot wall of the key slot along the occlusal direction and the projecting flange applies a second force to the recess wall of the bracket body, the second force reciprocal to the first force, to move the ligating member along the occlusal direction from the closed position to the open position.

8 more elements

An orthodontic tool for use in opening a ligating door of an orthodontic bracket, the orthodontic tool comprising:

a first portion having a first handle with a first jaw, wherein the first jaw includes an inner jaw surface and an outer jaw surface, the inner and outer jaw surfaces each tapering inwardly toward a first tip formed on an end of the first jaw, wherein the first tip includes a projecting flange and a pocket, the first jaw including a first wall transitioning from the inner jaw surface and extending inwardly from the inner jaw surface toward the outer jaw surface, the first wall forming a boundary of the pocket such that the pocket is at least partially recessed inwardly from the inner jaw surface;
a second portion having a second handle with a second jaw, wherein the second jaw includes a substantially planar inner jaw surface and a substantially planar outer jaw surface, the inner and outer jaw surfaces each tapering inwardly toward a second tip formed on an end of the second jaw, wherein the second tip includes an end face on an end thereof, the end face extending between the inner jaw surface and the outer jaw surface;
and
a pin pivotally connecting the first portion and the second portion for accommodating pivotal movement of the first and second portions,
wherein when the orthodontic tool is in a closed position, the inner jaw surface of the first jaw abuts against the inner jaw surface of the second jaw, and the end face of the second tip is positioned within the pocket of the first tip, the end face offset from and facing the projecting flange.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

An orthodontic bracket and tool system comprising:

an orthodontic bracket comprising:
a bracket body mountable to a tooth, the bracket body including an archwire slot extending from a first side of the bracket body to an opposite second side, the archwire slot dimensioned to receive an archwire therein, the bracket body further including a recess formed on an occlusal side thereof and a recess wall forming a boundary of the recess;
and
a ligating member mountable to the bracket body and movable between an open position and a closed position, wherein at least a portion of the ligating member extends over the archwire slot to retain the archwire within the archwire slot when the ligating member is in the closed position, the ligating member further including a key slot formed on a labial side thereof, the key slot including a bottom surface and a slot wall extending along a labial direction from the bottom surface;
an orthodontic tool comprising:
a first portion having a first handle with a first jaw, wherein the first jaw includes an inner jaw surface, an outer jaw surface, and a first tip formed along an end thereof, wherein the first tip includes a projecting flange and a pocket recessed inwardly from the inner jaw surface;
a second portion having a second handle with a second jaw, wherein the second jaw includes an inner jaw surface, an outer jaw surface, and a second tip formed on an end thereof, the second tip including an end face;
and
a pin pivotally connecting the first portion and the second portion for accommodating pivotal movement of the first and second portions, wherein the inner jaw surface of the first portion faces the inner jaw surface of the second portion,
wherein when the orthodontic tool is coupled to the orthodontic bracket, the projecting flange of the first tip of the first jaw extends into the recess on the occlusal side of the bracket body and abuts the recess wall, and wherein the second tip of the second jaw abuts the slot wall of the key slot on the ligating member of the orthodontic bracket, and
wherein when the first and second portions of the orthodontic tool are manipulated toward one another, the second tip of the second jaw applies a first force to drive the slot wall of the key slot along the occlusal direction and the projecting flange applies a second force to the recess wall of the bracket body, the second force reciprocal to the first force, to move the ligating member along the occlusal direction from the closed position to the open position.

8 more elements