Orthodontic tube system
OwnerClayton M. Fulksinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an orthodontic system for use with a patient having an arch that includes a plurality of teeth. The orthodontic system includes an anchoring bracket; a first affixing mechanism, a tube and an archwire. The first affixing mechanism is configured to affix the anchoring bracket to a selected first one of the teeth. The tube is affixed to the anchoring bracket and is configured to extend along a portion of the arch. The archwire is secured to the anchoring bracket and extends from the tube. In a method of preventing damage to a portion of an archwire in an orthodontic braces set for moving a plurality of teeth, an anchoring bracket is affixed to a selected first one of the teeth. A tube is secured to the anchoring bracket so that the tube extends around the portion of the archwire.
Claims18
An orthodontic system for use with a patient having an arch that includes a plurality of teeth, comprising:
- (a) an anchoring bracket;
- (b) a first affixing mechanism configured to affix the anchoring bracket to a selected first one of the teeth;
- (c) a tube affixed to the anchoring bracket and configured to extend along a portion of the arch;
- and
- (d) an archwire secured to the anchoring bracket and extending from the tube,
- wherein the anchoring bracket defines two parallel grooves and includes a self-ligating door within which the extension tube is ligated, and
- wherein the door selectively covers the two parallel grooves, wherein the tube has a proximal end and includes:
- two parallel wires extending from proximal end of the tube, each having a first end, wherein each of the parallel wires is configured to fit into a different one of the parallel grooves;
- and
- a stop that couples the first ends of the two parallel wires and that is configured to be placed outside of the anchoring bracket so that when the door is in a closed position, the two parallel wires hold the tube in a fixed relation to the anchoring bracket.
An orthodontic appliance for use with a patient having an arch that includes a plurality of teeth, comprising:
- (a) an anchoring bracket defining two parallel passages and including a door that selectively covers the two parallel grooves;
- (b) a first affixing mechanism configured to affix the anchoring bracket to a selected first one of the teeth;
- (c) a tube affixed to the anchoring bracket and configured to extend along a portion of the arch, the tube having a proximal end and including:
- (i) two parallel wires extending from proximal end of the tube, each having a first end, wherein each of the parallel wires is configured to fit into a different one of the parallel grooves;
- and
- (ii) a stop that couples the first ends of the two parallel wires and that is placed outside of the anchoring bracket so that when the door is in a closed position, the two parallel wires hold the tube in a fixe d relation to the anchoring bracket;
- and
- (d) an archwire secured to the anchoring bracket and extending from the tube.
A method of preventing damage to a portion of an archwire in an orthodontic braces set for moving a plurality of teeth, comprising the steps of:
- (a) affixing an anchoring bracket to a selected first one of the teeth;
- and
- (a) securing a tube to the anchoring bracket so that the tube extends around the portion of the archwire,
- wherein the anchoring bracket defines two parallel passages and includes a door that selectively covers the two parallel grooves, wherein the tube has a proximal end and includes:
- two parallel wires extending from proximal end of the tube, each having a first end;
- and a stop that couples the first ends of the two parallel wires, the method further comprising the steps of:
- placing each of the parallel wires into a different one of the parallel grooves and placing the stop outside of the anchoring bracket;
- and
- closing the door so that the two parallel wires hold the tube in a fixed relation to the anchoring bracket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.