Mandibular and maxillary arch expander having polygonal or ovoid rod and tube expanding elements

An orthodontic appliance for expanding and lengthening the mandibular and maxillary arch of a human patient, the appliance comprising:

• a mandibular arch expander having a pair of forward orthodontic bands, a pair of rear orthodontic bands, a first mandibular expansion assembly to expand said mandibular arch expander, and a second mandibular expansion assembly to lengthen said mandibular arch expander;
• a maxillary arch expander including a pair of forward orthodontic bands, a pair of rear orthodontic bands, and a maxillary expansion assembly to expand said maxillary arch expander;
• and
• a telescoping assembly extending between and connecting said mandibular and maxillary arch expanders;
• said telescoping assembly having a first end and a second end;
• said first end of said telescoping assembly being operatively connected to one of said forward and rear bands of said mandibular arch expander and the second end of said telescoping assembly being operatively connected to the other of said forward and rear bands of said maxillary arch expander;
• the telescoping assembly including a tube assembly and a rod slidably received in the tube assembly, said telescoping assembly being adjustable to lengthen the assembly in a patient's mouth during treatment using the orthodontic appliance, without resort to removing the rod from the tube assembly;
• the tube of said rod and tube assembly defining a channel which slidably receives said rod;
• said rod and tube channel having complementary cross-sectional shapes;
• the cross-sectional shape being polygonal or ovoid.

An orthodontic appliance for expanding and lengthening the mandibular and maxillary arch of a human patient, the appliance comprising:

• a mandibular arch expander having a pair of forward orthodontic bands, a pair of rear orthodontic bands;
• a maxillary arch expander including a pair of forward orthodontic bands, a pair of rear orthodontic bands;
• a pair of adjustable connector assemblies;
• said connector assemblies each comprising an expandable tube assembly and a rod which extends through said expandable tube assembly;
• said expandable tube assembly having a mount at a first end thereof adapted to connect said tube assembly to said rear orthodontic band of said maxillary arch;
• said rod having a mount adjacent a second end of said expandable tube assembly adapted to be connected to said front orthodontic bands of said mandibular arch expander;
• the tube assembly including a hollow posterior tube and an anterior tube which is telescopically connected, said anterior tube includes a hollow body having an externally threaded back end and said posterior tube includes a hollow body defining a bore, said posterior tube being internally threaded at a front end of said tube, said posterior tube bore being sized to accept said anterior tube, said posterior and anterior tubes being threadedly connected together;
• said posterior and anterior tubes defining a channel;
• said rod and channel having complementary cross-sectional shapes;
• the cross-sectional shape of the rod and tube of at least one of said assemblies being polygonal or ovoid.

An extendable connector for connecting a mandibular arch expander to a maxillary arch expander, said connector having a first end and a second end, said first end adapted to be connected to said mandibular arch expander and said second end adapted to be connected to said maxillary arch expander, said extendable connector including a tube assembly and a rod slidably received in the tube assembly, said extendable connector being adjustable to lengthen the extendable connector in vivo in patient's mouth, said connector tube assembly includes a hollow posterior tube and an anterior tube which are adjustably connectable together, and said rod extends at least partially through said anterior tube, said anterior tube having a mount at a front end thereof adapted to connect said anterior tube to one of the maxillary and mandibular arch expanders, said rod having a mount at an end thereof adapted to connect said rod to the other of said maxillary and mandibular arch expanders, said anterior tube includes a hollow body having an externally threaded back end, and said posterior tube includes a hollow body defining a bore, said posterior tube being internally threaded at a front end of said tube, said posterior tube bore being sized to accept said anterior tube, said posterior and anterior tubes being threadedly connected together;

• said posterior and anterior tubes defining a channel;
• said rod and channel having complementary cross-sectional shapes;
• the cross-sectional shape being polygonal or ovoid.