Orthodontic appliance
AssigneeStick Tech Oy
InventorsPekka Vallittu, Lippo Lassila, Ilkka Kangasniemi
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Abstract
The invention relates to the use of a prepreg comprising at least one fiber and a matix to be cured during application, for the production of a fiber-reinforced composite, for active orthodontic therapy. The invention further relates to an active orthodontic appliance consisting essentially of an arch wire in at least one part, directly contactable with teeth and consisting essentially of a fiber-reinforced composite comprising at least one fiber and a matrix, said arch wire comprising a loop directly contactable with a tooth or teeth to be moved by the appliance. The invention still relates to a process for manufacturing an active orthodontic appliance and to an active orthodontic method of treatment.
Claims27
Use of a prepreg comprising at least one fiber and a matrix to be cured during application, for the production of a fiber-reinforced composite, for active orthodontic therapy.
An active orthodontic appliance, wherein it consists essentially of an arch wire in at least one part, directly contactable with teeth and consisting essentially of a fiber-reinforced composite comprising at least one fiber and a matrix, said arch wire comprising a portion directly contactable with a tooth or teeth to be moved by the appliance.
A process for manufacturing an active orthodontic appliance comprising the steps of:
- a) shaping a first portion of a prepreg consisting of a composition comprising at least one fiber and a matrix in its non-cured form, to the shape of the tooth or teeth to be used as support for the appliance,
- b) shaping a second portion of the prepreg to the shape of the tooth or teeth to be obtained by the appliance,
- c) curing said prepreg to obtain a composite, and
- d) forcing the second portion of the composite obtained to the original shape of the tooth or teeth to be moved by the appliance.
An active orthodontic method of treatment comprising the steps of
- a) shaping a first portion of a prepreg consisting of a composition comprising at least one fiber and a matrix in its non-cured form, to the shape of the tooth or teeth to be used as support,
- b) shaping a second portion of the prepreg to the shape at the end of the orthodontic treatment,
- c) curing said prepreg to obtain a composite,
- d) forcing said second portion of the composite to the shape at the beginning of the orthodontic treatment to obtain an orthodontic appliance, and
- e) contacting said appliance to said teeth for the duration of said treatment.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.