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US 2007/0190478 A1Published application
Advanced thermoplastics for orthodontics
OwnerArtie Goldberg, Charles Burstoneinventors
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Abstract
An orthodontic appliance including at least one orthodontic component comprising a thermoplastic polymer. In some embodiments the thermoplastic polymer is a rigid backbone polymer including at least one of a compatibilizing side group or a solubilizing side group. The thermoplastic polymer may be heat processed to form the orthodontic component.
Claims20
A method of forming an orthodontic component or an orthodontic component precursor, comprising:
- providing a thermoplastic material at least partially comprising a first arylene or heteroarylene moiety joined to a second arylene or heteroarylene moiety by a covalent bond between adjoining ring carbon atoms of the arylene or heteroarylene moieties;
- heating the thermoplastic material;
- and
- processing the heated thermoplastic material to form the orthodontic component or the orthodontic component precursor.
1 more element
A method of providing an orthodontic force system, comprising:
- providing a bracket having a slot with a slot shape;
- mounting the bracket to a tooth in need of orthodontic movement;
- providing a first force delivery component comprising a thermoplastic material at least partially comprising a first arylene or heteroarylene moiety joined to a second arylene or heteroarylene moiety by a covalent bond between adjoining ring carbon atoms of the arylene or heteroarylene moieties, the first force delivery component having a first cross sectional shape providing a good fit with the bracket slot;
- providing a second force delivery component comprising a second cross sectional shape different than the first cross sectional shape and having a good fit with the bracket slot;
- and
- interengaging one of the first force delivery component or the second force delivery component in the bracket slot to provide a first orthodontic force system;
- interengaging the other of the first force delivery component or the second force delivery component in the bracket slot to provide a second orthodontic force system.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.