Method for shaping an orthodontic wire made of a shape-memory material, and associated wire

Abstract

Method for shaping an orthodontic wire, made of a shape-memory material, into a target geometry in order to permit precise insertion into a patient-specific orthodontic apparatus, said method having the following steps: a) creating a patient-specific target set-up of the upper jaw or lower jaw of the patient, b) placing brackets on teeth to be treated in the target set-up, c) preparing a two-dimensional image of the target set-up with brackets in a plan view, d) loading the image into a data processor, e) identifying the position of the slots of the brackets in the image, f) exporting data on the position of the slots from the data processor, g) creating a baking mould for the shape-memory wire, wherein the data are used to help generate wire-fixing portions in the baking mould that maintain the wire in areas corresponding to the slots during the baking, h) inserting the wire into the baking mould, and i) baking the wire.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.