Adjustable orthodontic bracket and method using a microstructured shape memory polymer surface with reversible dry adhesion
OwnerMohammad Izadiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adjustable orthodontic bracket includes a metal base adapted to be rigidly secured directly to a tooth by a relatively thin layer of an orthodontic adhesive. This relatively thin layer of heat softening material fastens an orthodontic bracket directly to a tooth and subsequently heats the orthodontic material with a digital laser that allows the polymer material to reproduce a liquidous surface for adjusting the position of the bracket so that the bracket can be adjusted in all directions around the base member without overlapping the periphery of the base member.
Claims14
A method for temporarily and/or longer term fixing a foreign body to a human tooth with a reversible polymeric adhesive, said method comprising:
- providing a foreign body having a surface that generally conforms with the surface of the human tooth and a mass of a reversible bonding material;
- applying a thin layer of the reversible bonding material on a tooth with the thin layer of reversible bonding material on a conforming surface of bonding material against the tooth surface;
- heating the bonding material in excess of its glass-like temperature;
- and
- applying a metal dental bracket against said heated bonding material and allowing said bonding material to cool to a rigid form at a temperature below its glass-like temperature to return to a rigid set for affixing said body directly to said tooth.
A method for applying a foreign body to a human tooth for a first period of time and readjusting the position of said foreign body on said tooth comprising of the following steps:
- providing a foreign body having a surface that generally conforms with the surface of the human tooth and a mass of a reversible bonding material;
- applying a thin layer of the reversible bonding material on a tooth with the thin layer of reversible bonding material on a conforming surface of bonding material against the tooth surface;
- heating the bonding material in excess of its rigidifying temperature of about 90° C. to form a liquid surface;
- and
- applying a metal dental bracket against said heated bonding material and allowing said bonding material to cool to a rigid form at a temperature below its rigidifying temperature to return to a rigid set for affixing said body directly to said tooth;
- and
- heating said bonding material and repositioning said foreign body on said tooth for redirecting the forces to permanently fix the tooth in a modified position.
A method for applying a dental bracket directly to a human tooth for an initial period of time and for repositioning the dental bracket on said tooth consisting of the following steps:
- providing a metal dental bracket and an archwire fitting within said dental bracket for applying a force against said bracket to thereby straighten said tooth;
- applying a thin layer of said reversible bonding material on a tooth with a thin layer of bonding material conforming to the shape of the tooth;
- heating the bonding material to a temperature to form a glass-like rigid attachment, cooling said bonding material to a temperature below its glass-like rigidifying temperature;
- re-heating said bonding material to provide a liquid surface on said bonding material;
- and
- adjusting the bracket on said tooth to align said guidance to direct the direction of force to straighten said tooth.
An adjustable dental brace assembly directly attached to a human tooth, said brace assembly comprising or consisting of:
- a layer of a reversible polymeric adhesive shaped to generally conform to the shape of a human tooth applied to the tooth and a dental bracket having a shaped surface to generally conform to a corresponding surface of the tooth and an arch wire for fitting into said dental bracket to assert a force on said bracket and said corresponding tooth to move said tooth into alignment with the patient's other teeth;
- and
- wherein said layer of reversible polymeric adhesive is selected from the group consisting of reversible thermoplastic polymer and a reversible thermosetting polymeric adhesive.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.