Shape setting a shape memory alloy dental arch
AssigneeOrmco Corporation
InventorsAlfred David Johnson, Sammel Shahrier Alauddin
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Abstract
Methods are provided for shape-setting hyperelastic, single-crystal shape memory alloy (SMA) material while preserving the hyperelastic properties of the material. A wire or rod of a single crystal shape memory alloy material is heated to an annealing temperature (Ta). While maintained at the annealing temperature, the wire or rod is shaped by driving the wire or rod and a shaping form together into contact with each other, and the shaped wire or rod is quenched in a quenching medium virtually simultaneously with the shaping.
Claims8
A dental archwire having a pre-set shape including an elongate, curved length approximating the shape of a dental arch and a rectangular cross-section having a first dimension of 0.013-0.021 inch and a second dimension of 0.018-0.026 inch or a circular cross-section of diameter 0.013 through 0.026 inch over at least a portion of the elongate, curved length, wherein the dental archwire in the pre-set shape comprises a hyperelastic, single crystal shape memory alloy that is free of elemental precipitates and is capable of exhibiting greater than a 10 percent strain recovery, a constant force deflection, negligible stress hysteresis, and a binding force equal or less than 4 N.
A dental archwire having a pre-set shape including an elongate, curved length approximating the shape of a dental arch and a rectangular cross-section having a first dimension of 0.013-0.021 inch and a second dimension of 0.018-0.026 inch over at least a portion of the elongate, curved length, wherein the dental archwire in the pre-set shape comprises a hyperelastic, single crystal CuAl-based shape memory alloy that is free of Al precipitates and is capable of exhibiting greater than a 10 percent strain recovery, a constant force deflection, negligible stress hysteresis, and a binding force equal or less than 4 N.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.