Dental device

A method for manufacturing a dental expander having:

• a first bracket member intended to be fixed to a first fixation tooth of a dental arch of a patient;
• a second bracket member intended to be fixed to a second fixation tooth of the dental arch of the patient;
• an active member rigidly connected to the first and second bracket members and configured such that, in a service position in which the expander is fixed to said dental arch, it exerts an action that widens said dental arch;
• said method having the following successive steps:
• a) a three-dimensional digital model of a dental arch having the fixation tooth, or “arch model”, is generated, preferably by means of an optical scanner;
• b) the arch model and a treatment to be applied to the patient are used as a basis for generating:
• a three-dimensional digital model of the first bracket member, the model of the first bracket member having an inner surface that substantially reproduces a part of the surface of the first fixation tooth, and/or
• a three-dimensional digital model of the second bracket member, the model of the second bracket member having an inner surface that substantially reproduces a part of the surface of the second fixation tooth, and/or
• a three-dimensional digital model of the active member;
• c) the model of the first bracket member is used as a basis for manufacturing said first bracket member, and/or the model of the second bracket member is used as a basis for manufacturing said second bracket member, and/or the model of the active member is used as a basis for manufacturing said active member, in each case preferably by 3D printing.