Orthodontic appliance

The method of torquing inwardly an outwardly inclined tooth of a row of teeth comprising the steps of preparing a flexible substantially inelastic generally U-shaped member,

• forming an opening in said member so as to provide an outer portion, an inner portion and a connecting portion interconnecting said outer and inner portions at either end of said member,
• associating said member with said row of teeth such that said outer portion is adjacent the facial surfaces of said teeth, said inner portion is adjacent the lingual surfaces of said teeth, and overlies the gingiva adjacent said lingual surfaces, said connecting portions extend around the distal surfaces of the posterior ones of said teeth, and the crowns of said teeth extend through said opening, engaging the facial surface of said tooth with said outer portion so as to produce an inward reactive force on said tooth,
• and simultaneously engaging the lingual surface of said tooth with said inner portion so as to produce an outward reactive force on said tooth,
• with said inner portion engaging said tooth relatively closer to the cervix thereof than does said outer portion, whereby said outer and inner portions produce a force couple rotationally biasing said tooth inwardly,
• and maintaining said tooth so engaged for a time sufficient to cause said tooth to be rotated into substantially complementary engagement with said inner and outer portions.

The method of torquing outwardly an inwardly inclined tooth of a row of teeth comprising the steps of preparing a flexible substantially inelastic generally U-shaped member,

• forming an opening in said member so as to provide an outer portion, an inner portion and a connecting portion interconnecting said outer and inner portions at either end of said member,
• associating said member with said row of teeth such that said outer portion is adjacent the facial surfaces of said teeth, said inner portion is adjacent the lingual surfaces of said teeth, and overlies the gingiva adjacent said lingual surfaces, said connecting portions extend around the distal surfaces of the posterior ones of said teeth, and the crowns of said teeth extend through said opening,
• engaging the facial surface of said tooth with said outer portion so as to produce an inward reactive force on said tooth,
• and simultaneously engaging the lingual surface of said tooth with said inner portion so as to produce an outward reactive force on said tooth,
• with said outer portion engaging said tooth relatively closer to the cervix thereof than does said inner portion, whereby said outer and inner portions produce a force couple rotationally biasing said tooth outwardly,
• and maintaining said tooth so engaged for a time sufficient to cause said tooth to be rotated into substantially complementary engagement with said inner and outer portions.

The method of displacing outwardly a tooth of a row of teeth comprising the steps of preparing a flexible substantially inelastic generally U-shaped member,

• forming an opening in said member so as to provide an outer portion, an inner portion and a connecting portion interconnecting said outer and inner portions at either end of said member,
• associating said member with said row of teeth such that said outer portion is adjacent the facial surfaces of said teeth, said inner portion is adjacent the lingual surfaces of said teeth, and overlies the gingiva adjacent said lingual surfaces, said connecting portions extend around the distal surfaces of the posterior ones of said teeth, and the crowns of said teeth extend through said opening,
• and substantially complementarily engaging said lingual surface of said tooth with said inner portion so as to produce an outward reactive force while maintaining said outer portion spaced a predetermined distance from the facial surface of said tooth,
• and maintaining said tooth so engaged for a time sufficient to cause said tooth to be shifted outwardly into substantial engagement with said outer portion in response to said force.

The method of rotationally aligning a tooth of a row of teeth which tooth is rotationally misaligned by having a facial portion outwardly of a desired location and a lingual portion inwardly of a desired location comprising the steps of preparing a

• flexible substantially inelastic generally U-shaped member, forming an opening in said member so as to provide an outer portion, an inner portion and a connecting portion interconneccting said outer and inner portions at either end of said member, associating said member with said row of teeth such that said outer portion is adjacent the facial surfaces of said teeth, said inner portion is adjacent the lingual surfaces of said teeth, and overlies the gingiva adjacent said lingual surfaces, said connecting portions extend around the distal surfaces of the posterior ones of said teeth, and the crowns of said teeth extend through said opening,
• and substantially complementarily engaging said facial portion of said tooth with said outer portion of said member while maintaining other facial portions of said tooth spaced a predetermined distance from said outer portion of said member, simultaneously engaging said lingual portion of said tooth with said inner portion of same member while maintaining other lingual portions of said tooth spaced a predetermined distance from said inner portion of said member,
• whereby said inner and outer portions of said member produce a force couple rotationally biasing said tooth toward a position of rotational alignment,
• and maintaining said tooth as engaged until said tooth is rotated such that said other facial portions of said tooth are brought substantially into engagement with said outer portion of said member and said other lingual portions of said tooth are brought substantially into engagement with said inner portion of said member.