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US 4,360,341 AGranted
Orthodontic method for treating malocclusion
OwnerEugene L. Dellingerinventor
Life of this patent
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OwnerEugene L. Dellingerinventor
Estimating the term…
The invention comprehends the use of a fixture which fits over a tooth on which a bracket is to be affixed, this fixture having an internal cavity which essentially matches the shape and contour of a portion of the tooth, such as the lingual surface and incisal edge, the remaining portion of the fixture extending downwardly in spaced juxtaposition with respect to the labial surface. This labial space is slightly greater than the height of a standard bracket. The juxtaposed surface of the fixture is preferably provided with a smoothly contoured irregularity adapted to mate with a plastic or the like bracket-orienting module having a complementary surface portion, the opposite portion of this module being contoured to nest in or over the labial portion of a bracket. This contoured module portion may include a projection which slidably fits the bracket slot. Thus, with a bracket fitted onto the projection with the module in place in the fixture, the bracket is positively oriented in a precise location relative to the fixture. By forming the module-orienting portion of the fixture in registry with the desired location of the bracket on the tooth, the fixture and the orienting module can be used to position precisely a bracket on the patient's tooth.
The method of positioning a bracket in a predetermined position on a patient's tooth comprising the steps of forming a locating fixture with an internal cavity provided with lingual and labial or buccal sides having one portion complementary to preselected surface anatomy of a given tooth and a second portion spaced from and overlying in general parallelism one of the labial, buccal or lingual surfaces of said tooth, fitting a bracket-orienting element onto said second portion in a predetermined relationship therewith as determined by mating orienting portions on both said element and said second portion, said element having a bracket-receiving portion adapted to orient a bracket relative to said second portion, engaging a bracket with said bracket-receiving portion, said element thereby being disposed within said cavity, and transferring said bracket to the patient's tooth by registering said one portion of the cavity of said fixture with said preselected tooth surface anatomy.
The method of fabricating an orthodontic appliance and repositioning a patient's teeth, comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.