Orthodontic appliance to correct open-bite tendencies in children and adults and tongue-thrust in young children
OwnerEarl O. Bergerseninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An orthodontic tooth positioning appliance is provided for correcting open-bite which includes a web region engageable by the posterior teeth to prevent further eruption of those teeth and a vertical gap between the occlusal surfaces of the anterior teeth to permit further eruption of those teeth. The appliance may also include a tongue guide profile including at least one pointed protrusion on the lingual side of the lower midline portion of the appliance and a recessed area above the protrusion for receiving a tip of the tongue.
Claims21
An orthodontic tooth positioning appliance which is generally U-shaped in plan view and which includes at least one tooth receiving trough of a size and shape for positioning at least one row of a patient's upper and lower row of teeth of sufficient length to include incisors and canines, said trough being defined by lingual and labial-buccal flanges and including an isthmus interconnecting said flanges;
- said isthmus having a vertical slit along less than an entirety of the length of said appliance in an anterior portion of said appliance which is engaged by at least some of the central incisor, lateral incisor and canine anterior teeth.
An orthodontic tooth positioning appliance which is generally U-shaped in plan view and which includes at least one tooth receiving trough of a size and shape for positioning at least one row of a patient's upper and lower row of teeth of sufficient length to include incisors and canines, said trough being defined by lingual and labial-buccal flanges and including an isthmus interconnecting said flanges;
- said isthmus having a vertical slit in an anterior portion of said appliance which is engaged by at least some of the central incisor, lateral incisor and canine anterior teeth;
- and
- means for guiding the tongue including at least one pointed protrusion formed on the lingual side of the lower midline portion of the appliance and a recessed area superior to the protrusion for receiving a tip of the tongue.
An orthodontic tooth positioning appliance which is generally U-shaped in plan view with a bight at an anterior portion and free ends at two posterior portions and which includes at least one tooth receiving trough of a size and shape for positioning at least one row of a patient's upper and lower row of teeth, said trough being defined by lingual and labial-buccal flanges and having a web interconnecting said flanges,
- said web interconnecting said flanges only in the posterior portions of said appliance to engage posterior teeth so as to prevent further eruption of those teeth.
An orthodontic tooth positioning appliance which is generally U-shaped in plan view with a bight at an anterior portion and free ends at two posterior portions and which includes at least one tooth receiving trough of a size and shape for positioning at least one row of a patient's upper and lower row of teeth, said trough being defined by lingual and labial-buccal flanges and having a web interconnecting said flanges,
- said web interconnecting said flanges only in the posterior portions of said appliance;
- and
- means for guiding the tongue including at least one pointed protrusion formed on the lingual side of the lower midline portion of the appliance and a recessed area superior to the protrusion for receiving a tip of the tongue.
An orthodontic tooth positioning appliance which is generally U-shaped in plan view with a bight at an anterior portion and free ends at two posterior portions and which includes at least one tooth receiving trough of a size and shape for positioning at least one row of a patient's upper and lower row of teeth, said trough being defined by lingual and labial-buccal flanges and having a web interconnecting said flanges,
- said web including a pair of vertically opposed channels in an anterior portion of said appliance.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.