Orthodontic plastic bracket
AssigneeOrmco Corporation
InventorsJames F. Reher, Farrokh Farzin-Nia
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An orthodontic bracket and method of making same. The bracket comprises a main body portion made of a rigid plastic material having a filler for improved strength. The bracket further includes a rigid reinforcement molded into the body for strengthening the archwire slot. The method comprises forming at least one insert in a blank sheet of metal, forming the insert to its final configuration, placing the insert in a mold cavity and forming the bracket around the insert, removing the bracket from the mold and separating the bracket from the sheet of metal at a predetermined point.
Claims46
An aesthetically pleasing orthodontic bracket having a strength sufficient to withstand forces, including archwire-applied forces, normally encountered in orthodontic treatment, said bracket comprising a base portion and a body portion extending therefrom, said bracket having at least one tiewing having an archwire slot for receiving an orthodontic archwire, said slot comprising a bottom wall and two opposed sidewalls which extend from said bottom wall, said base portion having a tooth contact surface for mounting the orthodontic bracket to a tooth, said body portion being made of a material selected from the group consisting of substantially transparent and substantially translucent plastics having a filler for improved strength in an amount which does not substantially reduce the transparency or translucency of said transparent or translucent plastic, respectively, said body portion having an insert made of a material having a strength greater than that of said body portion, said insert forming at least a portion of said archwire slot for receiving an orthodontic archwire, said insert comprising a bottom wall which extends along at lest a portion of the length of said slot and a pair of opposing sidewall support sections which form at least a portion of sidewalls of said slot, said insert begin sized and configured so as not to substantially reduce the transparency or translucency of the bracket.
An aesthetically pleasing orthodontic bracket having a strength sufficient to withstand forces, including archwire-applied forces, normally encountered in orthodontic treatment, said bracket comprising a base portion and a body portion extending therefrom, said base portion having a tooth contact surface for mounting the bracket to a tooth, said body portion and base portion being made of a material, selected from the group consisting of substantially transparent ad substantially translucent plastics having a filler for improved strength in an amount which does not substantially reduce the transparency or translucency of said transparent or translucent plastic, respectively, said body portion having an insert made of a material having a strength greater than that of said body portion, said body portion and said insert forming an archwire slot for receiving an orthodontic archwire, said insert having a bottom wall extending along at least a portion of the length of said slot and a pair of oppositely disposed side support sections which extend for at least a portion of the length of said slot, said pair of oppositely disposed side portions each having at least one opening therein for allowing a portion of said body portion to extend therethrough for securing said insert in said body, said insert being sized and configured so as not to substantially reduce the transparency or translucency of the bracket.
An aesthetically pleasing orthodontic bracket having a strength sufficient to withstand forces, including archwire-applied forces, normally encountered in orthodontic treatment, said bracket comprising a base portion with an integral body portion extending therefrom, said bracket having at least one tiewing having a substantially rectangular archwire slot for receiving an orthodontic archwire, said slot comprising a bottom wall and two opposed sidewalls which extend form said bottom wall, said base portion having a tooth contact surface for adhesively mounting the orthodontic bracket to a tooth, said body portion and base portion being made to a material selected form the group consisting of substantially transparent and substantially translucent plastics having a filler for improved strength in an amount which does not substantially reduce the transparency or translucency of said transparent or translucent plastic, respectively, said body portion having a reinforcing insert made of a material having a strength greater than that of said body portion, said inset forming at least a portion of said archwire slot for receiving an orthodontic archwire, said insert comprising a bottom wall which extends along at least a portion of the length of said slot and a pair of opposing sidewall support sections which form at least a portion of sidewalls of said slot, said insert being sized and configured so as not to substantially reduce the transparency or translucency of the bracket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.