Ceramic orthodontic bracket with archwire slot liner
AssigneesMinnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company, Ceradyne, Inc.
InventorsDavid P. Reed, John S. Kelly, James D. Hansen
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Abstract
An orthodontic bracket includes a ceramic body having an elongated channel, and a metallic archwire slot liner that is received in the channel. The liner is affixed to the ceramic body by a brazing process using a brazing material such as platinum, silver, an active metal or a mixture of molybdenum and manganese. Alternatively, the liner is formed in situ in the bracket body.
Claims17
A ceramic orthodontic bracket comprising a ceramic body having an elongated channel, said bracket including a liner received in said channel and having an archwire slot, said liner being made of a material having a Knoop hardness that is less than the Knoop hardness of said ceramic body, said liner being brazed to said ceramic body.
A method of making a ceramic orthodontic bracket comprising the steps of providing a ceramic orthodontic bracket body having an elongated channel, placing in the channel a metallic archwire slot liner having a Knoop hardness less than the Knoop hardness of the ceramic body, and brazing said liner to said ceramic body.
A method of making a ceramic orthodontic bracket comprising the steps of providing a ceramic orthodontic bracket body having an elongated channel and forming in situ an archwire slot liner in the channel, the liner being made of a material having a Knoop hardness that is less than the Knoop hardness of the ceramic body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.