US 5,395,236 A · Orthodontic pliers

Abstract

The pliers in overall structure resemble conventional orthodontic pliers, but have specialized jaw members adapted to effectuate necessary gingivally directed bends in the distal ends of the arch wire. With reference to an imaginary plane along which the jaw members open and close, a first jaw member projects transversely from this plane and has a free end provided with an angulated, profile facing the longitudinal axis of the pliers. A second jaw member projects transversely to the plane, and has a free end provided with a concave, preferably angulated profile adapted to mate intimately with the convex profile when the jaws are in the closed position. Each of the profiles includes an inner surface closer to the pivot joint of the pliers, oriented perpendicularly to the plane and parallel to the pliers longitudinal axis, and an outer surface farther from the pivot, oriented perpendicularly to the plane and angled obliquely to the longitudinal axis. Preferably, the dimension of the inner surface parallel to the longitudinal axis, is less than the dimension of the outer surface along the oblique angle. Preferably, the outer surface is about 2.5 mm in length, and the inner surface about 0.5 mm in length, defining a ratio of approximately 5 to 1.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A pair of orthodontic pliers for installing dental arch wires, comprising:

first and second elongated actuating members, each actuating member including a handle portion for grasping in the hand, and a nose portion for positioning adjacent the dental arch wires, the actuating members being pivotally joined intermediate the handle portions and the nose portions so that the nose portions can be moved toward and away from each other into respective closed and open positions substantially along an imaginary plane by manipulating the handles about a longitudinal axis;
a first jaw member projecting transversely to said plane and from only one side thereof, from the nose portion of the first actuating member, and having an externally angled profile facing the longitudinal axis;
a second jaw member projecting transversely to said plane and from only said side thereof, from the nose portion of the second actuating member, and having an internally angled profile adapted to mate with said externally angled profile when the nose portions are in the closed position;
each of said profiles including an inner surface located closer to the pivot and oriented perpendicularly to the imaginary plane and parallel to the longitudinal axis, and an outer surface farther from the pivot and oriented perpendicularly to the imaginary plane and angled obliquely to the longitudinal axis.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Orthodontic pliers

Life of this patent

Orthodontic pliers

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11