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US 5,645,421 AGranted
Orthodontic appliance debonder
AssigneeGreat Lakes Orthodontics, Ltd.
InventorGary Lee Slootsky
Life of this patent
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AssigneeGreat Lakes Orthodontics, Ltd.
InventorGary Lee Slootsky
Estimating the term…
An orthodontic appliance debonder for minimizing the time and effort on the part of the clinician in removing bondable orthodontic appliances, i.e. those having a plastic body secured to the crowns of the teeth by an orthodontic bonding agent. In accordance with the invention, a screw is incorporated in the plastic body of the appliance, in particular in the occlusal portion thereof. The screw is oriented substantially vertically when the patient's head is in an upright position and preferably is positioned over the first molar. A thin layer of plastic occlusal to the screw maintains the integrity of the seal between the plastic body and the tooth. This thin layer of plastic is compromised when the screw is activated, such as being turned or rotated by an Allen wrench type tool, thus breaking the bond or seal between the plastic body and the tooth. The appliance lifts up in a manner similar to a car being lifted up by a screw type jack. Installation of the debonding screw in the appliance results in a slightly thicker occlusal plastic, but this is clinically inconsequential in most cases.
In an orthodontic appliance including a plastic body having a first continuous surface adapted to be bonded to a patient's tooth and a second surface spaced therefrom to define a thickness of the body, the improvement comprising a debonder comprising screw means carried in said body and having a first end spaced inwardly from said first surface and having a second, opposite end provided with a formation engageable by a tool so that upon rotation by the tool to advance said screw means through said body and toward and through said first surface said first end of said screw means engages the tooth causing said screw means to apply a lifting force to said body to break the bond between said first surface of said bond and the tooth thereby allowing removal of the appliance from the tooth.
A method of making an orthodontic appliance of the type having a plastic body adapted to be bonded to a patient's teeth and incorporating an improved debonding means, said method comprising:
An orthodontic method comprising the steps of:
In an orthodontic appliance including a plastic body having a first surface adapted to be bonded to a patient's tooth and a second surface spaced therefrom to define a thickness of the body, the improvement comprising a debonder comprising screw means carried in said body and having a first end spaced inwardly from said first surface and having a second, opposite end provided with a formation engageable by a tool, said thickness of said plastic body bring greater than the distance between said first and second ends of said screw means, so that upon rotation by the tool to advance said screw means toward and through said first surface said first end of said screw means engages the tooth causing said screw means to apply a lifting force to said body to break the bond between said first surface of said body and the tooth thereby allowing removal of the appliance from the tooth.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.