Hand instrument for debonding orthodontic brackets
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsEvangelos G. Georgakis, James D. Christoff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hand instrument for debonding orthodontic brackets has a shield that extends around the bracket during a debonding procedure. In certain embodiments, the shield is connected to a vacuum source for carrying away any loose fragments or sections. In another embodiment, the debonding tool has at least one resilient surface for engagement with sides of the bracket to facilitate the application of uniform pressure on the bracket. Additional embodiments include a shield having at least one resilient outer edge for contact with the tooth surface.
Claims71
A hand instrument for debonding an orthodontic bracket comprising:
- a first jaw;
- a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw;
- and
- a shield having a chamber, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are located within the chamber, and wherein the shield has at least one outer, resilient edge for contact with a surface of the tooth.
A hand instrument for debonding an orthodontic bracket comprising:
- a first jaw;
- a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw;
- and
- a shield having a chamber, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw are located in the chamber, and wherein the shield has an outlet port for connecting the chamber to a vacuum source.
A hand instrument for debonding an orthodontic bracket comprising:
- a first jaw;
- a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw;
- and
- a shield having a first section, a second section and a chamber located between the first section and the second section, and wherein the first section is movable toward the second section to reduce the size of the chamber when the first jaw and the second jaw have been placed next to the orthodontic bracket.
A hand instrument for debonding an orthodontic bracket comprising:
- a first jaw;
- a second jaw movable relative to the first jaw, wherein at least one of the jaws includes a resilient surface for facilitating the application of uniform pressure to one or more sides of an orthodontic bracket during a debonding procedure;
- and
- a shield extending over the first jaw and the second jaw.
A hand instrument according to claim 36 and including a notch extending through the resilient surface.
A method of debonding an orthodontic bracket comprising the acts of:
- providing a hand instrument with a pair of movable jaws, at least one of which has a resilient outer edge;
- placing at least one resilient outer edge into contact with a surface of a tooth;
- and
- moving the jaws toward opposite sides of the bracket in order to urge the sides in directions toward each other.
A method of debonding an orthodontic bracket comprising the acts of:
- providing a hand instrument with a pair of movable jaws, at least one of which has a resilient surface;
- placing the jaws over opposite sides of the bracket;
- and
- moving the jaws toward the sides of the bracket such that at least one resilient surface engages the bracket as the sides of the bracket are urged together.
A method of debonding an orthodontic bracket comprising the acts of:
- placing a shield around the bracket;
- moving a pair of jaws toward opposite sides of the bracket in order to urge the sides together;
- and
- applying a source of vacuum to a chamber within the shield in order to help prevent the loss of any bracket fragments in the oral cavity.
A method of debonding an orthodontic bracket comprising the acts of:
- placing jaws of a hand instrument next to mesial and distal sides of the bracket;
- providing a shield having a mesial section and a distal section;
- shifting at least one of the mesial section and the distal section toward the other and in a direction toward an adjacent side of the bracket;
- and
- moving the jaws toward each other to engage the sides of the bracket and urge the sides in directions toward each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.