Apparatus for indirect bonding of orthodontic appliances and method of making the same
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsJames D. Cleary, David K. Cinader, Oliver L. Puttler
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus for use in indirect bonding of orthodontic appliances includes a container having a chamber and a placement device received in the chamber. At least one orthodontic appliance is releasably connected to the placement device and has a base with a contour that is a replica of a portion of the patient's tooth structure. A bonding composition for bonding the appliance to the patient's tooth structure is applied to the base before the container is closed by the manufacturer, such that the practitioner can simply remove the placement device from the chamber and immediately transfer the appliances to the patient's teeth.
Claims19
Apparatus for use in indirect bonding of orthodontic appliances comprising:
- a container having a chamber, said container including a barrier layer to reduce the passage of volatile components therethrough;
- an orthodontic placement device received in the chamber, wherein the placement device comprises a tray and has a construction matching at least a portion of the patient's dental arch;
- a plurality of orthodontic appliances releasably connected to the placement device, each appliance having a base with a contour that is a replica of a contour of a portion of the patient's tooth structure;
- and
- a bonding composition on the base of each appliance for bonding to the patient's tooth structure.
The apparatus of 5 wherein the curable composition is a light-curable composition.
A method of making apparatus for orthodontic indirect bonding comprising:
- providing a plurality of orthodontic appliances;
- obtaining information in an orthodontic practitioner's office relating to the contour of at least a portion of the patient's tooth structure;
- providing the information to a manufacturer of indirect bonding trays;
- forming a base at the manufacturer's facility on each appliance to replicate a portion of the patient's tooth structure;
- connecting each appliance to a placement device, wherein the placement device comprises an indirect bonding tray;
- applying at the manufacturer's facility a quantity of bonding composition to each base;
- placing the placement device within a container;
- and
- sending the container to an orthodontic practitioner after the placement device is placed within the container.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.