A cheek retraction or dental device is provided with a member forming an arm extending between and connecting a first retractor and a second retractor. Each retractor defines an internal passage and an aperture. A nasal tube defines another internal passage and an aperture, and the nasal tube extends between and is in fluid communication with the passages of the first and second retractors. A fluid connector to connect the dental device to a remote vacuum source is supported by the arm and in fluid communication with the first and second passages. The apertures of the first and second retractors face towards one another such that aerosols flow from an oral cavity of a patient into the passages of the retractors. The aperture of the nasal tube faces away from the arm such that aerosols flow from a nasal passage of the patient into the passage of the nasal tube.

A dentoalveolar stabilizer includes a tray or channel having arranged thereon a stabilizing medium, which in some instances may be a wax-like medium. The tray and/or channel is sized and shaped to be placed over the entire mandibular (i.e., lower) or maxillary (i.e., upper) dentition. The stabilizing medium holds an affected tooth (e.g., a tooth that is loose or fractured following dentoalveolar trauma) in place and uses the stability of the adjacent healthy teeth and hard tissues to help stabilize the affected tooth. The dentoalveolar stabilizer can also stabilize an alveolar fracture, a palatal fracture, and/or a non-displaced mandible fracture. The dentoalveolar stabilizer can then be kept in place until the patient can be seen and definitively managed by a dental specialist.

A retainer cooperating with a plurality of teeth and configured to stabilize the plurality of teeth, the retainer including at least one elongated arc which is shaped overall adapted to a natural curvature of a lower jaw or an upper jaw, wherein the at least one elongated arc is locally adapted individually to a surface contour of respective abutting teeth, wherein the retainer is machined from a sheet metal plate and includes two mutually parallel surfaces, wherein the sheet metal plate is made from a nickel titanium alloy, preferably a nitinol, wherein the retainer contacts a tooth surface in an installed condition of the retainer, wherein a machined surface of the retainer faces the tooth surface in the installed condition of the retainer, and wherein an upper side or a lower side of the retainer corresponds to an original surface plane of the sheet metal plate.

A temporary alignment system and method for holding a dental coping to an implant abutment using the same threads in the abutment that are used for definitive attachment are disclosed. The disclosed temporary fasteners initially orient and hold a coping against an abutment with a force along the same axis as the semi-definitive screw. The aligned coping can be picked-up in a closed-tray impression process without unscrewing the temporary fastener. Embodiments include threaded posts that release copings from the abutment through axial forces. Some embodiments include a threaded post with separable cap that is picked-up with the coping. Methods for converting an existing prosthesis for screw attachment to implants in a single visit and digital capture of the converted prosthesis are described.

An orthodontic tool includes a trimmer having a lever, a base, and a spring positioned between the lever and the base. A first substantially transversely extending portion extends from the lever and a second substantially transversely extending portion extends from the base. A cutting surface is associated with each transversely extending portion. The orthodontic tool also includes a tool set having at least two arms coupled together at one end by a fastener and the arms including two or more of a sanding tool, a hook, and a pick.

Disclosed is an orthodontic composite, comprising: an orthodontic member which has a tube shape, a hollow polygonal prism shape, a hollow truncated polygonal pyramid shape, a hollow truncated cone shape, or a funnel shape; and an orthodontic wire that is inserted into the hollow portion of the orthodontic member, wherein the orthodontic member includes a water-soluble or biodegradable material. Thereby, the orthodontic composite of the present invention making it simple to perform orthodontic treatment by attaching the orthodontic composite.

Disclosed is an orthodontic member, having a tube shape, a hollow polygonal prism shape, a hollow truncated polygonal pyramid shape, a hollow truncated cone shape, or a funnel shape, and including a water-soluble or biodegradable material, wherein the orthodontic member into which a wire is inserted is attached to the teeth, thereby making it simple to perform orthodontic treatment.

An orthodontic appliance for attachment to an archwire having a rectangular cross section. The appliance includes a body having a base portion from which a pair of jaws extend. Each jaw a slot for receiving the archwire. A pair of opposing surfaces of the jaws contact the archwire along two edges and maintain a grip on the archwire during treatment. The grip is maintained on the archwire by residual elastic strain from an interference fit between the archwire and the slot. The appliance is not plasticly deformed. Each of the pair of opposing surfaces includes a concave portion to contact the archwire only at the two edges. The base portion includes a pedestal portion between the opposing surfaces. The pedestal portion has a flat that contacts a side of the archwire. Contact on the two edges and one side provides a triangular grip on the archwire.

Dental apparatuses, such as palatal expanders, and methods of forming them. The dental apparatuses may have multiple regions having different physical characteristics for performing different functions when worn by a patient as part of a dental treatment. The different regions may be made of different materials, or different combinations of materials, based on rigidity, flexibility and/or other physical characteristics. For palatal expanders, the different regions can include a tooth engagement region adapted to engage with the patient's teeth and a palatal region adapted to exert an expansion force across the patient's palate. The different regions may be joined together by a junction or a transition region configured to sufficiently hold adjacent regions together during use.

Dental apparatuses, such as palatal expanders, attachment templates, mandibular repositioning aligners, and a variable property aligners, and methods of forming them. The dental apparatuses may have multiple regions having different physical characteristics for performing different functions when worn by a patient as part of a dental treatment. The different regions may be made of different materials, or different combinations of materials, based on rigidity, flexibility and/or other physical characteristics. The different regions may be joined together by a junction region configured to sufficiently hold adjacent regions together during use.