The invention relates to an orthodontic device which is particularly economical and as small as possible, and which has hooks and a small tube, produced from a sheet metal plate using stamping and bending techniques and without the use of welding or soldering. The orthodontic device comprises a base plate having a flat region with a gingival and an occlusal edge. An occlusal rolling forms the small tube. The gingival edge has a counter-directional rolling. Concave cuts are formed in the side edges in order to form wing-shaped hooks. Both rollings can hold an applicator/protector, with which the orthodontic device is protected during adhesion, and can then be applied to a tooth in the correct orientation.

According to an embodiment, a device for tightening an article includes a housing, a spool rotatably positioned within the housing, a knob operably coupled with the spool to cause the spool to rotate within the housing, and a stop mechanism. The device is configured so that incremental rotation of the knob in a first direction causes a corresponding incremental rotation of the spool within the housing that incrementally tensions a tension member and thereby tightens the article. The device is also configured so that incremental rotation of the knob in a second direction causes a corresponding incremental rotation of the spool that incrementally loosens the tension member's tension. The stop mechanism is configured to prevent rotation of the spool in the second direction when the tension member's tension achieves or falls below a tension threshold.

An accessory allows for straight archwires to be converted to looped archwires. The accessory has an archwire receiving channel which is defined between a first elongated coupling member and a second elongated coupling member. The archwire receiving channel is used for crimping the accessory to an existing archwire. An elastically deformable bridge, connected between the first elongated coupling member and the second elongated coupling member, imparts retraction or protraction once activated. The elastically deformable bridge is formed from one or more segments. Curved segments and linear segments are possible, which can be combined to form various shapes, for example omega loops and mushroom shapes. The first coupling member and the second coupling member have an angled lower portion and upper portion to facilitate engagement with existing archwires. Anchoring notches can also be used in conjunction with elastic bands for enhanced orthodontic corrections.

Hand held low friction ligation orthodontic instrument including a handle (12) on one end and an elongated shaft (8) extending longitudinally on the other end. The shaft comprises a copper nickel titanium metal alloy with modified memory characteristics, capable of great elasticity and flexibility. The shaft ligated simultaneously with an orthodontic wire into the bracket slot using a wire ligature provides after its pull a low friction wire ligature (11).

The orthodontic cinch back instrument is an orthodontic tool used for cinching back an end of an orthodontic wire. The orthodontic cinch back instrument includes an elongated handle portion which extends along a longitudinal axis and has opposed first and second ends. First and second shank portions are respectively secured to, and extend longitudinally from, the first and second ends of the elongated handle portion. First and second arcuate head supports are respectively secured to, and extend from, the first and second shank portions. The first and second arcuate head supports are positioned and contoured antisymmetrically with respect to one another about a lateral axis. First and second heads are respectively secured to the first and second arcuate head supports and are positioned and angled antisymmetrically with respect to one another about the lateral axis. Each of the first and second heads has a slot formed therein.

An accessory allows for straight archwires to be converted to looped archwires. The accessory has an archwire receiving channel which is defined between a first elongated coupling member and a second elongated coupling member. The archwire receiving channel is used for crimping the accessory to an existing archwire. An elastically deformable bridge, connected between the first elongated coupling member and the second elongated coupling member, imparts retraction or protraction once activated. The elastically deformable bridge is formed from one or more segments. Curved segments and linear segments are possible, which can be combined to form various shapes, for example omega loops and mushroom shapes. The first coupling member and the second coupling member have an angled lower portion and upper portion to facilitate engagement with existing archwires. Anchoring notches can also be used in conjunction with elastic bands for enhanced orthodontic corrections.

The orthodontic hand instrument includes a handle portion having a first end and an opposing second end, as well as a first shaft extending outward from the first end and a second shaft extending outward from the second end, each shaft having a working end. The working end of each shaft includes a stoop having a gingival head and an occlusal head, and a vertical slot extending between the gingival head and the occlusal head. Both the gingival head and the occlusal head of the stoop of each working end have a rectangular shape. The handle portion may have a knurled surface or other suitable griping surface for preventing the hand instrument from slipping out of the orthodontist's hand. Further, each shaft can include a tapered portion adjacent to the corresponding working end.

According to an embodiment, a device for tightening an article includes a housing, a spool rotatably positioned within the housing, a knob operably coupled with the spool to cause the spool to rotate within the housing, and a stop mechanism. The device is configured so that incremental rotation of the knob in a first direction causes a corresponding incremental rotation of the spool within the housing that incrementally tensions a tension member and thereby tightens the article. The device is also configured so that incremental rotation of the knob in a second direction causes a corresponding incremental rotation of the spool that incrementally loosens the tension member's tension. The stop mechanism is configured to prevent rotation of the spool in the second direction when the tension member's tension achieves or falls below a tension threshold.

The present disclosure relates to an apparatus for processing wire which prevents the z-axis bending of the wire, and more particularly, to an apparatus for processing wire which is capable of further maximizing the effect of preventing the z-axis bending of the wire by minimizing wire exposure out of the apparatus.

An instrument for facilitating opening of a ligating member for an orthodontic bracket. The instrument includes one tip designed to engage an opening feature on a labial side of a ligating door of the orthodontic bracket, and another tip designed to sit underneath a tie wing formed on a body of the orthodontic bracket. When the instrument is in position against the orthodontic bracket, squeezing together the handles results in the tips applying a reciprocal force on the ligating door and the bracket body to open the ligating door along the occlusal direction.