Tool for handling palatal expanders, including two opposed jaws adapted to clamp at least one body of a palatal expander, a handle, and actuation means adapted to move said jaws between a clamping position on said at least one body and respectively a release position, said jaws being bound elastically to one another and are normally spaced from each other, and said actuation means comprising a slider slidably mounted on the outer surfaces of the jaws, the slider being provided with a part adapted to interact with said outer surfaces so as to compress the jaws by pushing them toward each other when it is made to slide along a first direction and free them when it is made to slide along a second direction, said actuation means being adapted to firmly but reversibly lock the jaws in said clamping position.

Tool for handling palatal expanders, including two opposed jaws adapted to clamp at least one body of a palatal expander, a handle, and actuation means adapted to move said jaws between a clamping position on said at least one body and respectively a release position, said jaws being bound elastically to one another and are normally spaced from each other, and said actuation means comprising a slider slidably mounted on the outer surfaces of the jaws, the slider being provided with a part adapted to interact with said outer surfaces so as to compress the jaws by pushing them toward each other when it is made to slide along a first direction and free them when it is made to slide along a second direction, said actuation means being adapted to firmly but reversibly lock the jaws in said clamping position.

The present invention relates to an orthodontic gripping device having a body made of a superelastic metal alloy, cold worked titanium beta III, or solution heat treated and aged titanium beta III. The body has first and second, spaced apart arm portions connected to each other. Each arm portion includes a jaw portion having an inner, arch wire-gripping, surface. The inner gripping surfaces are disposed opposite one another in spaced relation with a station defined therebetween for receiving the arch wire. At least a portion of the station is sized smaller than the arch wire. The arm portions are resiliently deflectable outwardly away from each other to admit the arch wire into the station. Once seated in the station, the arch wire is tightly held by inner gripping surfaces so as to resist displacement of the gripping device relative to the arch wire.

The present invention relates to an orthodontic gripping device having a body made of a superelastic metal alloy, cold worked titanium beta III, or solution heat treated and aged titanium beta III. The body has first and second, spaced apart arm portions connected to each other. Each arm portion includes a jaw portion having an inner, arch wire-gripping, surface. The inner gripping surfaces are disposed opposite one another in spaced relation with a station defined therebetween for receiving the arch wire. At least a portion of the station is sized smaller than the arch wire. The arm portions are resiliently deflectable outwardly away from each other to admit the arch wire into the station. Once seated in the station, the arch wire is tightly held by inner gripping surfaces so as to resist displacement of the gripping device relative to the arch wire.

The present invention relates to orthodontic brackets designed for use with the deciduous teeth and method for its use. The brackets provide one or more debonding tabs which reduces the potential for damage to the deciduous tooth due to the application of excessive force during the debonding process. The small size of the brackets allow the brackets to fit available crown space on the deciduous teeth. Further the brackets are shaped to minimize mechanical forces applied to the deciduous teeth when engaged with an archwire. The bracket bases are shaped to conform to the morphology of the deciduous tooth crown surface thereby providing an optimal adhesive interface with the deciduous tooth. The deciduous brackets provide proper adhesion to avoid unwanted detachment of the brackets which often occurs when the use of permanent brackets is attempted on the deciduous teeth.

Systems and methods are disclosed to prevent interference between two physical tooth models in a physical dental arch model by acquiring the coordinates of a plurality of points on the surfaces of each of the two physical tooth models and digitally representing the surfaces of each of the two physical tooth models by a mesh of points in three dimensions using the acquired coordinates. The meshes representing the surfaces of the two physical tooth models intersect at least at one point to form an overlapping portion. The method also includes calculating the depth of the overlapping portion between the two meshes to quantify the interference of the two physical tooth models.

Systems and methods are disclosed to prevent interference between two physical tooth models in a physical dental arch model by acquiring the coordinates of a plurality of points on the surfaces of each of the two physical tooth models and digitally representing the surfaces of each of the two physical tooth models by a mesh of points in three dimensions using the acquired coordinates. The meshes representing the surfaces of the two physical tooth models intersect at least at one point to form an overlapping portion. The method also includes calculating the depth of the overlapping portion between the two meshes to quantify the interference of the two physical tooth models.

Provided are a clear aligner traction device, clear aligners, and a manufacturing method thereof, by which an orthodontic force may be increased by hanging an elastic belt on the clear aligners in a case when teeth are excessively misaligned and thus incapable of being appropriately aligned using only the clear aligners. The clear aligner traction device may include a button that is integrally formed with a clear aligner body and includes a head having a relatively large width, a neck connected to the head and having a relatively small width, and a connector for connecting the neck to the clear aligner body, and a reinforcer bonded to the button in a shape corresponding to the button to reinforce the strength of the button, such that an elastic member is hooked over the button.

Provided are a clear aligner traction device, clear aligners, and a manufacturing method thereof, by which an orthodontic force may be increased by hanging an elastic belt on the clear aligners in a case when teeth are excessively misaligned and thus incapable of being appropriately aligned using only the clear aligners. The clear aligner traction device may include a button that is integrally formed with a clear aligner body and includes a head having a relatively large width, a neck connected to the head and having a relatively small width, and a connector for connecting the neck to the clear aligner body, and a reinforcer bonded to the button in a shape corresponding to the button to reinforce the strength of the button, such that an elastic member is hooked over the button.

The present invention relates to an orthodontic gripping device having a body made of a superelastic metal alloy, cold worked titanium beta III, or solution heat treated and aged titanium beta III. The body has first and second, spaced apart arm portions connected to each other. Each arm portion includes a jaw portion having an inner, arch wire-gripping, surface. The inner gripping surfaces are disposed opposite one another in spaced relation with a station defined therebetween for receiving the arch wire. At least a portion of the station is sized smaller than the arch wire. The arm portions are resiliently deflectable outwardly away from each other to admit the arch wire into the station. Once seated in the station, the arch wire is tightly held by inner gripping surfaces so as to resist displacement of the gripping device relative to the arch wire.