Provided are orthodontic devices to orthopedically expand the upper jaw including a pre-formed arch wire adapted to conform to the interior contours of a patient's mouth. The arch includes a rear portion positioned at a level about a patient's rear molars and includes a first end and a second end adapted to slidably engage associated buccal tubes. The arch also includes a front portion positioned at a level above a patient's gingiva and into the patient's vestibule, and a rise portion between the rear portion and front portion that changes the effective level of the arch wire from the rear portion to the front portion. The device also includes a means for attaching the wire to the molar teeth.

A method of using an orthodontic device to effect movement of an impacted or malpositioned tooth includes providing an orthodontic device, the orthodontic device including a bracket, a coiled spring, and an anchoring assembly, bonding the bracket to an impacted or malpositioned tooth, connecting a first end of the spring to a first spring attachment portion supported by the bracket, connecting a second end of the spring to a second spring attachment portion supported by the anchoring assembly, and coupling the anchoring assembly to a second orthodontic device that is installed in the patient's mouth.

A sliding molar distalizer is provided. The distalizer features a canine attachment bracket, a molar tube, and a rod connected to the bracket and having an engagement end for engaging the molar tube. A hook formed on a portion of the rod receives an elastic for imparting distalization force directly on the distalizer towards the molar tube. An orthodontic tube formed on the attachment bracket holds an archwire that passes through premolar brackets. A buccal push flange lever is formed at a distal portion of the rod for imparting force on the molar tube.

Embodiments relate to the methodology of direct manufacture of a customized labial/lingual orthodontic tube by using a ceramic slurry-based additive manufacturing (AM) technology. For example, a method of manufacturing customized ceramic labial/lingual orthodontic tubes by additive manufacturing may comprise measuring dentition data of a profile of teeth of a patient, based on the dentition data, creating a three-dimensional computer-assisted design (3D CAD) model of the patient's teeth, and saving the 3D CAD model, designing a virtual 3D CAD tube structure model for a single labial or lingual tube structure based upon said 3D CAD model, importing data related to the 3D CAD tube structure model into an additive manufacturing machine, and directly producing the tube with the additive manufacturing machine by layer manufacturing from an inorganic material including at least one of a ceramic, a polymer-derived ceramic, and a polymer-derived metal.

A ligating member operable to obtain an archwire within a slot of an orthodontic bracket or buccal tube, including a base, a first ligating finger extending from the base, a second ligating finger extending from the base, and a latching element extending from the base between the first ligating finger and the second ligating finger. The latching element includes a neck portion extending from the base, the neck portion having a minimum cross-section portion, and a head portion extending from the neck portion, the head portion including a protrusion. The ligating member has a length, L.sub.1, from the base to a centerline of the protrusion, and a length, L.sub.2, from a centerline of the minimum cross-section portion to the centerline of the protrusion, wherein L.sub.2 is equal to or greater than 40% of L.sub.1.

A system may display a user interface depicting a model of a patient's teeth and the patient's palate and/or the buccal shelf area. The palate and/or the buccal shelf area depict one or more implants. The system determines a non-moveable zone about the model via receiving a user input identifying the one or more non-moveable zones. The system generates multiple electronic versions of aligners configured to fit over the one or more implants and the patient's teeth. Wearing of successive aligners cause the patient's teeth to move in a direction toward a correction, while the aligners have non-moveable zones that remain in a fixed location in relationship to the one or more implants.

In an orthodontic system for use with a patient having an arch that includes a plurality of teeth. The orthodontic system includes an anchoring bracket; a first affixing mechanism, a tube and an archwire. The first affixing mechanism is configured to affix the anchoring bracket to a selected first one of the teeth. The tube is affixed to the anchoring bracket and is configured to extend along a portion of the arch. The archwire is secured to the anchoring bracket and extends from the tube. In a method of preventing damage to a portion of an archwire in an orthodontic braces set for moving a plurality of teeth, an anchoring bracket is affixed to a selected first one of the teeth. A tube is secured to the anchoring bracket so that the tube extends around the portion of the archwire.

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.

Aerogel, calcined articles, and crystalline articles comprising ZrO.sub.2. Exemplary uses of the crystalline metal oxide articles include dental articles (e.g., restoratives, replacements, inlays, onlays, veneers, full and partial crowns, bridges, implants, implant abutments, copings, anterior fillings, posterior fillings, and cavity liner, and bridge frameworks) and orthodontic appliances (e.g., brackets, buccal tubes, cleats, and buttons).

An orthodontic anchor (10) to be attached to the surface (12) of a tooth (11). The anchor (10) includes a base (13) which is in the form of a plate having a surface (14) that is dually fixed to the surface (12). Base (13) is in the form of a duct portion (15) providing a through passage (16). The passage (16) receives a tube (19), through which an elongated orthodontic element, such as a wire (21) or a chain can pass.