A self-ligating bracket system comprising a body, an archwire slot receivable for an archwire, and a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism configured to allow a ligating sliding member to move between an open position, such that an archwire may be inserted into and/or removed from the archwire slot, and a closed position, such that an archwire is retained within the archwire slot.

A self-ligating bracket system comprising a body, an archwire slot receivable for an archwire, and a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism configured to allow a ligating sliding member to move between an open position, such that an archwire may be inserted into and/or removed from the archwire slot, and a closed position, such that an archwire is retained within the archwire slot.

A bending angle control means of a wire bending apparatus that includes a holding portion configured to hold at least a part of a dental wire and a bending portion configured to bend a predetermined portion of the dental wire held by the holding portion includes a storage unit in which data on a required bending angle in accordance with a position of the dental wire is stored, a bending angle calculator configured to calculate an applicable bending angle by adding an additional bending angle to the required bending angle in accordance with the position of the dental wire in consideration of a resilient restoring force, a measurer configured to measure an actual bending angle of the dental wire bent by the applicable bending angle, an error calculator configured to calculate an error between the actual bending angle and the required bend angle, and an additional bending angle corrector configured to correct the additional bending angle by applying the error.

A wire bending apparatus includes a base portion, a supplying portion configured to move the orthodontic wire along a length direction of the orthodontic wire, a bushing holding portion configured to hold at least a portion of a distal end of the supplied orthodontic wire to restrict the orthodontic wire from moving in a width direction of the orthodontic wire, and a bending portion which is positioned on the base portion so as to be rotatable about a rotation center axis and bends the portion of the distal end of the orthodontic wire held by the bushing holding portion to a predetermined angle with respect to a supply direction of the orthodontic wire as the bending portion is rotated.

A wire bending apparatus includes a base portion, a supplying portion configured to move the orthodontic wire along a length direction of the orthodontic wire, a bushing holding portion configured to hold at least a portion of a distal end of the supplied orthodontic wire to restrict the orthodontic wire from moving in a width direction of the orthodontic wire, and a bending portion which is positioned on the base portion so as to be rotatable about a rotation center axis and bends the portion of the distal end of the orthodontic wire held by the bushing holding portion to a predetermined angle with respect to a supply direction of the orthodontic wire as the bending portion is rotated.

Interproximal reduction guides apparatuses and methods of making and using them are described herein. These interproximal reduction guides apparatuses may include a body that fits over the patient's dental arch and one or more guide slots formed in them configured to limit the motion of an interproximal reduction cutting tool in a defined manner.

Interproximal reduction guides apparatuses and methods of making and using them are described herein. These interproximal reduction guides apparatuses may include a body that fits over the patient's dental arch and one or more guide slots formed in them configured to limit the motion of an interproximal reduction cutting tool in a defined manner.

A twisting-action, sliding bracket-door opening tool including a ceramic blade for opening self-ligating brackets, particularly ceramic self-ligating brackets with ceramic doors. The ceramic tool blade allows for opening of the ceramic bracket sliding door without significant wear or function loss, as compared to a similar tool made of stainless steel.

A twisting-action, sliding bracket-door opening tool including a ceramic blade for opening self-ligating brackets, particularly ceramic self-ligating brackets with ceramic doors. The ceramic tool blade allows for opening of the ceramic bracket sliding door without significant wear or function loss, as compared to a similar tool made of stainless steel.

Measuring instrument for orthodontic appliances comprising a body with a handle and a rectilinear head oriented orthogonally to the handle, wherein from a distal edge of the head protrudes an appendix, wherein said appendix is orthogonal to the head, that is, the appendix is oriented parallel to the handle, and is formed by a base having a predetermined width from which emerges a pin having a length which is also predetermined; the head is provided with a millimeter scale on at least one side of the appendix; the width of the base is a value selected among a plurality of predetermined values and is equal to the distance between the bodies of a palatal expander in closed configuration.