A system for scanning a dental arch of a patient includes a reference element having a reference pattern thereon; a holding mechanism configured to hold the reference element in a fixed position inside the patient's oral cavity adjacent to and spaced from the dental arch, wherein the holding mechanism is configured to be installed on the patient without contacting an occlusal surface of the dental arch; and an intra-oral scanner configured to scan the dental arch and an adjacent portion of the reference element to obtain a scanned image comprising the scanned portion of the dental arch and the scanned adjacent portion of the reference pattern.

A system for scanning a dental arch of a patient includes a reference element having a reference pattern thereon; a holding mechanism configured to hold the reference element in a fixed position inside the patient's oral cavity adjacent to and spaced from the dental arch, wherein the holding mechanism is configured to be installed on the patient without contacting an occlusal surface of the dental arch; and an intra-oral scanner configured to scan the dental arch and an adjacent portion of the reference element to obtain a scanned image comprising the scanned portion of the dental arch and the scanned adjacent portion of the reference pattern.

An orthodontic appliance is provided and includes: a base member fixed to two or more screws implanted in a vicinity of median palatine suture of a palate bone; an arm-shaped arm member having a first connecting portion connected to the base member and a second connecting portion located in a vicinity of palatal side of a tooth; and a traction member that is made of an elastic wire material and pulls a tooth as the traction target. The traction member has a traction base portion, a traction fixation portion, and a traction force generation portion. The traction fixation portion has a bent portion in which the wire material extending along dentition is plastically deformed and bent toward a tooth root side. The bent portion is hooked on a protruding portion protruding to a palate side in a bracket.

A metal orthodontic mouth gag is provided, which includes an upper supporting frame, a lower supporting frame, a supporting wing of a left molar area and a supporting wing of a right molar area. The upper supporting frame is a serpentine upper bent rod which is made by a thin steel wire being sequentially wound up and down, and the lower supporting frame is a serpentine lower bent rod which is made by a thin steel wire being sequentially wound up and down. The supporting wing of the left molar area includes a left C-shaped supporting rod and a left blocking supporting frame, and the supporting wing of the right molar area includes a right C-shaped supporting rod and a right blocking supporting frame. The blocking supporting frames are connected into the corresponding C-shaped supporting rods.

A metal orthodontic mouth gag is provided, which includes an upper supporting frame, a lower supporting frame, a supporting wing of a left molar area and a supporting wing of a right molar area. The upper supporting frame is a serpentine upper bent rod which is made by a thin steel wire being sequentially wound up and down, and the lower supporting frame is a serpentine lower bent rod which is made by a thin steel wire being sequentially wound up and down. The supporting wing of the left molar area includes a left C-shaped supporting rod and a left blocking supporting frame, and the supporting wing of the right molar area includes a right C-shaped supporting rod and a right blocking supporting frame. The blocking supporting frames are connected into the corresponding C-shaped supporting rods.

The invention relates to a method for the repeated activation of orthodontic correction devices with a known critical temperature (Tkrit) and a glass transition temperature (Tg) lying above the critical temperature. In the method according to the invention, in order to guarantee gentle repeated activation, an orthodontic correction device is heated to a temperature that lies above the critical temperature but below the known glass transition temperature. The invention also relates to a device for performing the method.

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.

The present invention discloses a method of producing an orthodontic transpalatal arch having multiproperties. The present invention provides the transpalatal arch which is easy to prepare without the need of laboratory, cast, and impression. It includes the steps of (a) taking a sterile electrical wire (01) wherein the electrical wire (01) is pushed to follow the palatal contour, opposite to the area of the upper first right and left side molars with the help of a band pusher to record all texture and contour of the palatal area from upper left first molar to upper right first molar, (b) arranging a twistflex (02) inside a plastic tube (04) piece, (c) fixing the plastic tube (04) with twistflex (02) to the wire in a similar shape of the wire recorded for the palatal area by a plurality of hair clamps (05), (d) pouring a resin material inside the plastic tube (04) based on the required properties of the transpalatal arch, (e) setting the resin material along with the twistflex (02), and (f) cutting the plastic tube (04) to release the set resin material with the twistflex (02).

The present invention discloses a method of producing an orthodontic transpalatal arch having multiproperties. The present invention provides the transpalatal arch which is easy to prepare without the need of laboratory, cast, and impression. It includes the steps of (a) taking a sterile electrical wire (01) wherein the electrical wire (01) is pushed to follow the palatal contour, opposite to the area of the upper first right and left side molars with the help of a band pusher to record all texture and contour of the palatal area from upper left first molar to upper right first molar, (b) arranging a twistflex (02) inside a plastic tube (04) piece, (c) fixing the plastic tube (04) with twistflex (02) to the wire in a similar shape of the wire recorded for the palatal area by a plurality of hair clamps (05), (d) pouring a resin material inside the plastic tube (04) based on the required properties of the transpalatal arch, (e) setting the resin material along with the twistflex (02), and (f) cutting the plastic tube (04) to release the set resin material with the twistflex (02).

Palatal expander apparatuses for expanding a patient's palate (“palatal expanders”) and methods of using and making them. These palatal expanders may be configured to have a variable surface smoothness on one side (e.g., the lingual-facing surface) compared to the opposite side (e.g., the palatal-facing surface). These palatal expanders may be configured to have a varying thickness in the palatal region. These palatal expanders may be adapted for ease in removal by the patient or caregiver (e.g., including a hinged region and/or detachment region, and/or including a thinner buccal side then occlusal side, etc.).