Disclosed is a method for manufacturing an orthodontic appliance, including the following steps: producing a scanned image of a row of teeth in an initial position; then in a position sought; then producing of a scanned image of the orthodontic appliance, the appliance including an orthodontic arch and at least one fastening element for attachment to a tooth. The orthodontic device is configured for being assembled to the row of teeth in the initial position, so that the arch will take a planar shape when the row has moved into the position sought. The method further includes the following steps: producing a scanned image of the orthodontic arch in the planar shape; then manufacturing the arch from the image by cutting a plate of solid shape memory material.

A ligating clip for a self-ligating orthodontic bracket includes: a labial arm having a free end and a further end; a lingual arm having a free end and a further end; a connecting arm connected to the further ends of the labial arm and the lingual arm the labial arm, wherein the connecting arm and the lingual arm each have a distal side and a mesial side, the labial arm and the lingual arm extend generally in a gingival-occlusal direction and the connecting arm extends generally in a lingual-labial direction; and a locking element in form of a hook arranged at the free end of the lingual arm, wherein the hook protrudes in a lingual-labial direction. At least one cutout is arranged at the free end of the lingual arm, the at least one cutout being open at either the distal or the mesial side of the lingual arm.

An orthodontic appliance and associated systems and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the present technology includes a positioning member configured to position an orthodontic appliance during installation in the patient's mouth. The positioning member may comprise a first portion configured to be coupled to the patient's teeth and a second portion extending away from the first portion. The second portion may be configured to be detachably coupled to the orthodontic appliance. While the positioning member is coupled to the orthodontic appliance, the positioning member is configured to be positioned in the patient's mouth and coupled to the patient's teeth, thereby positioning the orthodontic appliance at a desired location adjacent a patient's oral anatomy.

An orthodontic appliance is rigid to avoid significant flexing due to therapeutic magnetic forces. The orthodontic appliance is magnetically mountable on the lingual or palatal side of teeth of a patient. Magnetic or magnetizable targets are mounted only on the lingual or palatal side of the patient's teeth. Orthodontic components are obscured from view behind the patient's teeth. Orthodontic correction is provided with improved esthetics. Magnets and/or targets can be of custom, designed or selected shapes, including non-planar shapes, to provide a desired force vector.

A method of manufacturing customized ceramic labial/lingual orthodontic brackets by digital light processing, said method comprises measuring dentition data of a profile of teeth of a patient, wherein measuring dentition data is performed using a CT scanner or intra-oral scanner, based on the dentition data, creating a three dimensional computer-assisted design (3D CAD) model of the patient's teeth using reverse engineering, and saving the 3D CAD model on a computer, designing a 3D CAD bracket structure model for a single labial or lingual bracket structure, importing the 3D CAD bracket structure model into a Digital Light Processing (DLP) machine, directly producing the bracket by layer manufacturing.

Disclosed herein are devices, systems, and method for preconditioning lingual tissue for lingual orthodontic treatment, including the application of lingual braces. Protuberances may be affixed to the lingual surfaces of one or more of a patient's teeth prior to the introduction of an orthodontic appliance to allow time for the tongue to adapt to the presence of foreign structures. The protuberances may promote keratinization of the lingual tissue. The protuberances may be removed prior to the application of the orthopedic appliance. The protuberances can be pre-fabricated or fabricated in situ on the surfaces of the teeth. The protuberances may be any suitable material, including metal, polymer, or ceramic.

An orthodontic appliance includes an indirect bonding tray; at least one bracket segment integrally formed with the indirect boding tray; an integral slot location feature formed in the at least one bracket segment; a support structure configured to be bonded with the at least one bracket segment and wherein the integral slot location feature is configured to positively orient the support structure relative to the at least one bracket segment, the support structure being further configured to retain an arch-wire; and wherein a weakened section joins the indirect bonding tray and the at least one bracket segment, the weakened section being configured to facilitate removal of the indirect bonding tray from the at least bracket segment after installation of the at least one bracket segment. An associated method of creating and installing the orthodontic appliance is also disclosed.

A bracket system for orthodontic appliances including a bracket combinatorial library having a plurality of brackets each interchangeably fixedly mountable to each of a plurality of teeth within a dentition group in a dental arch, whereby the plurality of brackets can be configured to provide incremental variation in tipping force moments, in-out force moments, and torqueing force moments over the entire useful range of orthodontic mechanics, allowing an orthodontic practitioner to prescribe a combination of tipping force moments, in-out force moments, and torqueing force moments unique for each tooth in relation to the plurality of teeth of a patient.

A system is directed to repositioning teeth and includes a first three-dimensional image showing an initial position in which a plurality of teeth are unaligned, and a second three-dimensional image shows a final position in which the plurality of teeth are aligned. The system also includes a plurality of structural domes for respective attachment to the plurality of teeth, the plurality of structural domes being customized and formed based on at least one of the first three-dimensional image and the second three-dimensional image. Each chair-side fabricated dome has at least one internal tunnel that is unaligned with an adjacent internal tunnel in the initial position. A continuous wire is inserted through each internal tunnel of the plurality of structural domes and applies a force to the plurality of structural domes such that adjacent internal tunnels are in alignment with each other in the final position.

An orthodontic device is provided, including an anchorage structure, a palatal expansion structure, and at least one protrusion. The anchorage structure includes left and right posterior teeth caps configured to be removably worn on the posterior teeth of the maxillary dental arch; a palatal bar connecting the left and right posterior teeth caps; and an expanded arch extending from the left posterior teeth cap to the right posterior teeth cap. The palatal expansion structure includes: left and right anterior teeth parts configured to be removably worn on the anterior teeth of the maxillary dental arch; and expansion screws connecting the left anterior teeth part and the right anterior teeth part to each other and to the palatal bar. The at least one protrusion is formed on then occlusal side of the expanded arch and configured to contact the patient's mandibular dental arch when the orthodontic device is worn.