DEVICE FOR MOVING A TOOTH OR GROUP OF TEETH

Abstract

The invention is a device for moving a patient's tooth or related group of teeth. It is comprised of a housing which is fastened onto a base arch within the patient's oral cavity and which includes an adjuster which is connected to a palatal lock on the tooth to be moved using the adjuster. The base arch originates at a fixed jaw implant and is inserted into a channel in the housing which is freely accessible from outside and securely clamped using a lock connected to the housing, preferably a turn-type lock with a threaded shaft by tightening the threaded shaft.

Claims

1. A device for moving a patient's tooth or related group of teeth, comprising a housing fastened within the patient's oral cavity on a base arch and further comprising an adjuster, the adjuster comprising a connection to a lock on the tooth to be moved with the adjuster, wherein the base arch originates at a fixed jaw implant and is incorporated into and fastened within the housing, and wherein the housing comprises a channel that can be freely accessed from the outside to incorporate the base arch which can be covered at least in part by a lock attached to the housing and which can be fastened by clamping the base arch using the lock.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the lock is height-adjustable and comprises a press surface facing the channel, and wherein the lock conforms to the exterior shape of the base arch such that the base arch inserted into the channel is clamped firmly between the channel and press surface by adjusting the height of the lock.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the lock comprises a threaded shaft with a male thread for adjusting the height, wherein the threaded shaft is incorporated within a borehole of the housing and comprises a clamping nut placed in the housing to press on the base wire within the channel.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the lock comprises a threaded shaft with a male thread for adjusting the height, wherein the threaded shaft is incorporated within a borehole of the housing and comprises a clamping nut placed in the housing to press on the base wire within the channel.

5. The device of claim 3, wherein the lock comprises an angled arm coupled to the threaded shaft which is operable to be tightened over the base arch inserted into the channel by twisting the threaded shaft and has a press surface to clamp the base arch by tightening the clamping nut.

6. The device of claim 4, wherein the lock comprises an angled arm coupled to the threaded shaft which is operable to be tightened over the base arch inserted into the channel by twisting the threaded shaft and has a press surface to clamp the base arch by tightening the clamping nut.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the press surface has a recess that conforms to the exterior shape of the base wire.

8. The device of claim 3, wherein the press surface has a recess that conforms to the exterior shape of the base wire.

9. The device of claim 5 wherein the press surface has a recess that conforms to the exterior shape of the base wire.

10. The device of claim 2, further comprising an auxiliary device that exerts a force on the device in the direction of the channel and at least temporarily holds the base arch in place, such that the auxiliary device facilitates the insertion of the base arch.

11. The device of claim 3, further comprising an auxiliary device that exerts a force on the device in the direction of the channel and at least temporarily holds the base arch in place, such that the auxiliary device facilitates the insertion of the base arch.

12. The device of claim 5, further comprising an auxiliary device that exerts a force on the device in the direction of the channel and at least temporarily holds the base arch in place, such that the auxiliary device facilitates the insertion of the base arch.

13. The device of claim 7, further comprising an auxiliary device that exerts a force on the device in the direction of the channel and at least temporarily holds the base arch in place, such that the auxiliary device facilitates the insertion of the base arch.

14. The device of claim 10, wherein the auxiliary device has an elastic ring which can be placed over the base arch and fastened onto brackets of the housing and thereby pull the base arch towards its final position within the channel.

15. The device of claim 10, wherein the auxiliary device is a modified arm of the turn-type lock connected to the threaded shaft which has a continuously ascending coil which when the threaded shaft is turned can be put into place on the base arch and when the threaded shaft is turned moves the base arch towards a recess of the arm and towards the channel in the housing.

16. The device of claim 10, wherein the end of the connection to the lock on the tooth to be moved has an end cap that can be inserted into the lock with a custom fit which is extended by a tapered end cap projecting over the end of the lock which is fastened by sharply bending the end cap in the lock.

17. The device of claim 10 that includes a threaded spindle warehoused in the housing to move the tooth.

18. The device of claim 14 that includes a threaded spindle warehoused in the housing to move the tooth.

19. The device of claim 10, wherein a worm gear unit is situated in the housing and comprises a push rod that is connected with the tooth.

20. The device of claim 14, wherein a worm gear unit is situated in the housing and comprises a push rod that is connected with the tooth.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] The invention is illustrated in more detail by the drawings. Shown there:

[0022] FIG. 1: a perspective view of the top of a function module with a connection to a tooth to be moved;

[0023] FIG. 2: a perspective view of the bottom of the function module, with a turn-type lock and a channel for accommodating a base arch, in the open position of the turn-type lock;

[0024] FIG. 3: the view pursuant to FIG. 2 in the closed position of the turn-type lock for attaching the function module to a base arch only indicated here;

[0025] FIG. 4: a perspective view of the housing of the function module;

[0026] FIG. 5: a perspective illustration of the turn-type lock and a clamping nut for establishing it within the housing of the function module;

[0027] FIG. 6: a schematic perspective view of a modified turn-type lock to facilitate the insertion of the base arch in the channel of the housing of a function module;

[0028] FIG. 7: a schematic illustration of the position of the function module in the upper jaw; and

[0029] FIG. 8: a partial view of an additional implementation of a function module.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0030] In FIG. 1 to FIG. 3, a function module 1 for moving a molar is shown with a rectangular housing 2 which is secured within the oral cavity of a patient on a base arch 3 only indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0031] The position of function module 1 in the jaw is shown in FIG. 7. The base arch 3 runs in a U-shape along the tooth chain and is secured by a connection between the two U-arms with screws 100 to a fixed jaw implant 101 in the jawbone in the area of the anterior teeth 102 and runs roughly parallel to the dental arch. The function module 1 is secured to an arm of the base arch 3 in the area of a molar to be moved 103. For clarity, the position of the function module 1 is rotated in the image plane; the surface shown in reality lies approximately parallel to the inner surfaces of the teeth 102.

[0032] Shown schematically is another threaded spindle 53 warehoused in the housing of the function module and the connection 4 to a molar 103 to be moved which is outfitted in the usual manner with a palatal lock 104 in which the connection 4 engages, as explained in more detail below.

[0033] The housing is approximately 10 millimeters (mm) high, approximately 8 mm wide and approximately 4 mm deep; the base arch has a diameter of roughly 1.1 mm. The housing is rounded off on all corners to prevent irritation of the oral cavity or any injury.

[0034] A freely accessible channel 5 is provided on the bottom of the housing 2 parallel to its edge in which base arch 3 can be inserted with a custom fit. To facilitate the insertion, the channel has a funnel-shaped expansion 6.

[0035] The housing 2 has a central borehole 11 perpendicular to its surface and perpendicular to channel 5 into which a threaded shaft 12 of a turn-type lock 13 can be inserted. The turn-type lock 13 is shown in FIG. 5 and on the bottom of the threaded shaft 12 has an arm 14 bent at right angle with a width of approx. 1 mm larger in dimension than the diameter of the threaded shaft 12. The turn-type lock 13 can be twisted into the borehole 11 where the threaded shaft has e.g. a hexagonal opening 15 on its top, into which a hex key fits.

[0036] The turn-type lock 13 can be pivoted from its open position shown in FIG. 2, in which its arm 14 lies parallel on the edge of the channel 5, over the base arch 3 inserted into the channel 5 by turning the threaded shaft 12 by 90 degrees to the closed position shown in FIG. 3, whereby the funnel-shaped expansion is capped.

[0037] To fix the base arch 3 on the housing 2, the arm 14 has an elongated recess 16 on its surface facing the channel 5 that corresponds to the surface of the base arch 3, which envelops approx. one third of the curve of the base arch. The base arch is clamped in by adjusting the height of the turn-type lock 13.

[0038] The height of the turn-type lock 13 is adjusted with a clamping nut 21 which is used in an expansion 22 of the central borehole 11 and which has a female thread 23 which is fitted onto a male thread 24 of the threaded shaft 12. The clamping nut 21 is turned e.g. by an open-end wrench which fits into two openings 25 on the top of the clamping nut 21.

[0039] Insertion of the base arch 3 can be made even easier by stretching an elastic O-ring 31 (elastic) or loop etc. in the direction of the channel 5 after it is put in. The rubber band is secured manually to two indicated brackets 32 and can be removed after the base arch 3 is securely fastened within the channel 5.

[0040] Pursuant to FIG. 6, the base arch 3 can also be inserted more easily by means of a modified turn-type lock 13′ with a modified arm 14′ which is securely connected to the threaded shaft 12 by the male thread 24 of the turn-type lock 13′ and turns with it. The arm 14′ is designed so that it does not cover the channel 5 or the base arch when the turn-type lock 13 is placed in the open position, but only occurs when it is turned.

[0041] A continuously ascending coil 43 is positioned on the arm 14′ in the form of a curved, shallow plane with a continuously ascending progression. The rotational direction of the lock 13′ is selected such that the narrow anterior border of the coil 43 is always at the front. With this construction, the base arch 3 is brought towards and at least in part into the recess 16 and the channel 5 when the lock 13′ is turned. In doing so, the contact surface between the base arch 3 and the shallow plane run in a quasi-diagonal line 45.

[0042] Once the base arch 3 can be inserted into the channel 5, the locking nut 21 is tightened after the pivoting bolt 13′ is twisted into the closed position pursuant to FIG. 3 with the mentioned open-end wrench 21 until the base arch 3 is sitting securely within the channel 5 and fastened.

[0043] To move a tooth, the housing 2 has a short extension 51 with a female thread 52 in which a spindle 53 runs with a fine thread which can be moved manually using a socket wrench, which is inserted into corresponding boreholes 55. An arm 58 is connected with an end piece 57 of the spindle 53 secured by a lock nut 56, which terminates in an end piece 59 snapped off at a right angle with a rectangular profile that conforms to the profile of the lingual lock on the molar (104 and 103 in FIG. 7).

[0044] The end piece 59 is inserted with a custom fit into a tube of the lock on the tooth. The arm 58 with the end piece 59 is fastened by sharply bending a tapered, curved extension 60 of the end piece 59, which protrudes from the lock after the end piece is inserted, as indicated by 60′.

[0045] In FIG. 8 a worm gear unit 203 in a slightly modified housing 202 is provided as a linear actuator instead of a threaded shaft for moving an indicated tooth or molar 201. The housing is only partially depicted; in reality, the parts not shown do not necessarily lie within the image place. The housing 202 is fastened to the shown base arch 3′ in a fashion similar to that described above.

[0046] The worm gear unit 203 has a worm wheel or worm screw 204 whose axle 205 is fastened within the housing 202 e.g by a lock nut 206. The worm screw 204 has a stationary worm thread 207 that is stationary but which can be freely turned into which a functionally tailored thread 208 of a threaded rod 209 is inserted. The threaded rod 209 is slide mounted in a borehole 210 of the housing 202; the axles of the two threads 207 and 208 are parallel, the features of the two threads match.

[0047] The end of the threaded rod 209 is constructed e.g. as a hexagonal bolt 211 which is inserted into a corresponding tube 212 and welded to it. The tube 212 is securely fastened with the tooth 201 in the customary way using a band or lock 213.

[0048] The worm screw 204 can be turned using a connection head 214 shaped such that is easily accessed from the front in terms of the mouth opening, e.g. with a screwdriver, an hex key, etc. As the threaded rod 209 cannot turn due to the form fit of the bolt 211 and tube 212 in the borehole 210, the rotation of the worm screw 204 is transformed into a feed motion or retrusive movement of the threaded rod 209, whereby the molar 201 is moved.

[0049] The advantage of a worm gear unit compared to a simple threaded rod as in the above example is that with the worm gear unit 203 small, precise adjustment tracks for the tooth 201 can be achieved. In addition, it is an advantage for the mechanics that, contrary to a spindle drive, the position of the connection head 214 does not change in the mouth of the patient. Thus, the accessibility of the connection head is always the same generally and also for the patient, if the patient is doing the adjustment themselves.

[0050] Incidentally, a threaded rod is not strictly necessary for the worm gear unit to move the tooth; instead, an e.g. rectangular rod rigidly guided into the housing can be employed that has toothing which engages with the threading of the worm screw.