ORTHODONTIC ANTERIOR BITE RAMP

Abstract

An orthodontic bite ramp has a body having an anterior base for bonding attachment to the lingual surface of an upper tooth; an occlusal surface extending lingually from the base to provide a stop limiting upward movement of a patient's lower teeth; and a vertical slot in the lingual aspect of the bite ramp. The vertical slot divides the body into two lateral wings that can be compressed by application of a lateral compressive force to deform the base and thereby release the bite ramp from the tooth. Optionally, a bonding pad can be secured to the base for bonding attachment to the lingual surface of an upper tooth.

Claims

1. An orthodontic bite ramp comprising: a body having an anterior base for bonding attachment to the lingual surface of an upper anterior tooth of a patient; an occlusal surface extending lingually from the base to provide a stop limiting upward movement of the patient's lower teeth; and a lingual aspect; and a vertical slot in the lingual aspect of the bite ramp dividing the body into lateral wings separated by the vertical slot, said wings capable of being compressed together by application of a lateral compressive force to deform the base and thereby release the bite ramp from the tooth.

2. (canceled)

3. The orthodontic bite ramp of claim 1 further comprising a bonding pad secured to the base and wherein the vertical slot extends through the body of the bite ramp to the bonding pad.

4. The orthodontic bite ramp of claim 1 having a lingual edge on the lingual aspect of the body, and further comprising a positioning jig having a notch for removably engaging the lingual edge and positioning the bite ramp with respect to a tooth during attachment of the base of the bite ramp to the tooth.

5. The orthodontic bite ramp of claim 4 wherein the body has a cross-section in a vertical plane perpendicular to the base tapering rearward from the base to the lingual edge.

6. An orthodontic bite ramp comprising: a body having an anterior base; an occlusal surface extending lingually from the base to provide a stop limiting upward movement of a patient's lower teeth; and a lingual aspect a vertical slot in the lingual aspect of the bite ramp dividing the body into lateral wings separated by the vertical slot, said wings capable of being compressed together by application of a lateral compressive force to deform the base and thereby release the bite ramp from the tooth; and a bonding pad secured to the base for bonding attachment to the lingual surface of an upper tooth.

7. The orthodontic bite ramp of claim 6 wherein the vertical slot extends through the body of the bite ramp to the bonding pad.

8. The orthodontic bite ramp of claim 6 having a lingual edge on the lingual aspect of the body, and further comprising a positioning jig having a notch for removably engaging the lingual edge and positioning the bite ramp with respect to a tooth during attachment of the base of the bite ramp to the tooth.

9. The orthodontic bite ramp of claim 8 wherein the body has a cross-section in a vertical plane perpendicular to the base tapering rearward from the base to the lingual edge.

10. A method of orthodontic treatment comprising: bonding an orthodontic bite ramp to the lingual surface of a patient's upper anterior tooth, wherein the orthodontic bite ramp has: (a) a body having an anterior base for bonding attachment to a tooth; an occlusal surface extending lingually from the based; and a lingual aspect; and (b) a vertical slot in the lingual aspect of the orthodontic bite ramp dividing the body into lateral wings separated by the vertical slot; limiting closure of the patient's mandible by employing the occlusal surface of the orthodontic bite ramp as a stop limiting upward movement of the patient's lower teeth; and debonding the orthodontic bite ramp by compressing the wings of the orthodontic bite ramp together by application of a lateral compressive force to deform the base and thereby release the orthodontic bite ramp from the tooth.

11. The method of claim 10 the base of the orthodontic bite ramp further comprises a bonding pad and wherein the vertical slot extends through the body of the orthodontic bite ramp to the bonding pad.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising positioning the orthodontic bite ramp with respect to a tooth during bonding of the orthodontic bite ramp to the tooth using a positioning jig having a notch for removably engaging the lingual edge of the base of the orthodontic bite ramp.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the body of the orthodontic bite ramp has a cross-section in a vertical plane perpendicular to the base tapering rearward from the base to the lingual edge.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] The present invention can be more readily understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a top axonometric view of the bite ramp 20.

[0013] FIG. 2 is a bottom axonometric view of the bite ramp 20.

[0014] FIG. 3 is a right side axonometric view of the bite ramp 20 attached to an upper anterior tooth 10.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the bite 20 attached to a tooth 10.

[0016] FIG. 5 is a right side view of a jig or gauge 30 being used to position a bite ramp 20 with respect to a tooth 10 during bonding.

[0017] FIG. 6 is a right side view of the bite ramp 20 attached to an upper tooth 10 for limiting upward movement of a lower tooth 12.

[0018] FIG. 7 is an axonometric view showing the wings 26, 27 of the bite ramp 20 being compressed to release the bit ramp 20 from the tooth 10.

[0019] FIG. 8 is a rear view of an alternative embodiment of a bite ramp 20 having two vertical slots 25.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0020] FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an embodiment of the bite ramp 20 in the present invention. The body of the bite ramp 20 includes a bonding base 22 on its anterior surface for bonding attachment to the lingual surface of a tooth 10. Typically, this would an upper anterior tooth. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the bite ramp 20 attached to the lingual surface of an anterior tooth 10. Optionally, the bonding base 22 can include a bonding pad 23 as shown in the accompanying figures that can be contoured to the profile of the lingual surface of the tooth 10. The bite ramp can be attached to the tooth 10 using cement, adhesive or other bonding agents. The bonding pad 23 can extend slightly beyond the edges of the bite ramp 20, as shown in the drawings. Alternatively, the bite ramp 20 could extend only to the edges of the bonding pad 23, or as close as possible to the edges of the bonding pad 23, to help ensure complete removal of the entire appliance from the tooth 10 in one piece.

[0021] The bite ramp 20 also has an occlusal surface 24 extending lingually from the bonding base 22 as shown in FIGS. 3-6. The occlusal surface 24 provides a stop to limit upward movement of the patient's lower teeth. As the mandible closes, the occlusal tip of a lower tooth 12 comes into contact with this occlusal surface 24 of the bite ramp 20 and thereby limits further upward movement of the jaw, as depicted in FIG. 6.

[0022] When viewed is a vertical plane normal to the bonding base 22, the bite ramp 20 can has a generally triangular shape with the hypotenuse running between the gingival end of the bonding base 22 and the lingual end of the occlusal surface 24 to define the lingual aspect of the bite ramp 20. In other words, the bite ramp 20 is tapered from its bonding base 22 in a vertical plane normal to the bonding base 22 to its lingual edge 28 at the rear of the bite ramp 20.

[0023] A vertical slot 25 bisects this lingual aspect of the bite ramp 20 as illustrated in FIG. 4. Two opposing wings 26, 27 are defined on either side of this vertical slot 25. Preferably, the vertical slot 25 extends completely through the body of the bite ramp 20 to the bonding pad 23. Alternatively, the vertical slot 25 could extend only part of the way into the body of the bite ramp 20.

[0024] FIG. 5 is side view of a jig 30 being used to position a bite ramp 20 with respect to a tooth 10 during bonding. The jig 30 has an elongated horizontal arm 32 that contacts the tip of the tooth 10 to provide a fixed point of reference in setting the vertical elevation of the bite ramp 20 with respect to the tooth 10. The posterior portion of the jig 30 extends upward from the arm 32. A notch 34, recess or protrusion in the posterior portion of the jig 30 engages the lingual edge 28 of the bite ramp 20 so that the vertical elevation of the notch 34 above the top edge of the horizontal arm 32 determines the vertical position of the bite ramp 20 on the tooth 10.

[0025] After the bite ramp 20 has been bonded to a tooth 12, a period of orthodontic treatment follows. At the end of treatment, the bite ramp 20 must be removed. With the present invention, the doctor can quickly and easily remove the bite ramp 20 using pliers or the like to exert a lateral compressive force on the wings 26, 27. This squeezes the wings 26, 27 together and collapses the vertical slot 25. The bonding base 22 is deformed (e.g., the bonding pad 23 is peeled away from the tooth 10) in this process, thereby releasing the bite ramp 20 from the tooth 10. FIG. 7 shows the wings 26, 27 of the bite ramp 20 being compressed to release the bit ramp 20 from the tooth 10.

[0026] FIG. 8 is a rear view of an alternative embodiment of a bite ramp 20 having multiple vertical slots 25. In this embodiment, the vertical slots 25 run generally parallel to one another. Applying a lateral compressive force to squeeze the outermost wings 26, 27 collapses both of the vertical slots 25. This tends to lift the edges of the bonding pad 23 away from the tooth 10 to facilitate removal of the bite ramp 20.

[0027] The above disclosure sets forth a number of embodiments of the present invention described in detail with respect to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in this art will appreciate that various changes, modifications, other structural arrangements, and other embodiments could be practiced under the teachings of the present invention without departing from the scope of this invention as set forth in the following claims.