ORTHODONTIC DEVICE

Abstract

An orthodontic device including positioning aligner, devices allowing incremental movement of teeth and continuous tooth movements appliances is described herein. In particular, it provides an appliance including at least one shell for receiving at least one tooth for repositioning, the shell including a tooth receiving cavity, in which, during use, the tooth may sit; and further including a wire receiving member for receiving a connecting wire, and an anchor. It also provides methods of making and using such appliances.

Claims

1. An appliance comprising: at least one shell for receiving at least one tooth for repositioning, the shell comprising a tooth receiving cavity, in which, during use, the tooth may sit; a connecting wire; a wire receiving member for receiving the connecting wire, and an anchor, wherein the connecting wire is directly connected to the anchor via the wire receiving member.

2. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein the anchor is a bar or base plate.

3. An appliance according to claim 2, wherein the bar or base plate is provided with one or more base plate caps for receiving at least one tooth that is not to be moved.

4. An appliance according claim 1, wherein the shell comprises more than one tooth receiving cavity.

5. An appliance according to claim 4, wherein the shell is made up of a number of caps.

6. An appliance according to claim 4, wherein the shell comprises at least one tooth receiving cavity that is capable of receiving more than one tooth.

7. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein a wire receiving member is found on a lingual side of the shell.

8. An appliance according claim 1, wherein a wire receiving member is found on a labial side of the shell.

9. An appliance according to claim 1, wherein wire receiving members are found on both lingual and labial sides of the shell.

10. A set of appliances comprising two appliances according to claim 1, wherein the appliances are worn on each jaw of a patient.

11. A series of appliances comprising two or more appliances according to claim 1, wherein the two or more appliances aid the movement of a patient's teeth from an original position to a desired or target position.

12. A method of producing an orthodontic device, comprising 3D printing or injection moulding an appliance according to claim 1.

13. A method of adjusting teeth position, comprising placing the appliance according to claim 1 on at least one tooth of a patient to reposition the tooth.

14. A method according to claim 13, further comprising the steps of: a) scanning the patient's teeth position; b) modelling said position; c) modelling a desired position into which the teeth are to be moved; d) designing an appliance according to claim 1 suitable for moving the teeth into the desired position.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings provided to illustrate and not to limit the invention. The drawings are:

[0025] FIG. 1 is a view towards the occlusion surface of a device according to the invention and

[0026] FIG. 2 is a front view of a device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] Examples of aspects of the invention follow. Some or all may be found in the various possible embodiments of the invention.

[0028] Referring to FIG. 1, a device 5 comprises a shell 8, made up of at least one cap 10 for positioning on a tooth to be moved. The device may comprise more than one such cap, indeed, as shown in the figures, the device may comprise caps to cover most or all of the teeth in the mouth. The caps to cover teeth to be moved may be connected to each other by at least one wire, 12 and 14. The wire may be found labially, 12 or lingually, 14. The wire is in connection with the caps by virtue of tubes or brackets 16, found on or in the surface of the caps. The wires are used to exert force onto the caps to move the teeth. In order to provide stability and structure and an anchor against which that force might be transmitted, the device may also comprise a base plate or bar 18. The base plate or bar may be provided with or comprise base plate caps 20, which fit over teeth that are not to be moved. The base plate caps may be formed integrally with the base plate or bar or may be mounted there on. In use, the base plate or bar rests against the roof of the mouth or sublingually. The wire or wires may be connected to the base plate or bar or to the base plate caps by way of brackets found on the base plate, bar or base plate caps. The brackets may be any appropriate form of bracket to allow connection of the wires. For example, the bracket may comprise a tube, into or through which the wire is inserted. The wire may be bent back on itself, around the tube, to hold it in place, or a glue, such as a composite glue may be applied to hold it in place.

[0029] In use, the device is produced to fit into the patient's mouth, with the caps being positioned over the teeth. The wires may then be adjusted by tightening or loosening them in order to exert a force, via the caps, on the teeth to be moved. Depending on the amount of movement required, different wires may be selected, with thinner wires being used to bring about more movement and thicker wires being chosen when finer, more precise movement is required. The device may be used in isolation, or may be part of a set or series of devices to be used. When used as part of a set, two devices may be provided; one for each jaw. When used as part of a series, a number of devices may be used in succession, so as to allow the caps to closely fit the teeth at each stage of the adjustment and to allow the teeth to be moved accurately.

[0030] The device may be made in a number of different ways, depending on the material to be used for the device. For example, the device may be printed or moulded. The method of making the device will usually comprise a number of the following steps. The patient's existing tooth position is identified, for example by scanning. A 3D model of this may be created, for example using computer based modelling. A physical model of the teeth may then be produced, for example by 3D printing. The desired, or aligned, position of the teeth may be mapped to produce a 3D model, again using computer based techniques. This may be the final position of the teeth, or an intermediate position between the existing position and the final position desired. A physical model of the aligned teeth may then be produced, again, for example by 3D printing. One or more devices may then be designed, using, for example, orthodontic design software. A physical version of the device may then be produced, by for example 3D printing of the device. Alternatively, a mould of the device may be created, again optionally by using 3D design software. A physical version of the mould may then be printed. The mould may be injected or otherwise filled with the material that is to be used to make the device and the material allowed to set.

[0031] While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be clear that the invention is not limited to these embodiments only. Numerous modifications, changes, variations, substitutions and equivalents will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as described in the claims.