Orthodontic brackets
An orthodontic bracket comprising: a base having a rear surface and a front surface, the rear surface configured to be adhered to a surface of a tooth (outside/labial and/or inside/lingual) in use; and an archwire holder which is rotationally mounted to the front surface of the base, the archwire holder being configured to be rotatable around an axis which is perpendicular to the base to within +/−30°, wherein the archwire holder comprises at least one slot configured to hold an archwire in use, and wherein the archwire holder is rotatable for receiving the archwire and applying a desired amount and/or orientation of tip and/or torque to the tooth in use.
1 . An orthodontic bracket comprising a base and an archwire holder:
a) the base having a rear surface and a front surface, the rear surface configured to be adhered to a surface of a tooth in use;
b) the archwire holder having a rear holder surface and a front holder surface including a plurality of slots and a plurality of cooperating recesses,
wherein the rear surface of the archwire holder is rotationally mounted to the front surface of the base to enable the archwire holder to rotate around a fixed axis which is perpendicular to the base to within +/−30°, and
wherein each of the plurality of slots has a different internal angular shape to provide a different torque setting, each of the plurality of slots being configured to hold an archwire, and
c) a releasable locking mechanism comprising a tab and a spring including a plurality of recesses or profiles, wherein the releasable locking mechanism is positioned in between the base and the archwire holder,
wherein the releasable locking mechanism is configured to allow the archwire holder to be rotated around the fixed axis to position a slot of the plurality of slots and then lock in place the positioned slot,
wherein the tab is resiliently biased against the archwire holder, the tab being configured to cooperate with a cooperating recess of the plurality of cooperating recesses on the archwire holder,
wherein the spring is resiliently biased against the base and the plurality of recesses or profiles is configured to cooperate with cooperating components of the base and/or archwire holder; and
wherein the orthodontic bracket is configured to enable a gross rotation position and a fine rotation position,
wherein the gross rotation position establishes the amount and/or orientation of torque and a desired torque force is set by positioning a desired slot of the plurality of slots by rotating the archwire holder around the fixed axis and locking in place the archwire holder by engaging a cooperating recess of the plurality of cooperating recesses with the tab of the releasable locking mechanism, and wherein the torque force involves rotating the tooth around a substantially horizontal axis which is substantially parallel to the surface of the tooth to change the out-of-plane orientation of the long axis of the tooth, and
wherein the fine rotation position establishes the amount and/or orientation of tip and a desired tip force is set by positioning a desired recess or profile of the plurality of recesses or profiles by rotating the spring around the fixed axis and locking in place the spring by engaging the cooperating components and the tip force involves rotating the tooth around an axis substantially perpendicular to the surface of the tooth to change the in-plane orientation of a long axis of the tooth.
2 . An orthodontic bracket according to claim 1 , wherein the cooperating components include a protrusion on the front surface of the base and/or the rear holder surface of the archwire holder to provide clickable locking positions to lock in place the archwire holder.
3 . An orthodontic bracket according to claim 1 , wherein the cooperating components include a spring clip on the front surface of the base and/or the rear holder surface of the archwire to lock in place the archwire holder.
4 . An orthodontic bracket according to claim 1 , wherein the releasable locking mechanism comprises a plurality of rotary constraints and a spring clip on the front surface of the base and/or the rear holder surface of the archwire to lock in place the archwire holder.
5 . An orthodontic bracket according to claim 1 , wherein each fine rotation position of the plurality of fine rotation positions is provided for each slot of the plurality of slots.
6 . An orthodontic bracket according to claim 1 , wherein each slot of the plurality of slots is oriented in a direction perpendicular to the base to within +/−45° for insertion of the archwire.
7 . An orthodontic bracket according to claim 1 , wherein each slot of the plurality of slots is oriented in a plane parallel to the base to within +/−45° for insertion of the archwire.
8 . An orthodontic bracket according to claim 1 , wherein each slot of the plurality of slots is formed from two or more sub-slots aligned to receive the archwire.
9 . An orthodontic bracket according to claim 1 , wherein the archwire holder is configured to be free to rotate, or have its rotary position constrained by the archwire, a flexible mechanism, a positive location mechanism, a weld and/or an adhesive.
10 . An orthodontic bracket according to claim 1 , further comprising an archwire retainer which is disposed over the archwire holder to retain the archwire in the archwire holder in use.
11 . An orthodontic bracket according to claim 10 , wherein the archwire retainer is in the form of a sliding or hinged gate, retention band, ring, or snap on cap.
12 . An orthodontic brace kit comprising:
a plurality of orthodontic brackets according to claim 1 ; and
one or more archwires having a cross-sectional shape for fitting into the slots of the orthodontic brackets.
13 . An orthodontic brace comprising:
a plurality of orthodontic brackets according to claim 1 ; and
an archwire disposed in the slots of the orthodontic brackets.
14 . An orthodontic bracket according to claim 1 , wherein the spring is configured such that pulling the spring away from the cooperating components on the base disengages the lock.