DIRECT BONDING GUIDE SYSTEMS
Direct bonding guide systems are described herein. A template guide may be used for positioning an orthodontic attachment and may generally comprise a formed body defining a receiving channel configured to conform to an occlusal surface of one or more teeth of a patient. A remainder of surfaces of the one or more teeth may remain exposed and a reference surface or shelf may extend along a length of the formed body and project at a predetermined angle. The reference surface may be configured for locating a bracket attachment upon the surfaces of the one or more teeth.
1 . A template guide for positioning an orthodontic attachment, comprising:
a formed body defining a receiving channel configured to conform to an occlusal surface of one or more teeth of a patient while a remainder of surfaces of the one or more teeth remain exposed; and
a reference surface or shelf extending along a length of the formed body and projecting at a predetermined angle, wherein the reference surface is configured for locating a bracket attachment upon the surfaces of the one or more teeth.
2 . The template guide of claim 1 wherein the formed body is based upon a scanned image of the dentition.
3 . The template guide of claim 1 wherein the reference surface or shelf forms a continuous surface along the length of the formed body.
4 . The template guide of claim 1 wherein the reference surface or shelf defines a groove or mark positioned respectively at a mid-line of each of the one or more teeth.
5 . The template guide of claim 1 wherein the reference surface or shelf extends along the length to project from a buccal surface or a lingual surface of the one or more teeth.
6 . The template guide of claim 1 further comprising one or more bracket attachments for use with the reference surface or shelf.
7 . The template guide of claim 6 further comprising an archwire engageable with the one or more bracket attachments.
8 . The template guide of claim 1 wherein the reference surface or shelf provides for uninhibited lateral positioning of the bracket attachment upon the surfaces of the one or more teeth.
9 . A method of forming a template guide for use with an orthodontic attachment, comprising:
receiving a digital model of one or more teeth of a patient;
positioning one or more attachments upon the one or more teeth within the digital model;
connecting the one or more attachments laterally along a three-dimensional line;
deriving a profile from an occlusal plane based on the three-dimensional line; and
extruding the profile towards a base of the digital model.
10 . The method of claim 9 further comprising fabricating the template guide.
11 . The method of claim 9 further comprising digitally correcting for one or more malocclusions of the one or more teeth prior to positioning the one or more attachments.
12 . The method of claim 11 further comprising digitally positioning one or more bracket attachments upon the one or more teeth.
13 . The method of claim 12 wherein positioning the one or more bracket attachments comprises determining a distance from an incisal edge of the one or more teeth to each of the one or more bracket attachments.
14 . The method of claim 9 wherein connecting the one or more attachments laterally comprises forming a continuous line at a distance from each surface of the one or more teeth.
15 . The method of claim 9 wherein extruding the profile comprises extruding the profile towards the base of the digital model in a gingival direction.
16 . The method of claim 9 further comprising cutting the base of the digital model.