METHOD OF FORMING TERMINAL END OF AN ARCHFORM
Archforms with terminal ends that anchor to orthodontic brackets disposed on teeth of the patient and methods of forming the same are disclosed herein. The archforms can include enlarged end portions, such as a ball, that can anchor onto brackets bonded to surfaces of the teeth of the patient.
1 . An archform configured to move teeth of a patient, the archform comprising:
a first end comprising a first enlarged end portion configured to anchor the first end of the archform to a bracket disposed on a tooth of the patient.
2 . The archform of claim 1 , wherein the first enlarged end portion is a ball.
3 . The archform of claim 1 , wherein the first enlarged end portion is configured to contact an exterior surface of the bracket to anchor the end of the archform.
4 . The archform of claim 1 , wherein the first enlarged end portion is configured to contact a curved groove disposed on an exterior surface of the bracket to anchor the end of the archform.
5 . The archform of claim 1 , wherein the archform comprises a custom nonplanar shape.
6 . The archform of claim 1 , wherein the archform comprises a shape memory material.
7 . The archform of claim 1 , wherein the archform comprises a plurality of bracket connectors and a plurality of interproximal segments, the bracket connectors configured to couple to brackets disposed on the teeth of the patient to prevent relative sliding between the bracket connectors and the brackets, and the plurality of interproximal segments disposed between adjacent bracket connectors.
8 . The archform of claim 7 , wherein the bracket connectors comprise loops.
9 . The archform of claim 7 , wherein the interproximal segments comprise loops.
10 . The archform of claim 1 , further comprising a second end opposite the first end, the second end comprising a second enlarged portion.
11 . The archform of claim 10 , wherein the second enlarged portion is a ball.
12 . The archform of claim 1 , wherein the bracket is disposed on a lingual surface of the teeth of the patient.
13 . A method of forming an enlarged end portion on an end of an archform, the method comprising:
advancing an electrode of a welding device to contact a first end of an archform, forming a first enlarged end portion thereon; and
advancing the electrode of the welding device to contact a second end, opposite the first end, of an archform, forming a second enlarged end portion thereon.
14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising gripping the archform with a tool.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the welding device is a micro TIG welder.
16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the electrode is a one millimeter electrode.
17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first enlarged end portion comprises a cross-sectional size that is larger than a cross-sectional size of the archform.
18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second enlarged end portion comprises a cross-sectional size that is larger than a cross-sectional size of the archform.
19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the first enlarged end portion comprises a ball shape.
20 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second enlarged end portion comprises a ball shape.