Patent Application
20200197132
This invention relates to an orthodontic retainer to maintain teeth in a treated position after orthodontic treatment has been completed. In particular, the invention relates to a lingual retainer that is attached on the lingual face of the teeth, so that the retainer cannot be seen.
Orthodontic retainers are used to maintain teeth in a finished position after orthodontic treatment is completed. The retainers can be fixed or removable. One form of orthodontic retainer can be made in many forms. Some retainers are positioned on the lingual side of the teeth and permanently fixed in place. The retainers are formed by brackets that are cemented to the back of the teeth and then connected by a wire. These retainers have the advantage that they cannot be seen, and do not have to be removed while eating. However, they have several disadvantages. One problem with fixed lingual retainers is that they can be bulky, leading to discomfort and even affect the user's speech. In addition, they make it very difficult to clean between the teeth, and around the retainer brackets, increasing the possibility of tooth decay.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a lingual retainer that avoids the disadvantages listed above and which is comfortable, does not affect speech, and enables thorough cleaning between teeth and around the retainer.
These and other objects are accomplished by an orthodontic retainer configured for application to a lingual surface of a patient's teeth, comprising a plurality of tooth-adhering portions connected by elongated connection portions, the tooth-adhering portions each having a generally flat top edge and a generally curved bottom edge and having a joining side configured to match a curvature of a corresponding tooth of the patient. The connection portions are located at a position below the top edge of the tooth-adhering portions. The tooth-adhering portions and connection portions are formed as a single piece. The tooth-adhering portions preferably cover about 30-80% of the surface area of the patient's teeth, with the connection portions being formed narrower, to expose as much tooth surface as possible between the tooth-adhering portions.
Preferably, the retainer is formed ceramic, composite, or metal. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the retainer is translucent, opaque or fully transparent ceramic or composite material.
In order to make the retainer as comfortable as possible, the retainer is formed to be very thin. In particular, the retainer can be made to be about 0.8 mm thick.
The retainer can be formed using any suitable fabrication methods. In particular, the retainer can be made by any suitable method, such as CNC milling, injection molding, 3D printing composite vacuum forming or any type of additive technology. For all of these methods, a model of the retainer is made based on the shape of the lingual side of the patient's teeth, and sized so that the retainer covers only a pre-set percentage of the tooth area. The retainer can be trimmed to size or molded, milled or printed into the exact size.
The retainer is intended for use after a full treatment with traditional braces or aligners to straighten the patient's teeth. The retainer of the present invention is meant to keep the teeth in the finished position over long periods of time, e.g., 2 months, 1 year, 2 years, or an entire lifetime. The retainer can be used on both the upper and lower sets of teeth, and is adhered to the teeth using standard dental adhesives.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description con-sidered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.
In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:
Referring now in detail to the drawings and,
The retainer according to the invention can be quickly and easily manufactured, and increases patient comfort due to its low profile. It can be manufactured using a transparent or translucent ceramic or composite material, so it is virtually invisible, even from the rear. The retainer allows for simple and effective cleaning of the teeth because the small width of the connection portions leaves plenty of room for brushes and floss to clean and floss the teeth.
Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without depar-ting from the spirit and scope of the invention.
