The present disclosure relates to the field of orthodontic systems and treatment methods. More particularly the disclosure relates to a novel orthodontic technique for delivering force that impose movement of one or more teeth.
The correction of dental irregularities and malocclusions by applying controlled forces to the teeth has become commonplace. One of the most important aims for orthodontics is to arrange space for teeth in the jaw in such a manner that the teeth can be positioned properly and they can contact each other in their desired positions.
A common orthodontic technique is orthodontic headgear. During such a treatment an orthodontic appliance is attached to the patient's head with a strap or number of straps around the patient's head or neck. From this structure of straps a force is transferred to the jaw(s) of the patient. Other common device is a twin block. The purpose of a twin block is to increase the lower jaw size and establish new position by repositioning it in a more anterior position effecting the bone teeth and muscles to achieve the treatment objectives.
It is well known to a person having ordinary skill in the art that due to the appearance and the uncomfortable feeling that is associated with the orthodontic appliance, patients and especially children do not like to use them. In some cases the inconvenience leads to a dis-satisfactory results or in extreme cases, the patient may withdraw in the middle of the treatment.
BRIEF SUMMARY
The needs and the deficiencies that are described above are not intended to limit the scope of the inventive concepts of the present disclosure in any manner. The needs are presented for illustration only. The disclosure is directed to a novel technique for treating dental and skeletal malocclusions.
An example embodiment of the disclosed techniques may comprise a telescopic-connector (TC) having a female element and a male element. The male element can be configured to move freely in the female element in order to adapt the length of the TC to the distance between the teeth to which it will be associated. The diameter of an example of a female element can be in the range of 1.0 to 1.4 m″m, 1.2 m″m for example. The diameter of an example of a male element can be in the range of 0.7 to 1.3 m″m, 0.8 m″m for example
Each edge of the TC can be associated with a ball that is distorted from the TC. The angle of the bend of each ball can be in the range of 100 to 170 degrees, 135 degrees for example. The length of each element can be in the range of 7 to 28 m″m, 17.5 m″m for example.
In addition to the TC an example embodiment of the disclosed technique may comprise two pads. Each pad can have a wide banded base that is adapted to be bond to a tooth. The size of the base can be in the range of 3 to 10 m″m, 6.5 m″m for example. In some embodiments a socket, which is adapted to host the ball of the TC, is located in one side of the pad.
In some example embodiments of the disclosed technique the ball and the socket can be configured to allow movement (rotation) of the TC in the range of 220 to 290 degrees. Some sets of ball and socket can be configured to allow rotations of 270 degrees, for example. The other side of the pad can be associated with a hook that is configured to be connected with an elastic or a spring.
In order to mount an example embodiment of the disclosed orthodontic system on a jaw of a patient that needs to close a space between teeth a first pad that is associated with a male element of a TC can be bonded to an appropriate tooth, a molar for example. Next, a female element of the TC, which is associated with the second pad, can be slid over the male element until the point, which enables bonding the second pad to the relevant tooth. The relevant tooth can be a premolar or a canine, for example. In order to avoid bonding of the pad to the molar, some example embodiments of the disclosed technique may use a molar band instead of the pad.
After bonding the two pads, an elastic or a spring can be associated with hooks of the two pads. The elastic force that pulls the two pads toward each other causes the two or more captured teeth to move individually toward each other in order to close the spaces that exist in between the teeth. The capture teeth are the one or more teeth which are associated with the TC.
In order to mount an example embodiment of a TC on a jaw of a patient, which needs to open a space between teeth, a first pad that is associated with the male element of the TC can be bonded to an appropriate tooth, a molar for example. In order to avoid bonding of the pad to the molar, some example embodiments of the disclosed technique may use a molar band instead of the pad.
Next, an open coil spring can be placed around or in the female element of the TC, which has been already associated with the second pad.
Then, the female element with the coil spring can be slid over the male element, while pressing the coil spring and generating an elastic force directed to enlarge the spring back to its origin position. Then, the other pad can be placed over the relevant tooth. The relevant tooth can be a premolar or a canine. The other pad can be placed and be bonded to that tooth. After bonding the second pad, the elastic force of the spring pushes the two pads (or the pad and the molar band) away from each other and causes the two or more captured teeth to move away from each other in order to open a space between the teeth.
In some example embodiments of the disclosed technique the edge of a female element of a TC may be associated with a ball and a pad as it is disclosed above. While the edge of a male element remains without the ball. Next, the pad, which is associated with the female element, can be bonded to an appropriate tooth, a canine for example. Then, an open coil spring can be associated with the female element. The male element of the TC can be associated with a molar band via a head gear tube. Next the female element with the spring can be slid over the male section pressing the male section toward the female element pushing the spring until the molar band is above the relevant molar tooth and the band is placed around that tooth. The pressed coil may deliver elastic force to open spaces between the capture teeth. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the coil spring can be placed either before bonding the 2 parts (female+pad, male+pad) or after. The spring coil can be activated by using additional element such as a cripmpable stop.
After a period of few months, 2 to 12 months, 8 months for example, upon determining that the captured teeth are in place, the TC with the pads and the spring or the elastic can be removed.
An example of the disclosed appliance can be adapted to be used in another orthodontic treatment, a treatment in which a group of teeth needs to be moved, as a unit, posteriorly or anteriorly. In order to move a group of teeth as a unit a TC is used to define the group. The group can be teeth in the upper jaw or in the lower jaw.
In order to define a group of teeth, in the upper jaw, a first pad that is associated with a male element of the TC can be bonded to an appropriate tooth, a molar for example at one end of the group. Some example embodiments of the disclosed technique may use a molar band instead of the pad. Then, a female element that is associated with the second pad can be slid over the male element until the point, which enables to bond the second pad to the relevant tooth. The relevant tooth can be the tooth at the other end of the group, a premolar or a canine, for example. Then the second pad can be bonded to that tooth. Thus, the TC is placed above that group of teeth.
At this stage the length of the TC can be fixed by squeezing, with a dental plier, the female element over the male element. Alternatively, the length of the TC may be fixed in the appropriate length by applying a dental resin, fluid composite, bonding material, etc. via designated holes in the female element toward existing cuts on the male element or by crimping a designated crimp able stop at the junction point between the female and male elements. One or more of the disclosed techniques can be used simultaneously.
The bonded TC defines the group of teeth, in the upper jaw, which are needed to be moved as a unit. Then, on the lower jaw a hook or an element with hook can be bonded on a molar, for moving the group of teeth backward, or on a canine, for moving the group of teeth forward. A spring or an elastic can be placed between the hook (at the lower jaw) and the hook on the pad that is located at the TC. Thus, the spring or the elastic pulls the group of teeth, as a unit, toward the hook that is bonded on the lower jaw. A plastic clear retainer or a designated appliance such as the lower lingual arch for the lower teeth or such as a Nance on the upper teeth, can be used to stabilize the teeth to avoid undesired side effects
The above few paragraphs describe a process in which a group of teeth belongs to the upper jaw may be moved, as a unit, backward or forward. A person having ordinary skill in the art can modify the above disclosed process in order to move, as a unit, a group of teeth that belongs to the lower jaw. Therefore, for convenience and readability, the modified process is not described.
The foregoing summary is not intended to summarize each potential embodiment or every aspect of the present invention, and other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the embodiments with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.
Furthermore, although specific embodiments are described in detail to illustrate the inventive concepts to a person skilled in the art, such embodiments can be modified to various modifications and alternative forms. Accordingly, the figures and written description are not intended to limit the scope of the inventive concepts in any manner.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the embodiments with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.
Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:
Turning now to the figures in which like numerals represent like elements throughout the several views, in which exemplary embodiments of the disclosed techniques are described. For convenience, only some elements of the same group may be labeled with numerals.
The purpose of the drawings is to describe examples of embodiments and not for production purpose. Therefore, features shown in the figures are chosen for convenience and clarity of presentation only and are not necessarily shown to scale. Moreover, the language used in this disclosure has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and may not have been selected to define or limit the inventive subject matter, resort to the claims being necessary to determine such inventive subject matter.
In this specification, these implementations, or any other form that the invention may take, may be referred to as techniques. In general, the order of the steps of disclosed processes may be altered within the scope of the invention. Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or to “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiments is included in at least one embodiment of the invention, and multiple references to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” should not be understood as necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
In the following description, the words “unit,” “element,” “module”, and “logical module” may be used interchangeably. Anything designated as a unit or module may be a stand-alone unit or a specialized or integrated module. A unit or a module may be modular or have modular aspects allowing it to be easily removed and replaced with another similar unit or module. Each unit or module may be any one of, or any combination of, hardware configured to execute the task ascribed to the unit or module. In the present disclosure the terms task, method, and process can be used interchangeably. In addition the terms element and section can be used interchangeably.
The external diameter of an example female cylinder 104 can be in the range of 1.8 to 2.2 m″m, 2.0 m″m for example. The internal diameter of the example female cylinder 104 can be in the range of 1.4 to 1.8 m″m, 1.6 m″m for example. The length of the female cylinder 104 can be in the range of 10 to 20 m″m, A common length can be 15 m″m, for example. The female element 102 can be made of medical stainless steel. At the end, which is far from the hole 106, a termination with a ball 108 can be associated with the female cylinder 104 of the TC in order to generate the female element 102 of the disclosed appliance. The radios of the ball can be in the range of 0.6 to 0.9 m″m, 0.75 m″m for example.
The ball 108 can be associated with the female cylinder 104 of the TC via an adaptor 110. The adaptor 110 is configured to place the ball in an angle to the female cylinder 104. The angle of the bend of ball 108 can be the range of 100 to 170 degrees, 135 degrees for example.
The external diameter of an example male cylinder 204 can be in the range of 1.3 to 1.8 m″m, 1.5 m″m for example. The internal diameter of the example male cylinder 204 can be in the range of 1.1 to 1.7 m″m, 1.4 m″m for example. The length of the example male cylinder 204 can be in the range of 10 to 20 m″m, A common length can be 15 m″m, for example. The male element 202 can be made of medical stainless steel. At the end, which is close to the cuts 206, a termination with a ball 208 can be associated with the male cylinder 204 of the TC. The radios of the ball 208 can be in the range of 0.6 to 0.9 m″m, 0.75 m″m for example.
The ball 208 can be associated with the male cylinder 204 of the TC via an adaptor 210. The adaptor 210 can be configured to place the ball in an angle to the male cylinder 204. The angle of the bend of ball 208 can be the range of 100 to 170 degrees, 135 degrees for example.
The other side of the pad 302 can be associated with a hook 306 that is configured to be associated with an elastic or a spring. The height of the pad 302 can be in the range of 1.8 m″m to 2.2 m″m for example, An example value can be 2.0 m″m. The pad 302 can be made of medical stainless steel. The size of the base 308 of pad 302 depends on the size of the tooth to which it will be bonded (molar or canine). Further, in some embodiments the base 308 may be grooved in order to improve its bonding to the tooth.
In some example embodiments of the disclosed technique the pad 308 (
Another example embodiment of the disclosed technique that is using a molar band instead of pad, then at block 512 the band can be associated with the male section and be placed around 514 the molar.
At block 516 a female element 402 (
Next, a spring or an elastic can be associated 522 with hook 410 (
Then the patient may wait 524 for a period of 4-8 weeks, six weeks for example, before checking 530 whether the teeth are in place. If 530 the teeth are not in place the place, then the patient may wait 524 for another period of 4-8 weeks and recheck 530 the position of the teeth.
If 530 the teeth are in place, then the assembled TC 400 (
Returning now to block 510, if the treatment is to open a space between two or more teeth, then at block 540 a male element 202 (
At block 544 a female element of the TC can be associated with an open coil spring and with a second pad. In some example embodiments of the disclosed technique associating the female element of the TC with the second pad can be done in the manufacture and be delivered as a unit. Then, the female element with the open coil spring can be slid 546 over the male element. Next the second pad can be moved freely, while pressing the open coil, until placing it 548 in front of a canine and associate the second pad to the canine.
The pressed open coil spring generates a force that pushes the molar from the canine for increasing the space between the teeth that are captured by the TC and the two pads 406 and 408. The telescopic characteristic enables free movement of the male section 404 out from the female element 402.
Then the patient may wait 550 for a period of 4-8 weeks, six weeks for example, before checking 552 whether the teeth are in place. If 552 the teeth are not in place the place, then the patient may wait 550 for another period of 4-8 weeks and recheck 552 the position of the teeth. If 552 the teeth are in place, then the assembled TC with the spring can be removed 554 and the treatment process can be terminated 560.
Referring now to
At block 608 a female element of the TC can be associated with a second pad. Then, the female element with the pad can be slid 610 over the male element toward a last tooth of the group. Next, the second pad 408 can be bonded 612 to the last tooth of the group, a canine for example. In some example embodiments of the disclosed technique associating the female element of the TC with the second pad can be done in the manufacture and be delivered as a unit.
At block 614 the length of the TC can be fixed. Fixing 614 the length can be done by squeezing, with a dental plier, the female element over the male element. Alternatively the length of the TC may be fixed 614 in the appropriate length by applying a dental resin, fluid composite, bonding material, etc. via designated holes 412 (
Next, a decision is made 620 toward direction the group has to be moved. If 620 the direction of moving is forward, then a hook can be bonded 622 to a canine in the other jaw, the lower jaw for example. Then, a spring or an elastic can be associated 624 with the hook that is associated with the canine of the lower jaw. The other end of the elastic or the spring can be associated 626 with the hook of the pad that is associated with the molar at the far end of the TC. Thus, the spring or the elastic pulls forward the group of teeth, as a unit, toward the hook that is bonded on the canine of the lower jaw.
Then the patient may wait 636 for a period of 4-8 weeks, six weeks for example, before checking 640 whether the group of teeth are in place. If 640 the teeth are not in place the place, then the patient may wait 636 for another period of 4-8 weeks and recheck 640 the position of the group of teeth. If 640 the group of teeth are in place, then the assembled TC 400 (can be removed 642 and the treatment can be terminated 644.
Returning now to block 620, if the direction is moving backward, then a hook can be bonded 630 to a molar in the other jaw, the lower jaw for example. Then, a spring or an elastic can be associated 632 with the hook, which is associated with the molar of the lower jaw. The other end of the elastic or the spring can be associated 634 with the hook of the pad that is associated with the canine at the far end of the TC. Thus, the spring or the elastic pulls the group of teeth, as a unit, backward toward the hook that is bonded on the molar of the lower jaw and process 600 proceeds to block 636.
Process 600 was described as a process in which the group of teeth belongs to the upper jaw and may be moved, as a unit, backward or forward. A person having ordinary skill in the art can modify the above disclosed process in order to move, as a unit, a group of teeth that belongs to the lower jaw. Therefore, for convenience and readability, the modified process is not described.
In the description and claims of the present disclosure, each of the verbs, “comprise”, “include”, “have”, and conjugates thereof, are used to indicate that the object or objects of the verb are not necessarily a complete listing of members, components, elements, or parts of the subject or subjects of the verb.
The present disclosure has been described using detailed descriptions of embodiments thereof that are provided by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The described embodiments comprise different features, not all of which are required in all embodiments of the invention. Some embodiments of the present invention utilize only some of the features or possible combinations of the features. Many other ramification and variations are possible within the teaching of the embodiments comprising different combinations of features noted in the described embodiments.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited by what has been particularly shown and described herein above. Rather the scope of the invention is defined by the claims that follow.
This utility patent application being filed in the United States as a non-provisional application for patent under Title 35 U.S.C. § 100 et seq. and 37 C.F.R. § 1.53(b) and, claiming the benefit of the prior filing date under Title 35, U.S.C. § 119(e) of the United States provisional application for patent that was filed on Feb. 17, 2021 and assigned the Ser. No. 63/150,551, which application is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63150551 | Feb 2021 | US |