Custom orthodontic bracket placement jig and jig making method and apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10052177-B2
Application number	US-46490906-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 16, 2006
Priority date	May 28, 2002
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

A placement jig for locating an orthodontic appliance on a tooth is provided with a cavity formed in a jig body and conforming to the contour of an occlusal portion a tooth crown, which cavity is coated with a releasable adhesive to hold the jig to the tooth as the appliance is bonded to the tooth. Connecting structure is fixed to the jig body. In certain embodiments, at least two jig-locating areas shaped to respectively conform to areas on the occlusal surfaces of two different teeth of a group are machined into the machinable material, and appliance receiving structures are also machined on each jig body, each for holding an orthodontic appliance in a fixed position and orientation relative to the jig body. The jig bodies for placing orthodontic appliances on the teeth of an individual patient are preferably formed of a single piece of machinable material. A method and an apparatus for forming the jig bodies are provided.

First claim

Therefore, the following is claimed:

1. An orthodontic appliance and jig combination comprising:
the orthodontic appliance positioning jig for placing one or more orthodontic appliances on one or more teeth of a group of at least two, but not more than six, adjacent teeth of a patient, the jig comprising:
a rigid jig body having at least two jig-locating, tooth-contact areas each shaped to respectively conform to a corresponding jig-contact area on respective occlusal surfaces of different teeth of the group, the at least two tooth-contact areas having the same geometric relationship to each other on the jig body as the corresponding jig-contact areas have to each other on the teeth of the group when the teeth of the patient are in initial, pretreatment positions,
a handle structure attached to a surface of the jig body away from the jig-locating areas and configured to be gripped by a tool for transporting the jig to teeth of the patient; and
an appliance receiving structure on the jig body configured for holding at least one orthodontic appliance of a predefined configuration in a fixed position and orientation relative to the jig body to bring a mounting surface of the at least one appliance into contact with a mounting area on a facial or lingual surface of a tooth of the group when the body is registered on the teeth of the group with the at least two jig-locating areas of the body in conforming contact with said areas of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth, the at least two jig-locating, tooth-contact areas being configured to contact and conform to a jig-contact area on the occlusal surface of at least two different teeth of the group, and
the appliance receiving structure including at least one receiver on the jig body configured to hold an orthodontic appliance in a fixed position on and relative to the jig body to bring a mounting surface of the appliance, when the body is so registered on the teeth, into contact with a mounting area on a surface of a corresponding tooth of the group that is not contacted by the tooth-contact areas of the jig body; and

each receiver having an orthodontic appliance removeably supported thereon having a bonding base configured to be bonded to the crown of the corresponding tooth.

2. The orthodontic appliance and jig combination of claim 1 further comprising:
a coating of uncured dental adhesive on the bonding base of the appliance.

3. The orthodontic appliance and jig combination of claim 1 further comprising:
the jig body is formed of a single piece of machinable material;
the jig-locating areas are machined into said material to conform to the custom shape of the crowns of individual teeth of the orthodontic patient.

4. The orthodontic appliance and jig combination of claim 1 wherein:
the jig body is formed of a single piece of machinable material;
the jig-locating areas are machined into said material to conform to the custom shape of the crowns of individual teeth of the orthodontic patient; and
the orthodontic appliance and jig combination further comprises a rigid adhesive forming a breakable bond between jig body and the bracket.

5. The orthodontic appliance and jig combination of claim 1 wherein:
the appliance receiving structure includes a second receiver configured to hold at least one orthodontic bracket and the appliance includes a second orthodontic bracket custom configured for bonding to a tooth of the patient.

6. The orthodontic appliance and jig combination of claim 5 wherein:
the appliance receiving structure includes a third receiver configured to hold at least one orthodontic bracket and the appliance further includes a third orthodontic bracket custom configured for bonding to a tooth of the patient.

7. The orthodontic appliance and jig combination of claim 6 wherein:
the appliance receiving structure includes a fourth receiver configured to hold at least one orthodontic bracket and the appliance further includes a fourth orthodontic bracket custom configured for bonding to a tooth of the patient.

8. A set of orthodontic appliance and jig combinations for placing a plurality of orthodontic appliances that collectively form an orthodontic brace for an individual patient on different teeth of an individual patient, the set comprising a plurality of orthodontic appliance and jig combinations according to claim 1 , each orthodontic appliance and jig combination having a jig body machined into the same single piece of machinable material so as to be detachable therefrom;
the jig-locating areas of each jig body being machined into said material to conform to the custom shape of the crowns of individual teeth of the orthodontic patient.

9. The set of orthodontic appliance and jig combinations of claim 8 wherein:
each of the jig-locating areas on each jig body has a coating of releasable dental adhesive thereon.

10. An orthodontic appliance and jig combination comprising:
an orthodontic appliance positioning jig for placing three orthodontic appliances, one on each of three teeth of a group of at least three but no more than six adjacent teeth of a patient, wherein the jig comprises:
a rigid jig body having at least two jig-locating, tooth-contact areas each shaped to respectively conform to a corresponding jig-contact area on respective occlusal surfaces of different teeth of the group, the at least two tooth-contact areas having the same geometric relationship to each other on the jig body as the corresponding jig-contact areas have to each other on the teeth of the group when the teeth of the patient are in initial, pretreatment positions,
a handle structure attached to a surface of the jig body away from the jig-locating areas and configured to be gripped by a tool for transporting the jig to teeth of the patient; and
an appliance receiving structure on the jig body configured for holding at least one orthodontic appliance of a predefined configuration in a fixed position and orientation relative to the jig body to bring a mounting surface of the at least one appliance into contact with a mounting area on a facial or lingual surface of a tooth of the group when the body is registered on the teeth of the group with the at least two jig-locating areas of the body in conforming contact with said areas of the occlusal surfaces of the teeth, the at least two jig-locating, tooth-contact areas including one area configured to contact and conform to a jig-contact area on the occlusal surface on an endmost one of the teeth of the group, one tooth-contact area configured to contact and conform to a jig-contact area on the occlusal surface on the other endmost one of the teeth of the group, no tooth-contact areas being configured to contact any other than the corresponding endmost tooth of the group, when said teeth are in the initial, pretreatment positions, and
the appliance receiving structure including three receivers on the jig body, each configured for holding a different one of three orthodontic appliances in fixed positions and orientations relative to the jig body to bring a mounting surface of each into contact with a mounting area on a facial or lingual surface of each respective one of the three teeth of the group when the body is so registered on the teeth; and

three orthodontic appliances, each having a bonding base configured to be bonded to the crown of a different one of the three teeth of the group, each appliance being removably connected by the connecting structure to the body of the jig and positioned relative to the jig-locating areas for locating the bonding base thereof at a respective bonding position on the crown of the respective one of the three teeth of the group.

11. An orthodontic appliance

Assignees

• Andreiko Craig A
• Ormco Corp

Inventors

• Andreiko Craig A

Classifications

• A61C7/146 Primary

  Positioning or placement of brackets; Tools therefor · CPC title