Self-ligating orthodontic appliance and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9492246-B2
Application number	US-201214112523-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 30, 2012
Priority date	Apr 19, 2011
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

The appliances and methods provide a tab on a “U”-shaped clip having a labial (i.e. toward the patient's lips or cheek) section and a lingual (i.e. toward the patient's tongue) section. The tab is located in a position that facilitates access by a practitioner and also reduces the moment applied to the clip when the clips is opened and closed. Advantageously, the tab can be positioned to account for the varying degree of resistance encountered by different sections of the clip and minimize the likelihood of either distorting the clip or torquing the appliance. The tab can be positioned coplanar with the sliding mechanism. Advantageously, these appliances can provide improved ease of use, reduced clip distortion over time, and greater patient comfort.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An orthodontic appliance comprising:
a base;
a body extending outwardly from the base, the body having an elongated slot extending along a generally mesial-distal direction and a recess extending through the center of the body between the elongated slot and the base; and
a clip slidably engaged with the body and movable at least between open and closed positions, the clip further comprising:
a labial section extending in a first direction over at least a portion of the slot when the clip is in the closed position, the labial section including an occlusal portion;
a lingual section coupled to the labial section and including a planar portion defining a first plane, the planar portion and first plane extending in the first direction into the recess and beneath the slot;
a planar tab coupled to the lingual section and extending in a second direction opposite the first direction, the tab providing a purchase point for moving the clip between open and closed positions, wherein the tab includes a first tab section that is coplanar with the first plane; and
wherein the occlusal portion is directly connected to one of the lingual section and the tab, wherein the tab is disposed on a same side of the archwire slot as the occlusal portion.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the tab is a folded-over tab, and includes a second tab section that is parallel to the first tab section.

3. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the first direction is a generally gingival direction and the second direction is a generally occlusal direction.

4. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the lingual section extends through the recess.

5. The appliance of claim 4 , wherein the body has occlusal and gingival sides and the recess communicates with both the occlusal and gingival sides.

6. The appliance of claim 5 , wherein the base defines a portion of the recess.

7. The appliance of claim 5 , wherein the body further comprises an inner wall partially defining the recess and a retention feature that engages the lingual section to maintain the clip in either the open or closed position is located on the inner wall.

8. The appliance of claim 7 , wherein the retention feature comprises a ridge extending across the inner wall in a generally mesial-distal direction.

9. The appliance of claim 8 , wherein the lingual section has a terminal end that engages the ridge when the clip is in the open position.

10. The appliance of claim 9 , wherein the lingual section includes a step bend adjacent the terminal end.

11. The appliance of claim 10 , wherein the ridge is a first ridge and the body further comprises a second ridge that engages the step bend when the clip is in the closed position.

12. The appliance of claim 11 , wherein the body further comprises a third ridge that engages the step bend thereby restricting the extent to which the lingual section can slide out of the recess when the clip is in its open position.

13. The appliance of claim 11 , wherein the step bend is a first step bend and further comprising a second step bend wherein the first and second step bends cooperatively engage the first and second ridges when the clip is in its closed position.

14. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the clip is formed from a substantially flat sheet of resilient material.

15. The appliance of claim 14 , wherein the tab is formed by a hairpin bend in the flat sheet.

16. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the lingual section is resiliently compressible along a generally labial-lingual direction.

17. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the body further comprises a pair of gingival tiewings and a pair of occlusal tiewings, wherein at least a portion of a lingual section of the clip extends between the pair of occlusal tiewings.

18. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the tab projects beyond the labial and lingual sections in a generally occlusal direction.

19. A method of releasing an archwire ligated to an orthodontic appliance, the appliance having a generally U-shaped clip with a labial section for ligation of the archwire, the labial section including an occlusal portion, and a generally planar lingual section slidably engaged to a body of the appliance along a recess in the body, the method comprising:
providing a generally planar tab located at the center of resistance of the clip with respect to the body and adjacent a base of the appliance wherein the tab projects beyond the occlusal portions and lingual section in a generally occlusal direction to facilitate access by the hand instrument;
engaging the tab with a hand instrument; and
using the hand instrument to urge the clip toward a generally occlusal direction to release the archwire from the archwire slot while applying force to the clip at a location generally coplanar with the center of resistance.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the center of resistance is generally located in the plane of the lingual section.

Assignees

• Lin Frank C
• Puttler Oliver L
• Lai Ming-Lai
• Georgakis Evangelos G
• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Lin Frank C
• Puttler Oliver L
• Lai Ming-Lai
• Georgakis Evangelos G

Classifications

• A61C7/287 Primary

  Sliding locks · CPC title