EP-4734875-A1 - TECHNIQUES FOR MOLAR DISTALIZATION

Abstract

The techniques provide for a dental appliance, a method for treating a patient with the dental appliance, and a method of manufacturing the dental appliance. The dental appliance includes a bar comprising a first end and a second end. The first end is configured to engage with a first tooth. The dental appliance also includes a coupling portion at the end of the bar configured to engage with an orthodontic bracket bonded to a second tooth. The coupling portion is configured to rotate about an axis.

Inventors

• DUGGAN, OISIN

Assignees

• Lightforce Orthodontics Inc.

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240627

Claims (20)

1. 1. A dental appliance, comprising: a bar comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to engage with a first tooth; and a coupling portion at the second end of the bar configured to engage with an orthodontic bracket bonded to a second tooth, wherein the coupling portion is configured to rotate about an axis.
2. 2. The dental appliance of claim 1, wherein the first end is configured to engage with the first tooth by engaging with a second bracket bonded to the first tooth.
3. 3. The dental appliance of claim 1, wherein the coupling portion comprises a flexible portion configured to rotate about the axis.
4. 4. The dental appliance of claim 1, wherein the coupling portion comprises a mating connection configured to connect to a bracket attachment that engages with the orthodontic bracket bonded to the second tooth.
5. 5. The dental appliance of claim 4, wherein: the orthodontic bracket is a tube with an inlet configured to receive an end of an arch wire; and the bracket attachment comprises a protrusion that fits within the inlet to engage the bracket attachment with the orthodontic bracket.
6. 6. The dental appliance of claim 1, wherein the bar is a distalizer.
7. 7. The dental appliance of claim 6, wherein: the second tooth comprises a molar; and the bar is configured to distalize the molar.
8. 8. The dental appliance of claim 1, wherein: the first end of the bar comprises an engagement feature configured to engage with an elastic element; and the elastic element applies a distal force on the bar.
9. 9. The dental appliance of claim 8, wherein a first end of the elastic element is configured to engage with the engagement feature and a second end of the engagement feature is configured to engage with a third orthodontic bracket attached to a mandibular tooth.
10. 10. The dental appliance of claim 1, wherein the coupling portion is configured to rotate about the occluso-gingival axis.
11. 11. The dental appliance of claim 1, wherein the first tooth is one of a canine and a premolar.
12. 12. A method of treating a patient using a dental appliance, comprising: installing the dental appliance, wherein the dental appliance comprises: a bar comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to engage with a first tooth; and a coupling portion at the second end of the bar configured to engage with an orthodontic bracket bonded to a second tooth, wherein the coupling portion is configured to rotate about an axis.
13. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein installing comprises: engaging the first end with the first tooth; and engaging the coupling portion with the orthodontic bracket bonded to the second tooth.
14. 14. The method of claim 12, wherein the coupling portion comprises a mating connection configured to connect to a bracket attachment that engages with the orthodontic bracket bonded to the second tooth.
15. 15. The method of claim 12, wherein: the first end of the bar comprises an engagement feature configured to engage with an elastic element; and the elastic element applies a distal force on the bar.
16. 16. The method of claim 12, wherein the coupling portion is configured to rotate about the occluso-gingival axis.
17. 17. A method of manufacturing a dental appliance, comprising: manufacturing the dental appliance, wherein the dental appliance comprises: a bar comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to engage with a first tooth; and a coupling portion at the second end of the bar configured to engage with an orthodontic bracket bonded to a second tooth, wherein the coupling portion is configured to rotate about an axis.
18. 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the coupling portion comprises a mating connection configured to connect to a bracket attachment that engages with the orthodontic bracket bonded to the second tooth.
19. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein: the first end of the bar comprises an engagement feature configured to engage with an elastic element; and the elastic element applies a distal force on the bar.
20. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the coupling portion is configured to rotate about the occluso-gingival axis.

Description

TECHNIQUES FOR MOLAR DISTALIZATION CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This patent application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/511,014, titled “TECHNIQUES FOR MOLAR DISTALIZATION,” filed June 29, 2023, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. BACKGROUND [0002] Orthodontics has been widely adapted in clinics to correct various types of malocclusions (e.g., crowded teeth, crooked, etc.) by applying controlled forces to the teeth. To straighten teeth, orthodontic brackets are adhered onto the patient’s teeth, and an arch wire (e.g., elastic metal wires of round, square, or rectangular cross-sectional shape) is run through the bracket slots and secured to the brackets (e.g., via elastics) to provide the driving force to straighten the teeth. The adaptation of each bracket to an associated individual tooth is performed by filling the gap between the tooth surface and bracket surface with adhesive. The bracket is bonded to the tooth such that the bracket slot, when the teeth are moved to their final position, lies in a near flat (depending on manufacturing accuracy) horizontal plane that is achieved through the arch wire. [0003] To create space in the dental arch, distalization devices may be used. Some distalization devices include a bar that spans the distance between two teeth. The bar is bonded to the individual teeth by filling the gap between the tooth surface and the bar with an adhesive. Once, the bar is bonded to the teeth, the bar may apply forces to the teeth to move one or more teeth for creating more space in the dental arch. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] The present disclosure relates to a dental appliance that includes a bar comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to engage with a first tooth and a coupling portion at the second end of the bar configured to engage with an orthodontic bracket bonded to a second tooth, wherein the coupling portion is configured to rotate about an axis and the first end is configured to engage with the first tooth by engaging with a second bracket bonded to the first tooth. [0005] The present disclosure also relates to a dental appliance wherein the coupling portion comprises a flexible portion configured to rotate about the axis and the coupling portion comprises a mating connection configured to connect to a bracket attachment that engages with the orthodontic bracket bonded to the second tooth. The orthodontic bracket is a tube with an inlet configured to receive an end of an arch wire and the bracket attachment comprises a protrusion that fits within the inlet to engage the bracket attachment with the orthodontic bracket. [0006] The present disclosure also relates to a dental appliance wherein the bar is a distalizer. The second tooth comprises a molar and the bar is configured to distalize the molar. The first end of the bar comprises an engagement feature configured to engage with an elastic element and the elastic element applies a distal force on the bar. The first end of the elastic element is configured to engage with the engagement feature and a second end of the engagement feature is configured to engage with a third orthodontic bracket attached to a mandibular tooth. [0007] The present disclosure also relates to a dental appliance wherein the coupling portion is configured to rotate about the occluso-gingival axis and the first tooth is one of a canine and a premolar. [0008] The present disclosure also relates to a method of treating a patient using a dental appliance, comprising installing the dental appliance, wherein the dental appliance comprises a bar comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to engage with a first tooth; and a coupling portion at the second end of the bar configured to engage with an orthodontic bracket bonded to a second tooth, wherein the coupling portion is configured to rotate about an axis. [0009] The present disclosure also relates to a method of treating a patient using a dental appliance wherein installing comprises engaging the first end with the first tooth and engaging the coupling portion with the orthodontic bracket bonded to the second tooth. The coupling portion comprises a mating connection configured to connect to a bracket attachment that engages with the orthodontic bracket bonded to the second tooth. The first end of the bar comprises an engagement feature configured to engage with an elastic element and the elastic element applies a distal force on the bar. The coupling portion is configured to rotate about the occluso-gingival axis. [0010] The present disclosure also relates to a method of manufacturing a dental appliance, comprising manufacturing the dental appliance, wherein the dental appliance comprises a bar comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is configured to engage with a first tooth; and a coupling portion at the second