FIELD OF INVENTION

The invention generally relates to Orthodontics and in particular to all Edge wise, Straight wire and all its modification and custom fabricated Brackets or tubes for orthodontic correction using virtual dental model and Cad Cam technology and Begg Brackets and tubes.

BACK GROUND AND PRIOR ART

In conventional Orthodontic braces Brackets and tubes are bonded on all the teeth that are required for support or that need correction of irregularities. An Alternative method is to weld Orthodontic brackets and tubes on Bands which are prefabricated according to the contour of the teeth or adapted to the contour of the teeth. These bands with the brackets and tubes welded on them are cemented to the teeth using Dental Luting Cements. Orthodontic Brackets are used to deliver forces to various teeth in a scientific manner so that the teeth can be arranged for better appearance and function. In conventional Orthodontics the Orthodontic brackets and tubes are bonded or Bands with welded Brackets and tubes are cemented to the teeth using various resins or luting cements. Forces are then applied using a wire that pass through the slots on. these Brackets. These wires are tied securely to the brackets with the help of thin wire called Ligature wire or with the help of thin plastic rings called "Hg a rings". More recently the tie wings are used to engage the wire in the Bracket using various self ligating cover like designs. The slots of theses brackets are at specific locations and do have pre planned alignments to the Bracket bases. The position and alignment of these slots define the various treatment prescriptions in orthodontics. The arch wire is tied to the bracket taking advantage of the undercuts designs present in the Brackets called Tie wings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention is an over all design variation where the tie wings are entirely avoided and the outer surface of the bracket is made smooth and polished. The surface can also be made of different materials for the reasons of appearance. The new invention does not have any thing to do with the location of the bracket slots. But the difference is in the overall design variation of the Bracket itself. That means any

system of treatment is possible in this design variation. The earlier Brackets were bulky and had wing like structures called Tie -wings "more like Thorns" for the purpose of putting ligature wire to keep the force applying wire in place.

The systems of treatment "referred" to includes any design variations in the slot position that is in practice today like Begg System with tubes or Edgewise systems with tubes or any of its modifications or The Begg & Straight wire (PEA) Combinations like Tip edge Systems with tubes or any Cad Cam system with tubes systems yet to develop. Any bracket designs like twin brackets or mono brackets can be fabricated in the Edge wise Wingless Self Ligation Orthodontic Bracket System. Any kind of bracket bases can be used in these systems. Here onwards Orthodontic Brackets of any system of treatment, made of any material or virtual or with any Bracket base and any type of attachments like Brackets and tubes will be referred to as Brackets for the purpose of convenience.

The Main advantages of the new system of Brackets are that we eliminate the Tie wings entirely from the bracket design.

10) It further reduce Fabrication cost

1 1) This change improves the Patient comfort.

12) Improves patient esthetics 13) Reduce incidence of Lip and Cheek injury,

14) Improves the ability to brush

15) Automatically improve Oral hygiene because it allows self cleansing by lips and Tongue. 16) The design permits food particle to easily slide over the Brackets there by reduce food particles from getting stuck between the tie wings.

17) Increase the bonding area and hence improve Bond strength

18) Since the tie wings are absent Bracket breakage is almost nil. 10) The Slot dimension is not interfered by ligatures or "Hg a rings".

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1. The normal Edge Wise Bracket: The normal Edge Wise Bracket is a piece of metal with a surface either contoured to adhere to the tooth surface and a slot for

the wire to pass. The surface that adheres to the tooth is called the base of the Bracket. The sides of the slots curve away from the slot and forms what is known as the tie wings. The slot and the base are connected to each other by the bracket stem. Through ages the Orthodontic bracket has gone through many phases of evolution.

80 Almost all the designs were either winged but there were quit a few un- winged Brackets as well. But till now no bracket system that is round shaped and having a contour of Capital D to the apex of a Parabola are invented. These brackets come as fully fabricated and only need to be bonded on teeth no bracket base fabrication in the dental clinic is needed. The entire bracket can be manufactured in the factory.

85 Andrews bracket and Roth brackets from many companies available now are examples of different prescriptions of Winged Brackets.

Figure 2. The different line angles seen from the Facial/ Buccal view : The different terms used in the article are dependant on the various nomenclature systems in

90 dentistry. But for convenience sake they are explained once again here using a picture. The various line angles of our interest, seen from the facial surface of an anterior tooth are the Cervical Margin, The Incisal or Occlusal Margin, the Mesio- buccal, Disto-buccal line angles. The various line angles of our interest, seen from the facial surface of a posterior tooth are the Cervical Margin, Occlusal Margin, the

95 Mesio-buccal, Disto-buccal line angles. These terms help us to determine each edge of a tooth and help us to define the appliance better in relation to the tooth.

Figure 3. The different point angles seen from the Labial/Buccal view : The different terms used in the article are dependant on the various nomenclature systems in

100 dentistry. But for convenience sake they are explained once again here using a picture. The various point angles of our interest, seen from the facial surface of an anterior tooth are the Mesio-Cervical, the Disto-cervical, mesio incisal, and disto incisal point angles. The various point angles of our interest, seen from the facial surface of a posterior tooth are the Mesio-Cervical, the Disto-cervical, mesio occlusal,

105 and disto-occlusal point angles. These terms help us to determine each corner of a tooth and help us to define the appliance better in relation to the tooth.

Figure 4. How Bracket is altered : Here in the new invention the tie wings are entirely avoided and the space occupied by the tie wings are either included in the 1 10 brackets itself or that part of the tie wing is that is not with in the limits of the bracket design is removed and the under cuts are blocked with any material with which the

brackets is fabricated or with any other material. The new invention is also an altered design of Orthodontic Bracket were all the under cuts in the design of the bracket were filled with the material of fabrication of the bracket or a different material. Thus 115 all the under cuts and food retention areas are eliminated. The basic idea of bracket Ligation was to secure the force applying Arch wire to be in place. Thin wires called ligatures wires pass around the tie wings and keep the arch wire against the bracket Base. This will generate the necessary force to move the tooth to the desired position.

120 Figure 5. Bracket profile transitions : These Tie wings and the ligature wire together often cause patients great discomfort and injury to the soft gums and cheek around the bracket. Often because these areas of food lodgment cause caries and Bad breath occurs. So by excluding these tie wings a lot of problems associated with the tooth itself and the adjoining tissues can be avoided. But this also calls for many

125 challenges for securing the Arch wire to the bracket by some means other than ligation with a ligature wire. The arch wire locking is made effective by self ligation philosophy and a number of designs have been developed for the same. The center of the face of the Bracket or the center of the parabola or Capital D has a slot for engaging the Arch wire. Since the Arch wire slot in the bracket is a part of the

130 bracket itself, the bracket design does not show the slot specifically but the design shows the overall shape of the Bracket including the Slot. The design can have any shape that progress from a Capital D Shape to a parabola as shown in the Figure 5

Figure 6. Parts of the new bracket system : In the new design all the under cuts in the

135 design of the bracket were filled with the material of fabrication of the bracket itself or a different material. Thus all the under cuts and food retention areas are eliminated. The basic design from the mesial or distal side is "a Capital D Shape to an apex of a parabola". The design also has all the parts of the normal Edge wise bracket namely Bracket Base, Bracket Slot, and Bracket stem except the Ligature tie

140 wings.

The Facial Press Ligation Brackets

Figure 7. Facial view of Facial Press Ligation Brackets and Lock Opening incisally :

The Bracket is essentially a solid block of the material with which the Bracket is

145 manufactured. The block has a horizontal slot in the middle of its face according to the Bracket prescription in mind of the manufacturer. The base of the Bracket slot

joins with the face of the Bracket Base by the Stem of the Bracket. The Bracket has a latch to lock the arch wire in place it can be opened either incisally or occlusaly.

150 In a bracket with the latch opening Incisally or occlusal, the inciso-facial or the occluso-facial edge of the Bracket is thoroughly rounded so that the surface resembles the surface of capital D or the apex of a parabola or any shape that happens in between these two shapes as shown in the Figure5. The Mesial and distal incisal portions of the slot has a depression to allow the hinge of the latch.

155

Figure 8. Facial view of Facial Press Ligation Brackets and Lock Opening incisally : The bracket on the Mesial side and the distal side except in the incisal area where the depression for the hinge is present and the gingival area is hollowed out into a concavity that allows the latch to occupy space. The latch at the gingival part has a

160 lock that locks with the Bracket base

Figure 9. Facial Press Ligation Brackets and Lock Opening cervicaly : The Bracket is essentially a solid block of the material with which the Bracket is manufactured. The block has a horizontal slot some where in the middle according to the Bracket

165 prescription in mind of the manufacturer. The bracket can also have a vertical slit that goes along with the Long axis of the Tooth to help bracket orientation. The base of the Bracket slot joins with the face of the Bracket Base. The Bracket has a latch to lock the arch wire in place it can be opened cervicaly. In a bracket with the latch opening gingival, the gingivo-facial aspect of the Bracket is thoroughly rounded to a

170 capital D or the apex of a parabola or any shape that happens in between these two shapes as shown in the Figure5. The Mesial and distal incisal portion of the slot has a depression to allow the hinge of the latch. The bracket on the Mesial side and the distal side except in the incisal area where the depression for the hinge is present and the gingival area is hollowed out into a concavity that allows the latch to occupy

175 space.

Figurel O. Facial Press Ligation Brackets and Lock Opening cervicaly : The latch at the gingival part has a lock that locks with the Bracket base. In case of a Bracket with the latch opening gingival the depression for the hinge of the latch is in the incisal 180 portion of the Mesial and distal surface of the Bracket. In this situation the lock is at the gingival portion and the Mesial side and the distal side except in the incisal area

where the depression for the hinge is present and the incisal / occlusal area are hollowed out into a concavity that allows the latch to occupy space.

185 Figure 1 1. Close up view of the self lock Facial Press Ligation Brackets : The descriptions of the lock is given along with that of the Figures 8 and 10.

Vertical Slide Ligation Brackets

Figure 12. Vertical Slide Ligation Brackets : A new vertical Slide design for arch

190 wire ligation in the parabola design and the Capital D profile Brackets. A sliding jig with spring loaded locking systems is fixed at four opposing areas at a distance to which the vertical Sliding is required. The incisal arch wire boundary of the bracket along with the anterior wall (The arch wire ligation part) is fixed to this jig and this forms the movable part in the Bracket design. But once firmly locked into place it

195 along with the cervical member acts like a firm bounding box for the arch wire

Figure 13. Vertical Slide Ligation Brackets. Non sliding part : The Bracket Base along with the stem forms a system that allows the vertical sliding jig to slide along the vertical axis. The system has the female part that fits exactly with the Spring 200 loaded locking systems in the Vertical Sliding jig. The cervical arch wire boundary of the bracket is fixed to this block. The cervical arch wire boundary is that part of the earlier edge wise bracket that used to have the cervical tie wings. This part along with the bracket stem is bonded to the tooth surface by the bracket base and will not move during arch wire engagement.

205

Figure 14. Vertical Slide Ligation Brackets. Assembled appearance ; The assembly in the figure shows the various parts of the vertical slide lock brackets in the assembled form.

210 Figure 15. The Spring loaded locking system used in Vertical Slide Ligation Brackets: The Male part or the movable part of the Bracket is fixed with a spring loaded locking system to engage the immovable part of the bracket once the bracket is closed. The vertical sliding part passes through a slider on either side.

215 Direct Press Ligation brackets

Figure 16. Direct Press Ligation Brackets : A simple press lock system to lock the arch wire in place. The bracket face is fixed with a hinged latch with a spring loaded lock at the locking end. The lock is pressed against an inclined locking surface

Bracket face. Unlocking requires a sharp explorer with goes into the lock and 220 disengages the lock.

Figure 17. The press lock locking system used in Direct Press Ligation Brackets.

Vertical Press Ligation Bracket

225 Figure 18. Vertical Press Ligation Bracket. Profile and Facial views : The bracket face is fixed with a hinged latch with a spring loaded lock at the locking end. The lock is pressed against an inclined locking surface Bracket face. Unlocking requires a sharp explorer with goes onto the spring loaded lock through a hole in the cervical / incisal part to the bracket face and disengages the lock.

230

Figure 19. Vertical Press Ligation Bracket showing the press locking system.

Figure 20. Elastic Hook Ligation Bracket. Profile and Facial views : The bracket face is fixed with a hinged latch with a spring loaded lock at the locking end. The 235 elastic hook is fixed on to the spring hook and pressing the hook disengages the latch and the bracket slot is opened. When locked the middle expanded part of the hook engages an under cut on the face of the bracket and keeps the latch locked.

Figure 21. Examples of spring loaded locks that can be used in the locking systems

240

Bracket Face Ligation system

Figure 22. The bracket face is cut into a triangle longitudinal section. On the other side of the hinge on the ligation part is a self locking system as shown in the figure 23. The Figure 22 shows the Profile and facial view of the Bracket Face Lock system. 245 The cervical / incisal margin is fixed with a hinge for the face cover to open.

The figure 23 shows the ligation system used in Bracket face lock System.

Figure 24 shows the view from the Incisal/ Cervical apect. In addition to all the other 250 veiws 3 other views also introducing regarding the Bracket design. One from the Incisal and another from the facial aspect and the design of the base all related to the wingless bracket design.

Figure 25 shows the Various facial views possible in the Wingless Bracket design 255 The view from the facial aspect varies from

f) Round to rectangle with or with out rounded corners g) Rround to square with or with out rounded corners h) Square or Rectangle to Parallelogram with or with out rounded corners

260 i) Square or Parallelogram to a rhombus with or with out round corners j) Or any combination of the above all with a wingless design as described earlier.

Figure 26 shows various Bracket bases that are possible with Wingless Brackets. Now 265 the base of the bracket also shows the transition. It starts from a straight line to a smooth or sharp curve as shown in the figure 26. Any combination of the base with any combination of the Bracket facial appearance all with the wingless Bracket design described earlier.

270 Vertical Slide Side Lock Brackets

Figure 27 shows the facial and proximal view of Vertical Slide Side Lock Brackets The bracket assembly is separated into 2 pieces. One attacked to the tooth this bears the Bracket slot and have the female portion for occupying the 2 side locks on the 275 Slide Cover. The second part is the Sliding cover with the attached side locks. The cover is used to keep the arch wire in place. Note that the cover portion in the closed position completely covers the arch wire slot.

Figure 28. shows Facial View of Vertical Slide Side Lock Bracket's Base assembly 280 and cover separate

Figure 29 shows t he Proximal view of the bracket assembly

Figure30shows the view from the cervical aspect with out the side cover. In this view 285 the arch wire slot, the side lock slot and the ligature path are visible. The ligature path is a shallow grove on the Cervical and Occlusal. Incisal aspect of the Bracket base to accommodate a ligature wire if needed.

Rotating cover lock Bracket

290 Figure 31 shows aRotating cover lock Bracket. It is a simple hinge and lock design for bracket opening and closing. The hinge can be either cervical or incisal and the

lock on the opposite side respectively. The bracket base assembly and the Cover together defines the Bracket Slot.

295

Vertical Slide lock Brackets modified

Figure32 shows the Various facial views of Vertical Slide lock bracket modified bases 300 One additional shape transition of bracket from round to oval appart from the shapes previously mentioned . That means, with a wingless design as described earlier, the view from the facial aspect varies from round to rectangle with rounded corners. The present modification is from round to oval as shown in the figure 32 with all wingless bracket design.

305

Figure 33 shows Vertical Slide lock Brackets modified. The locking system is modified to and is restricted to the facial surface only.

310

315