Orthodontic Apparatus Having an Improved Base Portion

1. Field of the Invention

The invention is directed to orthodontic apparatus, and, more particularly, to ceramic orthodontic apparatus having base portions for directly attaching the apparatus to the surface of a tooth.

2. Background Information

Known orthodontic brackets typically comprise a base portion, which defines an archwire slot for receiving an archwire, and tie wings projecting outwardly from the base portion for attaching ligature wire to secure the archwire to the bracket. The base portion further defines a tooth abutting surface shaped generally to conform to the morphology of a tooth. The bracket is mounted to a tooth by applying cement to the tooth abutting surface and then positioning and pressing the bracket against the surface of the tooth. It is desirable to bond the bracket to the tooth with adequate strength to withstand the ordinary forces exerted by the musculature and orthodontic appliances connected to the bracket. However, if the bond strength between the bracket and the tooth is too strong it may be difficult to remove the bracket after treatment without damaging the enamel surface of the tooth.

Most known ceramic brackets have a smooth tooth abutting surface. Such brackets are generally mounted to a tooth by first applying a silane compound to the tooth abutting surface and then applying cement to the silane coated surface. The silane compound improves the strength of the bond between the bracket and the tooth. One problem associated with such brackets is that the debonding procedure is often time consuming and painful to the patient. Because of the strength of the silane bond and brittle nature of the ceramic bracket, such brackets often fracture upon removal leaving pieces of both ceramic and cement bonded to the tooth. These pieces must be removed with diamond burrs, which can be a time-consuming, painful procedure, that frequently damages the enamel surface of the tooth.

One type of known ceramic bracket has relatively deep rectangular, or square shaped pockets with sharp corners formed in the tooth abutting surface for receiving cement. The deep pockets are provided to increase the bonding surface area, and thus increase the strength of the bond between the bracket and the tooth. The shape and depth of the pockets, however, makes it difficult to intimately apply cement to the pocket surfaces. As a result, after the cement sets air gaps form between the cement and the surfaces of the pockets. Accordingly, the strength of the bond between the tooth and bracket decreases, and may cause the bond to fail under normal loading forces.

Another type of known ceramic bracket has one or more V-shaped grooves formed on the tooth abutting surface for receiving cement. The V-shaped groove is provided to improve the bond between the bracket and the tooth. However, one problem associated with both brackets having a V-shaped groove and brackets having rectangular or square shaped pockets, is that the sharp corners of the grooves or pockets are points of concentrated stress. This problem is especially critical in the region of the base of the archwire slot where the cross sectional area of the bracket is thinnest. The concentrated stress can cause the bracket to fracture between the bottom of the V-shaped groove or pocket and the base of the archwire slot when normally experienced forces are exerted on the bracket.

Another problem with known ceramic brackets occurs when the brackets are mounted to a tooth. When the brackets are pressed against a tooth excess cement is squeezed from underneath the bracket and against the base portion beneath the tie wings. This condition must be checked, and the cement must be removed several times while mounting the bracket to a tooth. If the cement is not removed, it will set in the space beneath the tie wing and prevent the ligature wire from fitting around the tie wing to secure the archwire to the bracket.

This problem has been solved with some metal brackets by extending a flange or base member outwardly from the tooth abutting surface of the base portion and beneath the tie wings. The flange prevents any cement from collecting beneath the tie wings and leaves sufficient space below the tie wings to wrap the ligature wire around the bracket. Ceramic brackets with V-shaped grooves or square pockets, however, cannot avoid this problem by extending a flange from the base portion beneath the tie wings. The flange must be thicker than at least the depth of the cement pockets or grooves in order for the bracket to have sufficient structural strength to withstand normal loading forces. Therefore, in order to provide a flange of sufficient thickness and maintain sufficient spacing between the flange and the tie wings for wrapping the ligature wire, the overall vertical height of the bracket must be increased. This condition is uncomfortable for patients. As a result, known ceramic brackets are generally not provided with a flange beneath the tie wings, and accordingly, such brackets require removal of excess cement from around the base portion of a bracket while mounting the bracket to a tooth.

Yet another disadvantage associated with known ceramic brackets is the problem of debonding the bracket from a tooth without fracturing the enamel surface of the tooth. Some known metal orthodontic brackets can be mounted to a tooth by applying adhesive to a screen mesh base. When debonding, the malleability of the mesh base permits the bracket, in effect, to be peeled from the surface of the tooth. As a result, such brackets are generally removable from a tooth without damaging the enamel surface of the tooth. Ceramic brackets, on the other hand, are rigid and brittle in comparison to the mesh base of a metal bracket. As a result, known ceramic brackets often fracture upon removal. If the strength of the adhesive bonds between the bracket and cement, and between the bracket and the surface of the tooth, are stronger than the enamel surface of the tooth itself, removal of the ceramic bracket may fracture the enamel surface of the tooth.

The orthodontic apparatus of the invention overcomes the problems and disadvantages of known orthodontic apparatus and provides an improved base portion for directly bonding the apparatus to the surface of a tooth.

The invention is directed to a ceramic orthodontic apparatus having a base portion for attaching the apparatus directly to the surface of a tooth. The base portion has a tooth abutting surface shaped to fit generally the morphology of a tooth and defining a plurality of spaced, radially contoured indentations for receiving adhesive material for attaching the apparatus to a tooth.

Another apparatus of the invention is directed to a ceramic orthodontic bracket for attachment to a tooth comprising a base portion defining an archwire slot for receiving an archwire. The base portion of the bracket further defines a tooth abutting surface defining a plurality of spaced, radially contoured indentations for receiving adhesive material for directly attaching the bracket to a tooth.

The orthodontic bracket of the invention preferably includes two flange portions extending outwardly from opposite sides of the base portion and extending along a bottom edge of the base portion in the axial direction of the archwire slot. Each flange portion of the bracket preferably defines an outer face extending in the axial direction of the archwire slot that slopes inwardly toward the tooth abutting surface for retaining excess adhesive material beneath or against the respective flange portion. The peripheral contour of each flange portion is preferably curved so that the width of the base portion is narrower toward the ends of the bracket in the axial direction of the archwire slot to facilitate the attachment of ligature or elastomeric products to the bracket.

Another apparatus of the invention is directed to a ceramic orthodontic apparatus having a base portion for attaching the apparatus to a tooth. The base portion defines a tooth abutting surface shaped to fit the morphology of a tooth. The tooth abutting surface defines a plurality of raised portions and adjacent lowered portions, and the lowered portions define spaced, radially contoured indentations in the tooth abutting surface. The transition areas between the raised and lowered portions of the tooth abutting surface are rounded for receiving adhesive material for attaching the apparatus to a tooth.

One advantage of the apparatus of the invention is that the radial contour of the indentations in the tooth abutting surface permits cement to be easily applied in intimate contact with the surfaces thereof, and thus increases the bonding strength between the cement and the bracket over known apparatus. Another advantage of the apparatus of the invention is that the radial contours of the indentations of the tooth abutting surface do not give rise to points of concentrated stress within the bracket as experienced with known brackets having V-shaped grooves, rectangular, square, or other types of sharp cornered indentations. The structure of the base portion of the invention has also proven to permit the apparatus to be more easily debonded from a tooth without fracturing the apparatus or the enamel surface of the tooth.

Other advantages of the orthodontic apparatus of the invention will become apparent in view of the following detailed description and drawings taken in connection therewith.

FIG. 1 is a top planar view of an orthodontic apparatus embodying the invention including a base portion for directly attaching the apparatus to a tooth.

FIG. 2 is a side planar view of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom planar view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating an improved base portion of the invention for directly bonding the apparatus to a tooth.

FIG. 4 is a top planar view of another orthodontic apparatus of the invention having a generally rhomboidal configuration.

FIG. 5 is a side planar view of the apparatus of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a bottom planar view of the apparatus of FIG. 4 illustrating an improved base portion of the invention for directly bonding the apparatus to a tooth.

In FIG. 1 an orthodontic bracket embodying the invention is illustrated as 10. The orthodontic bracket 10 comprises a base portion 12 defining an archwire slot 14 therein for receiving an archwire, not shown. The bracket 10 further includes tie wing portions 16, 16 extending outwardly therefrom for tying ligature wire, not shown, for securing an archwire to the bracket. The base portion 12 of the bracket further defines a tooth abutting surface 18, which, as can be seen in FIG. 2, is shaped to fit generally the morphology of a tooth. The bracket 10 is made of a ceramic material, such as a single crystal or polycrystalline aluminum oxide.

Turning to FIG. 3, the tooth abutting surface 18 defines a plurality of radially contoured indentations 20, 20 therein, for receiving adhesive material, not shown, for directly attaching the bracket 10 to the surface of a tooth. The indentations 20, 20 are preferably arranged in several parallel rows, as shown in FIG. 3. Although the indentations 20, 20 each define a circular shaped periphery in the tooth abutting surface 18, they may be formed with a different shaped periphery, such as an oval. Likewise the indentations 20, 20 do not have to be formed in rows, as shown in FIG. 3, but may be staggered or arranged in another type of pattern.

The orthodontic bracket 10 further includes flange portions 22, 22 extending outwardly from the base portion 12. The flange portions 22, 22 define outer surfaces 24, 24 extending along the base portion of the bracket 10. The outer surfaces 24, 24 slope inwardly toward the tooth abutting surface 18. As shown in FIG. 3, the contour of the surfaces 24, 24 are curved so that the width of the base 12 becomes narrower toward the ends of the bracket 10 in the axial direction of the archwire slot 14. When the bracket 10 is mounted to a tooth, adhesive material squeezed toward the periphery of the base portion from the indentations 20, 20 is either retained beneath the flange portions 22, 22 or beneath the sloped surfaces 24, 24, as hereinafter described in further detail.

To mount the bracket 10 to a tooth, a silane compound, known in the art, is preferably applied to the surface 18. Adhesive material is then applied to the silane coated surface 18 and pressed into the indentations 20, 20. The silane coated surface improves the strength of the bond between the adhesive and the bracket. The radial contours of the indentations permit adhesive material to be applied in intimate contact thereto without forming air pockets that decrease the bond strength between the adhesive material and the bracket, as with known brackets having sharp cornered indentations.

The bracket is attached to a tooth, not shown, by pressing the tooth abutting surface 18 against the surface of the tooth and positioning the bracket as required. Any excess adhesive material that flows toward the outer periphery of the base portion is retained either between the surface 18 and the tooth surface, or against the sloped surfaces 24, 24. Unlike known ceramic brackets, it is not necessary to remove adhesive material from the edges of the bracket during mounting in order to leave sufficient space to wrap ligature wire around the tie wings. The flange portions 22, 22 ensure that sufficient space is retained beneath the tie wings to fit the ligature wire, regardless of the quantity of adhesive material that flows from underneath the bracket. The curved contours of the surfaces 24, 24 permit ligature wire or elastomeric products to be easily attached to the bracket 10. The ligature is first placed around the narrow ends of the bracket, which, because of their curved contours, are easily accessible, and the ligature is then worked around the remainder of the bracket's edge.

As shown in FIG. 2, the indentations 20, 20 are not very deep in relation to the overall vertical height of the bracket 10. As a result, the bracket 10 can be formed with the flange portions 22, 22 to ensure that the space underneath the tie wings 16, 16 remains free of excess cement, without noticeably increasing the overall vertical height of the bracket. Known brackets with deeper pockets, on the other hand, require a thicker flange member to provide adequate structural strength in those areas of the flange closest to the pockets. The overall vertical height of a known bracket, therefore, would substantially increase and cause discomfort to a patient.

Turning to FIGS. 4 through 6, another ceramic orthodontic bracket embodying the invention is illustrated as 110. As can be seen, the bracket 110 has a generally rhomboidal configuration which facilitates the process of aligning the bracket 110 on a tooth. The bracket 110 comprises a base portion 112 defining an archwire slot 114 for receiving an archwire, not shown. The bracket 110 further includes a pair of split tie wing portions 116, 116 defining a channel 118 therebetween. As best shown in FIG. 5, the archwire slot 114 is inclined in relation to the vertical axis of the bracket 110. The base portion 112 of the bracket 110 defines a tooth abutting surface 120 which, as can be seen, is shaped to fit the morphology of a tooth.

The tooth abutting surface 120 defines a plurality of radially contoured indentations 122, 122 therein, for receiving adhesive material, not shown, for directly attaching the bracket 110 to the surface of a tooth. The bracket 110 further includes a pair of flange portions 124, 124 defining outer surfaces 126, 126 extending along the length of the base portion 112 in the axial direction of the archwire slot 114. The outer surfaces 126, 126 slope inwardly toward the tooth abutting surface 120. The shape and configuration of the tooth abutting surface 120, the indentations 122, 122, and flange portions 124, 124 are substantially the same as the corresponding elements described above in relation to the previous embodiment. As shown, the contour of the surfaces 126, 126 are curved so that the width of the base 112 is narrower toward the ends of the bracket 110 in the axial direction of slot 114 in order to facilitate the attachment of ligature or elastomeric products, as described above in relation to the surfaces 24, 24 of the previous embodiment.

As described above in relation to the previous embodiment, the bracket 110 is also preferably mounted to a tooth by first applying a silane compound to the surface 120, and then applying adhesive material to the silane coated surface to attach the bracket to the tooth. It should be noted that ceramic brackets embodying the invention have proven to provide sufficient bonding strength between the bracket and the tooth to withstand normal loading forces. However, brackets embodying the invention have also proven to be more easily debonded from tooth surfaces than known ceramic brackets without fracturing the bracket or damaging the enamel surface of the tooth. The bracket is preferably removed from a tooth by gripping either side of the bracket with orthodontic pliers and applying a rotational, peel movement to break the bond between the bracket and the tooth.

In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described with reference to particular exemplary embodiments thereof. However, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the scope of the appended claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than in a restrictive sense.