Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Allen B Amundson

Robert C Manemann

Nicholine M Sandoval

Thorsten G Hilgenfeldt

Casey A Campbell

Fantu W Leka

Russell A Jordan

Dwight W Jacobs

Oliver L Puttler

Evangelos G Georgakis

An orthodontic assembly that includes a band and an attachment has one or more spot welds to secure the band to the attachment. The spot welds are characterized by the lack of any outer surface weld deformation that is circular in shape, or that is visible to the naked eye when viewed at a distance of twenty-four inches. Apparatus for welding the attachment to the band includes a subframe that is swingable in an arc to follow the inner contour of the band in order to provide automated welding on mesial and distal sides of the attachment.

Aesthetic orthodontic band and attachment assembly

Orthodontic adhesive is cooled below ambient temperature in order to facilitate applying the adhesive to the base of an orthodontic appliance. The adhesive is placed on a carrier and formed into a certain shape on the carrier, and then released from the carrier while cool. In one embodiment, a quantity of adhesive is placed on the base of the appliance, and the appliance is then moved to a cut-off die while the adhesive remains cool and relatively brittle; next, a stream of pressurized air fractures and removes excess adhesive from the appliance base.

Method for applying adhesive to the base of an orthodontic appliance

Aesthetic orthodontic band and welded attachment assembly

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Upland, CA, United States of America

Allen B Amundson