Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Innovative Properties Company

Kenneth E Hoevel

Bruce E Chester

Dwight W Jacobs

Evangelos G Georgakis

Russell A Jordan

Lawrence G Brusby

James D Cleary

John S Kelly

Joan V Brennan

Randall E Adam

Gregory D Crowe

Armineh Khachatoorian

A syringe assembly for applying a bonding agent to an inner surface of an orthodontic band includes a syringe and a hollow dispensing tip. The dispensing tip is detachably coupled to the syringe and is discarded after each patient, so that the risk of cross-contamination is substantially reduced. The dispensing tip provides a convenient extension of the syringe and facilitates application of the bonding agent in a continuous ribbon directly onto an inner surface of the orthodontic band without the use of an auxiliary hand instrument such as a spatula or the like.

Method and apparatus for applying a bonding agent to an orthodontic band

A pouch especially adapted for packaging small articles such as orthodontic appliances includes a pair of sheets that are joined together. In one embodiment, one sheet of the pouch extends beyond the other sheet in order to provide additional space for text or other information. In another embodiment, the pouch includes a tamper evident indicator and a recloseable section so that the pouch can be reused. In another embodiment, a line of perforations extends across the pouch and across an orthodontic archwire packaged in the pouch, so that the archwire can be grasped with a tool when the package is opened along the perforations without directly contacting the user.

Pouch for orthodontic appliance

Disclosed is a packaged element containing a) a substrate that transmits less than about 0.5% of actinic radiation and has at least one recess, b) a cover that transmits less than about 0.5% of actinic radiation and transmits at least part of the visible light spectrum, c) a structure for maintaining the cover in contact with the substrate such that the cover filters incident radiation entering the recess, and d) an element located in the recess and having a substance thereon that is curable by exposure to the actinic radiation. Also disclosed is an article containing a) a substrate having at least one recess with an interior surface, b) an element having a tacky substance on a surface thereof, and c) a structure for positioning the element inside the recess such that the tacky substance does not separate from the element upon removal from the recess.

Packaging curable materials

A package includes a) a tray that transmits less than about 0.5% of selective actinic radiation and having a top surface and at least two recesses in the top surface, each recess adapted to hold a light-curable material, b) a rigid plate covering the recesses that transmits less than about 0.5% of actinic radiation and transmits at least part of the visible light spectrum, such that the plate is sufficiently transparent to permit viewing inside the recesses, c) an arrangement for maintaining the plate in contact with the top surface of the tray to permit the plate to slide relative to the tray and filter incident radiation entering the recess, and d) a light-curable material in at least one of the recesses, that is curable upon removal of the rigid plate and exposure to sufficient actinic radiation.

A package for an adhesive precoated dental appliance such as an orthodontic bracket includes a container having a well and a flange, and a cover that extends over an opening of the well. A pressure sensitive adhesive releasably connects the cover to the flange along a first region, and a hermetic seal extends between the cover and the flange along a second region that is located between the first region and the opening of the well. The hermetic seal cooperates with the pressure sensitive adhesive to provide a reliable, easily openable package. The hermetic seal also prevents volatile components of adhesive on the dental appliance from contacting the pressure sensitive adhesive and thereby decreases loss of the volatile components from within the package in order to extend the expected shelf life of the adhesive precoated appliance.

Package for adhesive precoated dental appliance

A packaged dental article includes a dental appliance that is precoated with an adhesive. The adhesive is in contact with a flexible film having a low adhesion surface. The film is secured to a container at a location spaced from the appliance so that the film tends to peel away from the adhesive when the appliance is removed from the container in order to inhibit separation of the adhesive from the appliance. The container has a sidewall with a recess that engages a carrier to hold the container, and the carrier is flexible to permit the container to be inserted into or released from the carrier when desired.

Packaged dental article

An article includs a) a tray having at least two holes; b) at least two substrates each having a top surface and a single well opening only at the top surface and being removably retained in one of the holes in the tray; c) a lid releasably attached to the top surface so as to cover the well opening in a manner such that the substrate is removable from the hole with the lid attached to the top surface thereof; d) an orthodontic appliance having a tacky substance on an exterior surface thereof that is positioned in the well such that the tacky substance does not separate from the appliance upon removal from the well.

Growing community of inventors

Monrovia, CA, United States of America

Kenneth E Hoevel