University of Southern California

Swift Health Systems Inc.

Robert Lee

Hongsheng Tong

Philong John Pham

Yong Qin Chen

Behrokh Khoshnevis

Allen Huynh

Vijay Dhaka

W Ronald Redmond

Hybrid orthodontic archwire designs are disclosed. Hybrid archwires may have bracket-archwire sections and interproximal archwire sections in which each section can vary in cross-section shape, size, and/or material properties. Bracket-archwire sections may be configured to promote torque control and may have rectangular cross-sections. Interproximal archwire sections may be configured to be bent into force-promoting loops and may have round cross sections. Each archwire section may be straight or bent into any shape. Hybrid archwires may have sliding sections and non-sliding sections. Non-sliding sections may have male connectors configured to prevent the archwire from sliding relative to the orthodontic brackets and/or may have cross-sectional shapes, sizes, or coatings that resist sliding relative to sliding sections. Sliding sections may have linear archwire segments. Hybrid archwires may have distal or posterior non-sliding sections and an intermediate anterior or medial sliding section.

Hybrid orthodontic archwires

An orthodontic appliance may include an archwire and multiple orthodontic brackets. The archwire may fit within a human mouth and contain multiple male connectors. Each orthodontic bracket may have a configuration that facilitates attaching the orthodontic bracket to a single tooth. Each orthodontic bracket may allow one of the male connectors to be locked into the orthodontic bracket with a snapping action. The male connector may be unable to slide with respect to the orthodontic bracket after being locked in the orthodontic bracket. A manual unlocking action may allow the male connector to disengage from the orthodontic bracket.

Orthodontic appliance with snap fitted, non- sliding archwire

Growing community of inventors

Torrance, CA, United States of America

Robert Lee