3m Innovative Properties Company

Sunghan Kim

Ming-Lai Lai

James D Cleary

Matthew D Chaffee

David K Cinader, Jr

Richard E Raby

Oliver L Puttler

Calvin N Corpus

Ralf Schlimper

David K Cinader

Provided is an improved self-ligating orthodontic appliance and methods of assembling the same. The improved orthodontic appliance uses at least one resilient clip to releasably couple an archwire to the body, where a portion of the clip is rigidly coupled to the appliance body in a position and orientation that minimizes the overall profile of the appliance. The appliance is assembled by combining a press fit coupling between the clip and appliance body with an interference fit coupling between the clip and retaining structure located on the body. Advantages include a greater freedom to select a bonding pad location, lower bracket profile, decreased engagement force, enhanced clip fatigue life, and ease of assembly.

Orthodontic appliance with low profile clip

The present invention provides a method that uses digital data, such as that obtained from an intraoral scanner, to fabricate a wide range of customized laboratory appliances. The digital data is used to form a negative mold, which is in turn used to make a physical dental model. The negative mold is configured such that it can be flexed, stretched, fractured or disassembled to release the physical dental model. The physical dental model is then used for fabricating an orthodontic laboratory appliance.

Digitally forming a dental model for fabricating orthodontic laboratory appliances

Indirect bonding trays for orthodontic treatment are made from a model of the patient's dental arch that is manufactured using digital data and rapid prototyping processes. The model includes one or more guides for orienting an orthodontic appliance in a desired position on a model tooth of the dental arch model. A holder is connected to the archwire slot of the appliance and is brought into contact with the guide in order to move the appliance to its intended position for subsequent manufacture of the indirect bonding tray.

Methods and assemblies for making an orthodontic bonding tray using rapid prototyping

Growing community of inventors

Montebello, CA, United States of America

Sunghan Kim