HK1262644B - Orthodontic bracket - Google Patents

Description

Orthodontic brackets

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an orthodontic correction technology; in particular, to an orthodontic bracket designed to receive an orthodontic arch wire.

Background Art

When a person's teeth are not straight, their dental aesthetics, function, and health may be affected. The goal of orthodontics is to properly align the teeth, for example by using appliances that apply mechanical force to move the teeth into a position or orientation where their function and aesthetics can be improved.

Traditional archwire appliances (braces) use archwires and brackets to apply corrective forces to the teeth. The archwire can be pre-shaped and connected to the teeth through brackets fixed to the tooth surface. When initially installed, the archwire elastically deforms to accommodate misaligned teeth. The archwire is elastic and applies force to the teeth through the brackets to align the teeth with the pre-shaped form of the archwire. The archwire continuously exerts force on the teeth and gradually pushes the teeth to their corrective finish position. Traditional archwires are fixed to the brackets using ligatures and transmit strong forces to the teeth. With self-ligating brackets, the archwire can slide more freely in the bracket slots, thereby achieving corrective tooth movement for the patient with less pressure and discomfort.

The prior art discloses a self-ligating bracket comprising a main bracket body attached to a base. An archwire slot extends mesial-distally from the main bracket body and is located between the gingival and occlusal tie wings. The archwire slot is open edgewise relative to the base to receive an archwire. The bracket also includes a locking clip that allows for placement and removal of an archwire in an open position and can be slidably locked into place to retain the archwire in the archwire slot in a closed position. The prior art also discloses various locking clips or closures designed to achieve the same purpose.

Archwire installation for traditional self-ligating brackets requires specially designed tools to operate the opening and closing of the locking clips or closures. Typically, archwire placement and removal must be performed by someone other than the patient (e.g., a dentist), who is unable to perform the task independently. This operation is difficult, especially with lingual brackets. The locking clips or closures increase the complexity and cost of manufacturing self-ligating brackets. The design of the locking clips or closures also adds edges and protrusions to the bracket body, which can cause further discomfort to the patient.

Summary of the Invention

In light of the aforementioned existing problems, one objective of the present invention is to provide an improved orthodontic bracket that lacks a locking clip or closure mechanism, thereby facilitating archwire installation. By simplifying the bracket's design and construction, the present invention improves upon the shortcomings of existing devices while retaining the archwire retention properties of self-ligating brackets.

In some embodiments of the present invention, an orthodontic bracket is provided, which is suitable for use in combination with an archwire to apply a corrective force to a tooth. The orthodontic bracket includes a rear end surface, a front end surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, and a channel. The rear end surface is suitable for attachment to the tooth. The front end surface is opposite to the rear end surface. The first side surface is connected between the rear end surface and the front end surface. The second side surface is connected between the rear end surface and the front end surface and is opposite to the first side surface. The channel extends from the first side surface to the second side surface. The cross-section of the channel includes an entry opening, an archwire slot, a path portion, and at least one rotating portion. The entry opening is configured to allow the archwire to enter the channel. The archwire slot is formed at the end of the channel to receive the archwire. The path portion connects the entry opening and the archwire slot. The at least one rotating portion is arranged in the path portion to allow the archwire to change its orientation.

In some embodiments of the present invention, an orthodontic bracket is provided, which is suitable for use in combination with an archwire to apply a corrective force to a tooth. The orthodontic bracket includes a rear end surface, a front end surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, and a channel. The rear end surface is suitable for attachment to the tooth. The front end surface is opposite to the rear end surface. The first side surface is connected between the rear end surface and the front end surface. The second side surface is connected between the rear end surface and the front end surface and is opposite to the first side surface. The channel extends from the first side surface to the second side surface. The cross-section of the channel includes an entry opening, an archwire slot, and a path portion. The entry opening is configured to allow the archwire to enter the channel. The archwire slot is formed at the end of the channel to receive the archwire. The path portion connects the entry opening and the archwire slot and has a curved form.

In some embodiments of the present invention, an orthodontic bracket is provided, which is suitable for use in combination with an archwire to apply a corrective force to a tooth. The orthodontic bracket includes a rear end surface, a front end surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, and a channel. The rear end surface is suitable for attachment to the tooth. The front end surface is opposite to the rear end surface. The first side surface is connected between the rear end surface and the front end surface. The second side surface is connected between the rear end surface and the front end surface and is opposite to the first side surface. The channel extends from the first side surface to the second side surface. The cross-section of the channel includes an entry opening, an archwire slot, a path portion, and at least one notch. The entry opening is configured to allow the archwire to enter the channel. The archwire slot is formed at the end of the channel to receive the archwire. The path portion connects the entry opening and the archwire slot. The at least one notch is formed on the first side surface and/or the second side surface for retaining an elastic O-ring.

In some embodiments of the present invention, an orthodontic bracket is provided that is suitable for use in conjunction with an archwire to apply a corrective force to a tooth. The orthodontic bracket includes a rear end surface, a front end surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, and a channel. The rear end surface is suitable for attachment to a tooth. The front end surface is opposite the rear end surface. The first side surface is connected between the rear end surface and the front end surface. The second side surface is connected between the rear end surface and the front end surface and is opposite to the first side surface. The channel extends from the first side surface to the second side surface in an extension direction. A cross-section of the channel includes an entry opening, an archwire slot, and a curved path portion. The entry opening is configured to allow an archwire to enter the channel. The archwire slot is formed at the end of the channel to receive the archwire. The path portion connects the entry opening and the archwire slot. The path portion also includes at least one twisting portion defined by a gradually curved and twisted surface, such that the archwire must swing in a direction non-parallel to the extension direction of the channel in order to pass through the gradually curved and twisted surface of the twisting portion.

In some embodiments of the present invention, an orthodontic bracket is provided that is suitable for use in conjunction with an archwire to apply a corrective force to a tooth. The orthodontic bracket includes a rear end surface, a front end surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, and a channel. The rear end surface is suitable for attachment to the tooth. The front end surface is opposite to the rear end surface. The first side surface is connected between the rear end surface and the front end surface. The second side surface is connected between the rear end surface and the front end surface and is opposite to the first side surface. The channel extends from the first side surface to the second side surface in an extension direction. The cross-section of the channel includes an entry opening, an archwire slot, and a curved path portion. The entry opening is configured to allow the archwire to enter the channel. The archwire slot is formed at the end of the channel to receive the archwire. The path portion connects the entry opening and the archwire slot. The path portion also includes at least one protrusion, so that the archwire must be bent to bypass the protrusion in order to pass through.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG1A is a schematic diagram of a pair of counteracting brackets according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of a pair of offset brackets having rounded edges on their outer surfaces according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG2A is a cross-sectional view of structural features of a pair of offset brackets of FIG1A;

FIG2B is a cross-sectional view of an effective archwire slot area counteracting exit passageway directions of the pair of offset brackets in FIG2A in direct alignment;

FIG3A is a schematic diagram of an archwire in an archwire slot of a pair of offset brackets of FIG1A in direct alignment;

FIG3B is a schematic illustration of an archwire in the archwire slots of the pair of offset brackets of FIG3A directly aligned, with the archwire in a position blocked by the offset channel;

FIG4A is a cross-sectional view of structural features of an offset bracket according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG4B is a cross-sectional view of structural features of an offset bracket according to some embodiments of the present invention;

5A is a cross-sectional view of structural features of a pair of offset brackets according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG5B is a cross-sectional view of an effective archwire slot area offset from the channel direction of a pair of offset brackets in FIG5A based on direct alignment;

FIG6 is a side view of structural features of a pair of offset brackets according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG6A is a schematic diagram of a twisted portion formed on a channel surface of a counteracting bracket according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG6B is a schematic cross-sectional view of the bracket in FIG6A taken at two different heights L1 and L2;

FIG7 is a schematic diagram of an offset bracket with O-ring notches according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG8 is a schematic diagram of an offset bracket having additional features including an auxiliary archwire slot, grooves on four sides, and an auxiliary device slot according to some embodiments of the present invention;

FIG9 is a schematic diagram of a continuous rubber chain (power chain) installed on the offset bracket shown in FIG8;

FIG10 is a schematic diagram of a straightening spring connected to a compensation bracket to straighten a tilted tooth;

11 is a schematic diagram illustrating the application of an offset bracket to a patient removable appliance composed of multiple tooth capsegments according to some embodiments of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

100~Gum enters bracket/offset bracket/bracket;

101~main body;

101A～front end;

102～base;

103～channel;

103A~Enter opening;

103B～archwire slot;

103C~path section;

103D～rotating part;

103E~channel wall;

103F～uneven surface;

200～occlusal entry bracket/offset bracket/bracket; 201～main body;

201A～front end part;

202～base;

203～channel;

203A~Enter opening;

203B～archwire slot;

203C~path section;

203D～rotating part;

203E~channel wall;

203F～uneven surface;

203T ~ Gradual bending and twisting of the surface;

222～O-ring notch;

224～Continuous rubber chain slot;

225～Continuous rubber chain slot;

226～Auxiliary archwire slot;

228～Auxiliary device slot;

30, 30A ~ archwire;

40～Orthodontic braces/braces part;

41～first anchoring part/braces part;

42～Second anchoring part/braces part;

D ~ dental arch;

E～extending direction;

L1, L2 ~ height;

O～elastic O-ring;

U ~ teeth;

P～protrusion;

P1～protrusion;

R～concave;

W ~ width;

W’～width;

PC ~ elastic continuous rubber chain;

TS ~ straightening the spring line;

S1～ rear end surface;

S2～front end surface;

S3～lateral surface;

S4～lateral surface;

α~angle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In order to make the above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and easy to understand, preferred embodiments are given below and described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The directional terms mentioned in the following embodiments, such as up, down, left, right, front, and back, are only used to refer to the directions of the accompanying drawings. Therefore, the directional terms used are used to illustrate and not to limit the present invention.

In the following text, “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” etc. may be used to represent different elements, regions, and/or sections. These elements, regions, and/or sections are not limited by these words. These words are only used to distinguish these elements, regions, and/or sections. Therefore, the first element, region, and/or section described below may be replaced by the second element, region, and/or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention.

In addition, the same element numbers and/or characters may be repeated in the following different embodiments. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and is not intended to limit any specific relationship between the different embodiments and/or structures discussed. In the drawings, the shape or thickness of the structure may be exaggerated for simplicity or convenience of labeling.

Embodiments of the present invention disclose an orthodontic bracket design having a locking system that does not use locking clips or closures to entrapping the archwire in the archwire slot. The locking system typically requires configuration of at least two counteracting (orthodontic) brackets. FIG1A shows a schematic diagram of a pair of counteracting brackets according to some embodiments of the present invention. The upper portion of the figure points in the occlusal direction, and the lower portion of the figure points in the gingival direction. The pair of counteracting brackets includes a gingival entry bracket 100 and an occlusal entry bracket 200.

The gum access bracket 100 includes a main body 101 connected to a base 102. The base 102 has a rear end surface S1 (not visible in FIG. 1A due to viewing angle limitations). The rear end surface S1 is suitable for attachment to a surface, such as the labial or lingual surface of a tooth (not shown). For example, the rear end surface S1 can be bonded to the surface of the tooth using an adhesive (e.g., a light-curing adhesive). Alternatively, the rear end surface S1 can be bonded to a mounting base that is adapted to fit the shape of the tooth in a customized setup. The main body 101 has a front end portion 101A opposite the base 102. The front end portion 101A has a smoothly curved front end surface S2 opposite the rear end surface S1. In some embodiments, when viewed from the direction of the front end surface S2, the gum access bracket 100 has a rectangular, square, circular, elliptical, diamond, parallelogram, or shield shape.

Furthermore, the body 101 and base 102 of the gum access bracket 100 jointly have two opposing side surfaces S3 and S4 (due to viewing angle limitations, only one side surface S3 is visible in FIG1A ) connected between the rear end surface S1 and the front end surface S2. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1B , some outer surfaces of the gum access bracket 100 (e.g., the rear end surface S1, the front end surface S2, and/or the side surfaces S3 and S4) are designed with rounded edges to minimize patient discomfort.

The body 101 further includes a channel 103 formed therein and extending from the side surface S3 to the side surface S4 for receiving an arch wire 30 (see Figures 3A and 3B). The channel 103 forms an access opening 103A at one end of the body 101 facing the gum to allow the arch wire 30 to enter the channel 103.

In some embodiments, the main body 101 and the base 102 may comprise the same material, such as metal, metal alloy, ceramic, resin, plastic or other material suitable for oral applications. In addition, the main body 101 and the base 102 may be integrally formed. For example, the main body 101 and the base 102 may be made of a metal material and formed into a single piece by a metal injection molding (MMA) method. Alternatively, the main body 101 and the base 102 may be components made separately from the same or different materials mentioned above and assembled together by adhesives, welding or other joining methods. In some alternative embodiments, the main body 101 may also comprise multiple components and/or multiple materials. The bracket of some embodiments of the present invention may be manufactured into multiple components, but assembled to provide inherent functions.

Similarly, the bite entry bracket 200 includes a main body 201 connected to a base 202. The base 202 has a rear end surface S1 (not visible in FIG. 1A due to viewing angle limitations). The rear end surface S1 is suitable for attachment to a surface, such as the labial or lingual surface of a tooth (not shown). For example, the rear end surface S1 can be bonded to the surface of the tooth by an adhesive (e.g., a light-curing adhesive). Alternatively, the rear end surface S1 can be bonded to a mounting base that is suitable for adapting to the shape of the tooth in a customized installation. The main body 201 has a front end portion 201A opposite the base 202. The front end portion 201A has a smoothly curved front end surface S2 opposite the rear end surface S1. In some embodiments, when viewed from the direction of the front end surface S2, the bite entry bracket 200 has a rectangular, square, circular, elliptical, diamond, parallelogram, or shield shape.

Furthermore, the body 201 and base 202 of the bite-through bracket 200 jointly have two opposing side surfaces S3 and S4 (due to viewing angle limitations, only one side surface S3 is visible in FIG1A ) connected between the rear end surface S1 and the front end surface S2. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG1B , some outer surfaces of the bite-through bracket 200 (e.g., the rear end surface S1, the front end surface S2, and/or the side surfaces S3 and S4) are designed with rounded edges to minimize patient discomfort.

The body 201 further includes a channel 203 formed therein and extending from the side surface S3 to the side surface S4 for receiving an arch wire 30 (see Figures 3A and 3B). The channel 203 has an entry opening 203A formed at one end of the body 201 facing the occlusal direction to allow the arch wire 30 to enter the channel 203.

The materials and manufacturing methods of the main body 201 and the base 202 of the occlusal access bracket 200 are similar to those of the main body 101 and the base 102 of the aforementioned gingival access bracket 100, and thus will not be repeated here.

The gum entry bracket 100 and the occlusal entry bracket 200 form a counteracting set. In the absence of a specified (arch wire) entry direction, the gum entry bracket 100 or the occlusal entry bracket 200 may be referred to as a counteracting bracket. In some embodiments, the counteracting bracket may be used as a labial bracket as well as a lingual bracket. In order to achieve a counteracting effect of arch wire entrapment (to be further described in the following paragraphs), any two adjacent counteracting brackets are deployed as counteracting pairs, which include a gum entry bracket and an occlusal entry bracket in pairs. However, in some alternative embodiments, a single bracket may also achieve an arch wire retention effect via certain features such as a curved channel (see FIG. 2A ) or at least one turn provided in the channel (see FIG. 4B ) without the use of additional locking clips or closures.

FIG2A shows a cross-sectional view of the structural features of a pair of offset brackets shown in FIG1A . As shown in FIG2A , the cross-section of the channel 103 of the gingival access bracket 100 is designed to include an access opening 103A, an archwire slot 103B, and a curved path portion 103C. The access opening 103A is configured to allow an archwire 30 (FIGS. 3A and 3B) to enter the channel 103 (as indicated by the arrows). The archwire slot 103B is formed at the distal end of the channel 103. The curved path portion 103C connects the archwire slot 103B and the access opening 103A. In some embodiments, the curved path portion 103C first extends from the archwire slot 103B toward the leading end portion 101A, then curves back toward the base 102 before curving toward the gingiva at the access opening 103A. As shown in FIG2A , the width W of the curved path portion 103C allows an archwire 30 to pass through the length of the path portion 103C to be placed or received in the archwire slot 103B. In some embodiments, the width W of the entire path portion 103C is uniform or variable. In some embodiments, the archwire 30 can enter the channel 103 from the entry opening 103A and follow the curved path portion 103C in a generally clockwise or counterclockwise direction into the archwire slot 103B of the gingival entry bracket 100.

On the other hand, the cross-section of the passageway 203 of the bite access bracket 200 is designed to include an entry opening 203A, an archwire slot 203B, and a curved path portion 203C. The configuration, structure, and function of the entry opening 203A, archwire slot 203B, and path portion 203C are similar to those of the entry opening 103A, archwire slot 103B, and path portion 103C of the gingival access bracket 100, and thus will not be repeated here. In some embodiments, the archwire 30 can enter the passageway 203 from the entry opening 203A and follow the curved path portion 203C in a generally clockwise or counterclockwise direction to enter the archwire slot 203B of the bite access bracket 200.

The maximum allowable archwire size is determined by the dimensions of the archwire slots 103B and 203B. In some embodiments, as shown in FIG2A , both archwire slots 103B and 203B have rectangular cross-sections (as indicated by the dashed rectangles in the figure) corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the received archwire (not shown). However, the archwire slots 103B and 203B can accommodate archwires having different cross-sectional shapes. For example, an archwire having a circular or square cross-sectional shape can also be received in the archwire slots 103B and 203B having a rectangular cross-sectional shape.

In some embodiments, the width W of the narrowest portion of the path portions 103C and 203C is greater than the short side of the rectangular cross-section of the arch wire but less than the long side. Thus, the arch wire is allowed to pass through the path portions 103C and 203C in a substantially fixed orientation (i.e., without rotation). Furthermore, excessive twisting of the arch wire during movement along the path portions 103C and 203C can be avoided.

FIG2B shows an overlaid schematic cross-section of the pair of offset brackets in FIG2A in direct alignment. Specifically, the archwire slot 103B of the gum entry bracket 100 is aligned with the archwire slot 203B of the bite entry bracket 200. For an archwire (not shown) to exit from the archwire slot 103B, it must follow the path portion 103C of the gum entry bracket 100 in the exit direction indicated by the solid arrow in FIG2B , but the archwire is blocked by the channel wall 203E of the bite entry bracket 200. Conversely, for an archwire to exit from the archwire slot 203B, it must follow the path portion 203C of the bite entry bracket 200 in the exit direction indicated by the dashed arrow in FIG2B , but the archwire is blocked by the channel wall 103E of the gum entry bracket 100. As a result, when the cross-sections of the offset brackets 100 and 200 are directly aligned, the overlap of the channel walls 103E and 203E can form an effective archwire slot area. The combined effect of the two adjacent brackets in a substantially offset pair can retain the archwire in the archwire slot without the use of additional locking clips or closure mechanisms.

FIG3A illustrates a schematic diagram of the archwires in the archwire slots of the pair of offset brackets in FIG1A aligned directly. As shown in FIG3A , after installation, the archwire 30 is placed in the archwire slot 103B of the gingival entry bracket 100 and the archwire slot 203B of the occlusal entry bracket 200, with the two brackets aligned directly. In some embodiments, the archwire 30 is a thermal nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) wire, which is flexible at room temperature and can be easily installed by the physician or patient. When actually deployed on the dental arch, some adjacent brackets may be aligned along a curve, while others may be positioned in irregular positions. Furthermore, the rear end surfaces S1 of brackets 100 and 200 can be designed with different inclination angles and/or shapes to accommodate different tooth shapes, or the rear end surfaces S1 of brackets 100 and 200 can be attached to a customized mounting base adapted to the tooth surface, allowing the brackets to be aligned with one another.

FIG3B shows the arch wire 30 moving toward the front end portions 101A and 201A of the brackets 100 and 200. The arrows in the figure indicate that the arch wire 30 is in contact with the passage walls 103E and 203E. As a result, the arch wire 30 is prevented from leaving the passages 103 and 203, thereby achieving a counteracting effect of arch wire entrapment without using an additional locking clip or closing mechanism.

It should be understood that many variations and modifications may be made to the embodiments of the present invention. For example, Figures 4A and 4B show cross-sectional views of various structural features of an offset bracket (using the gum entry bracket 100 as an example) according to some alternative embodiments. As shown in Figure 4A, the path portion 103C of the channel 103 is designed to be straight in cross section, and an angle α of approximately 90 degrees is formed between the path portion 103C and the archwire slot 103B (i.e., the straight path portion 103C is designed to be substantially perpendicular to the archwire slot 103B). However, the angle α may also be other optional angles (e.g., greater than approximately 30 degrees). As shown in Figure 4B, the path portion 103C of the channel 103 is designed to include at least one turn or bend in cross section. The one or more turns provided in the path portion 103C can prevent the received archwire from easily escaping spontaneously from the channel 103.

FIG5A illustrates a cross-sectional view of structural features of a pair of offset brackets according to some alternative embodiments. As shown in FIG5A , compared to the embodiment shown in FIG2A , the cross-section of the channel 103 of the gingival access bracket 100 further includes a rotational portion 103D disposed within the curved path portion 103C, and the cross-section of the channel 203 of the occlusal access bracket 200 further includes a rotational portion 203D disposed within the curved path portion 203C. In some embodiments, the cross-sections of the rotational portions 103D and 203D may be circular (as shown in FIG5A ), but the present invention is not limited thereto.

The rotating portions 103D and 203D are configured to allow the archwire 30 to rotate to change its orientation before entering the archwire slots 103B and 203B (the dashed circles in the channels 103 and 203 shown in the figures indicate that the archwire 30 can rotate within the rotating portions 103D and 203D). In some embodiments, the width W' of the rotating portion 103D (e.g., the diameter of the circular rotating portion 103D) is greater than the (maximum) width W of the path portion 103C, and the width W' of the rotating portion 203D (e.g., the diameter of the circular rotating portion 203D) is greater than the (maximum) width W of the path portion 203C, thereby allowing the archwire 30 to change its orientation. In addition, the rotating portion 103D can be located near the archwire slot 103B or anywhere within the path portion 103C, and the rotating portion 203D can be located near the archwire slot 203B or anywhere within the path portion 203C.

In some alternative embodiments, as shown in FIG. 6 , the cross-section of the channel 103 of the gingival access bracket 100 may further include a plurality of (e.g., two or more) rotating portions 103D respectively formed in the path portion 103C, and the cross-section of the channel 203 of the occlusal access bracket 200 may further include a plurality of (e.g., two or more) rotating portions 203D respectively formed in the path portion 203C, to allow the arch wire 30 to rotate to change its orientation.

Thus, the physician or patient can manually rotate the segments of the arch wire 30 to their original orientations at the rotating portions 103D and 203D, thereby relieving stress on the arch wire 30 due to twisting before the arch wire 30 enters the archwire slots 103B and 203B.

It should be understood that the design of the rotating portions 103D and 203D can also be combined with the aforementioned embodiments. On the other hand, in the case where no rotating portion is provided in the path portion 103C, 203C of the bracket 100, 200 (e.g., the embodiment shown in Figures 2A to 4B), the path portion 103C, 203C can also be designed to have a sufficient width to allow the archwire 30 to freely change its orientation while moving from the entry opening 103A, 203A along the path portion 103C, 203C to the archwire slot 103B, 203B (that is, the path portion 103C, 203C having a sufficient width can also perform the function of the rotating portion).

6 , the channel wall 103E of the channel 103 and the channel wall 203E of the channel 203 may each have at least one portion that is inclined relative to the extending direction of the channels 130 and 230 (i.e., the direction into the paper as shown in the figure) to form uneven surfaces 103F and 203F. The uneven surfaces 103F and 203F require the arch wire 30 to be twisted before passing through, thereby increasing the difficulty of the arch wire 30 passing through these portions of the channels 103 and 203, thereby preventing the arch wire 30 from easily escaping spontaneously from the channels 103 and 203.

In some embodiments of the present invention, as shown in Figures 6A and 6B , the curved path portion 203C further includes a twisting portion defined by gradually bending and twisting surfaces 203T. This twisting portion connects to a surface of the path portion 203C that is substantially parallel to the extension direction E of the channel 203, which extends from a first side surface to a second side surface of the orthodontic bracket. Referring to Figures 6A and 6B , when a round archwire 30A enters the channel 203, its orientation is parallel to the extension direction E. When the archwire 30A enters the twisting portion defined by the gradually bending and twisting surfaces 203T, it begins to swing or twist in the direction indicated by the arrows. Figure 6B shows cross-sections taken at two different heights, L1 and L2, in Figure 6A . When the archwire 30A reaches the end of the twisting portion, it can turn back to an orientation parallel to the extension direction E and enter the archwire slot. It should be noted that when the orientation of the archwire 30A is parallel to the extension direction E, the archwire 30A will be blocked and cannot exit from the archwire slot and the channel. The archwire 30A must turn in the direction indicated by the arrow to exit.

In some embodiments of the present invention (see FIG. 5A ), at least one protrusion P is formed on one side of the path portion 103C, 203C of the bracket 100, 200, and at least one recess R is formed on the other side of the path portion 103C, 203C corresponding to the protrusion P. During installation of the archwire 30, a physician or patient can maneuver the archwire 30 around the protrusion P of the bracket 100, 200 to enter the archwire slot 103B, 203B. The protrusion P is configured to prevent the archwire 30 received in the archwire slot 103B, 203B from spontaneously escaping from the channel 103, 203. In some embodiments, the protrusion P may be a bump or island structure located near or between the side surfaces S3, S4 ( FIG. 1A ) of the bracket 100, 200. In alternative embodiments, the path portion 103C and/or 203C may have multiple protrusions P.

FIG5B shows an overlapping schematic cross-sectional view of a pair of offset brackets in FIG5A that are directly aligned, wherein another protrusion P1 is further provided in each of the path portions 103C and 203C. This protrusion P1 is located between the archwire slot 103B and the rotation portion 103D (and between the archwire slot 203B and the rotation portion 203D), thereby reducing the size of the effective archwire slot area formed by the channel walls 103E and 203E. This allows the archwire 30 to be well confined within the effective archwire slot area without the need for additional locking clips or closures. It should be understood that the design of the protrusion P and/or the protrusion P1 may also be combined with the other aforementioned embodiments.

FIG7 illustrates a schematic diagram of an offset bracket (using snap-in bracket 200 as an example) having an O-ring notch feature according to some alternative embodiments. As shown in FIG7 , a pair of O-ring notches 222 are formed on side surfaces S3 and S4 of the front end portion 201A near the front end surface S2. Alternatively or additionally, another pair of O-ring notches 222 (not shown) may be formed on side surfaces S3 and S4 of the front end portion 201A near the channel wall 203E. A resilient O-ring O, such as a rubber O-ring, can be easily retained by the O-ring notches 222.

In some embodiments, as shown in FIG7 , an O-ring recess 222 is provided near the archwire slot 203B. By installing a resilient O-ring O at this location, an additional barrier can be formed in the channel 203 to retain the archwire (not shown) in the archwire slot 203B. This feature allows the aforementioned offset bracket to be used in a single bracket application. Furthermore, deploying multiple offset brackets on a dental arch may encounter situations where there are severe positional (or level) differences between adjacent brackets, in which case the resilient O-ring O is also required to ensure that the archwire is retained in the archwire slot 203B. It should also be understood that the O-ring recess 222 can also allow multiple offset brackets to be deployed in other configurations, as long as the resilient O-ring O can be retained by the O-ring recess 222 to prevent the archwire from escaping from the archwire slot 203B.

FIG8 illustrates a schematic diagram of an offset bracket having additional features, including an auxiliary archwire slot, grooves on four sides, and an auxiliary device slot, according to some alternative embodiments. As shown in FIG8 , in addition to the archwire slot 203B, the bite-entry bracket 200 also includes an auxiliary archwire slot 226 (shown as a dashed rectangle). The auxiliary archwire slot 226 is formed in the path portion 203C of the channel 203, parallel to the archwire slot 203B, and is used to accommodate an auxiliary archwire (not shown for clarity). In some embodiments, the auxiliary archwire slot 226 has a similar structure and dimensions to the archwire slot 203B, and/or the auxiliary archwire has a similar structure and dimensions to the archwire (FIGS. 3A-3B). The auxiliary archwire slot 226 allows for the installation of an auxiliary archwire, for example, in the case of a lingual bracket, to compensate for positional (or horizontal) deviations between the canines and first premolars. Alternatively, the auxiliary archwire slot 226 may be formed in the main body of the bracket at a location away from the channel 203 and the archwire slot 203B.

In order to retain the auxiliary archwire in the auxiliary archwire slot 226, two elastic O-rings O (not shown in the drawings for the sake of simplicity) may be installed in the O-ring recesses 222 near the auxiliary archwire slot 226 (e.g., a pair of O-ring recesses 222 above the auxiliary archwire slot 226 and another pair of O-ring recesses 222 below the auxiliary archwire slot 226). However, it should be understood that many variations and modifications may be made to the embodiments of the present invention.

Continuing with FIG8 , the occlusal access bracket 200 further includes two continuous power chain grooves 244. The two continuous power chain grooves 244 are formed at opposite ends of the occlusal access bracket 200 (facing the occlusal and gingival directions, respectively), parallel to the archwire slot 203B, and located between the archwire slot 203B and the rear end surface S1. These grooves are configured to receive or retain an elastic continuous power chain PC (see FIG9 ), typically used for orthodontic treatment. Alternatively or additionally, the occlusal access bracket 200 may include two continuous power chain grooves 225 formed on the side surfaces S3 and S4 and located between the archwire slot 203B and the rear end surface S1 (due to viewing angle limitations, only the continuous power chain groove 225 formed on the side surface S3 is visible in FIG8 ). These grooves are configured to receive or retain an elastic continuous power chain PC. In some embodiments, the continuous power chain grooves 224 and 225 may also be configured to accommodate another orthodontic elastomer. It should be noted that the continuous rubber chain slots 224 and/or 225 are positioned a certain distance from the archwire slot 203B near the rear end surface S1, thereby preventing the installed continuous rubber chain slots from contacting the archwire in the archwire slot 203B.

As shown in FIG8 , the bite access bracket 200 also includes an auxiliary device slot 228 formed therein. In some embodiments, the auxiliary device slot 228 extends from one end of the bite access bracket 200 (e.g., the end of the bite access bracket 200 near the access opening 203A) into the interior thereof or further into the other opposite end of the bite access bracket 200. Furthermore, the auxiliary device slot 228 can be positioned a certain distance behind or in front of the archwire slot 203B and provides a means for attaching an auxiliary device to the orthodontic bracket. One application is to attach a straightening spring TS to the auxiliary device slot 228 (see FIG10 ) so that a force is applied to the archwire 30 and the connected bracket (not shown) via the straightening spring TS, thereby straightening a tilted tooth. Straightening springs TS are commonly used in orthodontics, so they will not be described in detail here. It should be noted that the straightening spring TS received in the auxiliary device slot 228 does not contact or interfere with the archwire in the archwire slot 203B. In some embodiments, an extended base portion may be formed below the continuous rubber chain slot 224 , having a thickness sufficient to allow an auxiliary device slot 228 to pass therethrough, such that the auxiliary device slot 228 passes below the continuous rubber chain slot 224 .

In addition to fixed braces applications, the above-mentioned offset brackets can also be used in patient removable appliances. Figure 11 shows a schematic diagram of applying an offset bracket to a patient removable appliance composed of multiple tooth cap segments according to some embodiments of the present invention. As shown in Figure 11, the appliance includes three tooth cap segments, including a first anchoring portion 41, a second anchoring portion 42, and an uprighting tooth cap 40. The uprighting tooth cap 40 is installed on a tooth U that needs to be uprighted. The first anchoring portion 41 and the second anchoring portion 42 respectively have a plurality of offset brackets 100 and 200 fixed on the surface of the tooth cap portion. The uprighting tooth cap 40 has an offset bracket 100 or 200 fixed to the surface of the uprighting tooth cap. It should be understood that any pair of adjacent offset brackets 100 and 200 have the offset exit channel design as described above.

The following describes the process of installing the appliance. First, the orthodontic brace 40, the first anchor portion 41, and the second anchor portion 42 are installed on the dental arch D without being attached by the arch wire. Next, the segments of the arch wire 30 are installed on the offset brackets 100 and 200 of the orthodontic brace 40, the first anchor portion 41, and the second anchor portion 42. Due to the design of the above-mentioned offset brackets, the arch wire installation can be easily performed by the patient himself. In some embodiments, the brace portions 40, 41, and 42 can be composed of parts of aligners, retainers, or positioners.

As described above, the offset bracket of the present invention improves upon traditional self-ligating brackets in terms of structure, ease of use, and patient discomfort. The offset bracket features a simplified design without a locking clip or closure mechanism, eliminating the arduous task of manipulating tiny clips or closures. Furthermore, by eliminating the additional edges or protrusions of the locking clip or closure mechanism, a simple, easy-to-use bracket with smooth surfaces and rounded edges is achieved, reducing patient discomfort. Alternatively, the offset bracket can also be used with removable appliances.

Although the embodiments of the present invention and their advantages are described in detail above, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. In addition, the scope of this application is not intended to be limited to the specific embodiments of the processes, machines, manufactures, material compositions, tools, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily understand from the present invention, according to the present invention, processes, machines, manufactures, material compositions, tools, methods or steps that are currently available or will be developed in the future and perform substantially the same functions or achieve substantially the same results as the corresponding embodiments described in the present invention may be utilized. Therefore, the appended claims are intended to include these processes, machines, manufactures, material compositions, tools, methods or steps within their scope. In addition, each claim constitutes a separate embodiment, and the combination of different claims and embodiments is within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (20)

1. A dental orthodontic bracket suitable for use in conjunction with an archwire to apply orthodontic force to teeth, characterized in that the dental orthodontic bracket comprises: The rear surface is adapted to be attached to the tooth; The front surface, opposite to the rear surface; A first side surface is connected between the rear end surface and the front end surface; A second side surface, connecting the rear end surface and the front end surface and opposite to the first side surface; and A channel extending from the first side surface to the second side surface, the cross-section of the channel including an entry opening, a wire groove, a path portion, and at least one circular rotating portion, wherein the entry opening is configured to allow the wire to enter the channel, the wire groove is formed at the end of the channel to receive the wire, the path portion connects the entry opening and the wire groove, and the at least one circular rotating portion is disposed in the path portion, wherein the at least one circular rotating portion has a diameter that accommodates a diagonal of a rectangular cross-section of the wire to allow the wire to change its orientation. 2. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the front end surface is a smooth curved surface. 3. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the rear end surface, the front end surface, the first side surface and/or the second side surface are designed to have rounded edges. 4. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the width of the at least one circular rotating portion is greater than the width of the path portion. 5. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the path portion is curved. 6. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the path portion is straight. 7. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the path portion includes at least one bend. 8. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the channel further comprises a plurality of rotating portions separately disposed in the path portion. 9. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the archwire groove has a rectangular cross-section. 10. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, further comprising at least one notch formed on the first side surface and/or the second side surface for retaining an elastic O-ring. 11. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the channel further includes at least one auxiliary archwire groove, the at least one auxiliary archwire groove being disposed in the path portion, parallel to the archwire groove, and for receiving at least one auxiliary archwire. 12. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, further comprising at least two grooves formed at opposite ends of the orthodontic bracket and located between the archwire groove and the rear end surface, for receiving a resilient continuous rubber chain. 13. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, further comprising at least one auxiliary device slot extending from one end of the orthodontic bracket into its interior for receiving a straightening wire. 14. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the path portion further includes at least one twisted portion defined by progressively curved and twisted surfaces, such that the archwire must oscillate in a direction not parallel to the direction of extension of the channel in order to pass through the progressively curved and twisted surfaces of the twisted portion. 15. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the path portion further includes at least one protrusion such that the archwire must be bent to pass around the protrusion. 16. The orthodontic bracket of claim 1, wherein the path portion connects the access opening and the archwire slot and has a curved shape, and the width of the narrowest portion of the path portion is greater than the short side of the rectangular cross-section of the archwire, but less than its long side. 17. A dental orthodontic bracket suitable for use in conjunction with an archwire to apply orthodontic force to teeth, characterized in that the dental orthodontic bracket comprises: Back end surface; The front surface, opposite to the rear surface; A first side surface is connected between the rear end surface and the front end surface; A second side surface, connecting the rear end surface and the front end surface and opposite to the first side surface; and A channel extending from the first side surface to the second side surface, the cross-section of the channel including an inlet opening, a wire groove, a path portion, at least one rotating portion, and at least one notch, wherein the inlet opening is configured to allow the wire to enter the channel, the wire groove is formed at the end of the channel to receive the wire, the path portion connects the inlet opening and the wire groove, the at least one rotating portion is disposed near the wire groove to allow the wire to change its orientation before entering the wire groove, and the at least one notch is formed on the first side surface and/or the second side surface to retain a resilient O-ring. 18. The orthodontic bracket of claim 17, wherein the at least one notch is located near the archwire groove. 19. The orthodontic bracket of claim 17, wherein the channel further includes at least one auxiliary archwire groove disposed in the path portion, parallel to the archwire groove, and for receiving at least one auxiliary archwire. 20. The orthodontic bracket of claim 19, wherein the channel further includes at least one additional notch formed on the first side surface and/or the second side surface near the auxiliary archwire groove for retaining at least one additional resilient O-ring.