Dentistry – Orthodontics – Bracket
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-07
2003-04-01
Shaver, Kevin (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Orthodontics
Bracket
C433S217100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06540511
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation application of PCT Application No. PCT/FR00/02480 filed Sep. 8, 2000 which claims priority of French Application No. 00/05936 filed May 10, 2000, and No. 00/06233 filed May 16, 2000.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a coating applied on metallic orthodontic components; this coating, with a platinum group metal selected from the group of palladium, rhodium and platinum acts as a barrier to nickel allergen ions and is employed in the perfume and the jewellery industries. These metals are noble and surgically implantable. The components concerned are orthodontic attachments, their metal accessories and auxiliaries both new and recycled, as braces, hooks, bands, tubes, buttons, cleats, pins, springs, arch wires, arch bows, bumpers, expansions screws, quad-helix . . . this list being not exhaustive since every metallic piece coming into direct contact with saliva is concerned. The material used for these components is generally a nickel, chrome, cobalt or titanium alloy; they are industrially manufactured and available through specialist suppliers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has been proposed at least as early as 1949 to subject metal dental products to a galvanoplasty platinum bath, as set forth in “Chimie des métaux et matériaux dentaires”, Marcel Boll and Ch. Bennejeant,” 3
rd
Edition, J. B. Bailliere and Son, page 236. (1949) In the U.S. patent to Heligman U.S. Pat. No. 2,206,502, it was proposed to use a metal layer selected from the group of platinum as an intermediate layer joined with a ceramic powder layer. In the U.S. patent to Kato, et al., U.S. Pat. No.4,780,079, it was proposed to coat a platinum group metal on an orthodontic fitting provided with an intermediate layer of cobalt, or layers cooper and nickel, so as to permit the cobalt positive ions to diffuse through it, thereby to act as a bactericide in the mouth.
In the Wood U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,193 a single layer from the group of platinum is deposed onto orthodontic fittings, thereby to facilitate the soldering of auxiliary components thereto, while affording a brighter and clearer appearance.
A previous technique consists too
2
in applying by electrolysis an 8 &mgr;ms thickness 24 K gold layer on steel appliances, regardless of their shape. Another technique for depositing a metal layer is the so-called “Physical Vapor Deposition” -VPD- method, in which layers of titanium nitrides or zirconium are deposited on drills, saw milling cutters, watch cases, chrome automobile headlamps or loud speakers.
But a metal of the group of platinum does not attach well when directly applied on steel and a gold layer has to be applied with a minimum 8 &mgr;ms thickness, because of its abrasion; which significantly alters the dimensions of a tight-fitting appliance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One example of description is a brace.
This piece includes a base having a square section of about 10 square millimetres that is directly fastened to a tooth with a bonding resin or soldered on a band; the piece includes also a rectangular section slot, for retaining a metal arch wire that acts as a spring for straightening the tooth of the patient. A tube can replace the slot. The brace is cast, mould by injection, machined or assembled by soldering.
A “flash” 24 Kts. gold layer is deposited on the components in bulk; a palladium layer, then follows it.
As a primary variant of the invention, the designed for attachment base of the component that will be covered by the bonding resin in the mouth, remains untouched by any coating; so that its mechanical qualities remain unimpaired.
Or, a second variation of the invention is to obtain components with a base surface coated with 0.25 &mgr;m to 0.5 &mgr;m 24 carat gold, whereas the rest of the component, coming into contact with saliva is coated with a metal selected from the group of platinum, rhodium and platinum. The object of such an exercise is not merely aesthetic, since the component presents a yellow base and a shiny white surface, but also to load the components base as lightly as possible while providing the enamel a gold contact rather than a ferrous one: in these two cases a selected coating is practised.
This palladium coating is both: close to the natural appearance of teeth, harder than steel and sticks to the steel. By coating the orthodontic brasures, it moreover retains their silver, pewter, aluminium, copper and toxic cadmium ions. It has also a surgically implantable character.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6048205 (2000-04-01), Wright
patent: 6299438 (2001-10-01), Sahagian et al.
Bumgarner Melba
Shaver Kevin
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