Dentistry – Orthodontics – Means to transmit or apply force to tooth
Utility Patent
1999-12-06
2001-01-02
Wilson, John J. (Department: 3732)
Dentistry
Orthodontics
Means to transmit or apply force to tooth
C433S007000
Utility Patent
active
06168430
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to orthodontic appliances and, in particular, to orthodontic appliances for treating overjet in patients.
Dental overjet or overbite refers to a condition where a greater than normal horizontal gap exists between the upper and lower front teeth, due to proclination or flaring of the upper front teeth, or a deficient lowerjaw. Typical treatments fall into several categories. The first is retracting or pushing back the upper teeth. A second is proclining or pushing forward the lower teeth. A further treatment is surgical lengthening of the lowerjaw. Another treatment is orthopedic correction whereby forces on the teeth are transmitted to the jaws of growing children.
The term Bite Jumping is normally used to describe appliances that contact the teeth and hold the lower jaw forward, causing stretching of the muscles surrounding the lower jaw. The stretched muscles supply a force acting on the teeth and jaws to pull the upper teeth back, push the lower teeth forward, inhibit the upperjaw from growing forward and encourage the lower jaw to grow forward.
Bite Jumping appliances can be removable or nonremovable or fixed to the teeth by orthodontic bands or crowns and dental cement.
The Herbst appliance is an example of a fixed appliance. It uses rods and tubes to hold the lower jaw forward and places force on the teeth and jaws through stretched muscles.
The Jasper jumper is a spring which connects to braces to push the upper teeth back and the lower teeth forward. In the past it has been used in the permanent dentition with full braces on the upper and lower teeth.
Bite jumping appliances are used by some orthodontists on young patients with mixed dentition where baby and adult teeth are present. The appliances used are typically of the removable type or the Herbst style fixed type.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,667 to Vogt discloses a bite jumping device for treating dental protrusion of the upper teeth relative to the lower teeth. It uses braces on the lower teeth. U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,648 to Jasper discloses a similar device.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,800 to Jones discloses an orthodontic bite jumping device having a screw at each end of telescoping members.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
There is provided, according to an embodiment of the invention, an orthodontic appliance for treating overjet in a patient having an upper jaw, a lower jaw, lower teeth in the lower jaw and upper teeth in the upper jaw which are abnormally forward of the lower teeth. The teeth have lingual sides and labial sides. The appliance includes an upper attachment device configured to be secured to at least one of the upper teeth on each side of the upper jaw. A lower attachment device has a pair of lower connectors. Each lower connector is configured to be secured to at least one of the lower teeth of the patient on each side of the lower jaw. A rigid, wire-like lingual bow is extendable between the lower connectors about the lingual sides of the lower teeth. A rigid, wire-like labial bow is extendable between the lower connectors about the labial sides of the lower teeth. The bows are connected to the lower connectors. A bite jumping device interconnects each side of the upper attachment device to a corresponding side of the lower attachment device. Each bite jumping device includes a first connector for connecting to the upper attachment device, a second connector for connecting to the lower attachment device and a biasing member which biases the lower attachment device forwardly with respect to the upper attachment device.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2959856 (1960-11-01), Gurin
patent: 4462800 (1984-07-01), Jones
patent: 4618324 (1986-10-01), Nord
patent: 4707646 (1987-11-01), Jasper
patent: 4708648 (1987-11-01), Weissman
patent: 5697781 (1997-12-01), Ellingson
patent: 5711667 (1998-01-01), Vogt
Journal of Clinical Orthodontics, S. Jay Bowman, DMD, MSD, Class II Combination Therapy, vol. XXXII No. 10, Oct. 1998, p. 613.
Cameron Norman M.
Wilson John J.
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