Dentistry – Orthodontics – Including extra-oral force transmitting means
Patent
1995-06-29
1997-09-16
Wilson, John J.
Dentistry
Orthodontics
Including extra-oral force transmitting means
A61C 300
Patent
active
056673809
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tensioning system for an orthodontic outer brace, comprising resilient means, and coupling means for transmitting a tensile force exerted by the resilient means to the outer brace.
2. Background of the Invention
Tensioning systems of this type are generally known, for example from U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,035. This patent discloses a tensioning system for a so-called neck brace, comprising a neck band on which a strip of flexible material is mounted. Two small protective tubes are fixed to said strip, there being a spring in each tube. The springs are fixed on one side to the carrying strip and on the other side to one end of coupling means, which can be fixed to the outer brace by their other end. By stretching the respective springs and then fixing the coupling means to the outer brace in such a way that the springs remain stretched, a tensile force directed towards the neck is exerted on the outer brace. Via an inner brace fixed to the outer brace at the mouth, said tensile force is transmitted to two or more teeth, by which means the position of the latter can be corrected.
A further orthodontic outer brace having a tensioning system is disclosed in DE-A 3 417 256. In this case the neck band is slidably mounted in plastic guide sleeves. Said neck band is provided at both ends with perforations for adjustably fixing ends of resilient elements (in the form of elastic strips), which can be fixed at the opposite end to the outer brace itself. Resilient elements of this type attached to either side of the head between the ends of the neck band and the ends of the outer brace require a certain fitting length and fixing elements which seriously impede any freedom of head movement which the wearer may have. Moreover, accurate adjustment of a desired tensioning force for correction of the teeth is made more difficult by the interaction of the two resilient elements joined to one another by the neck band.
The comfort of tensioning systems of this type for the wearer leaves something to be desired because the freedom of movement of the head is impeded. If the patient turns his or her head to the left or the right (that is to say shakes his or her head to indicate no), an additional compressive force directed towards the left side or the right side of the teeth and backwards (that is to say towards the neck) will be exerted on the teeth concerned, whilst on the other side of the teeth a tensile force directed frontwards will be exerted on the teeth concerned which are located on the right or on the left. These additional forces can be fairly large, are unpleasant for the patient and are undesirable from the standpoint of the orthodontic treatment. Similar problems arise in the case of the movement of the head to indicate yes, in which case the resilient means are stretched further.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to provide a tensioning system for an orthodontic outer brace with which the tensioning force to be transmitted to the teeth remains as constant as possible and the comfort for the wearer and the freedom of movement of the patient are increased.
According to the invention, this aim is achieved in that the resilient means comprise a resilient element, in that the tensioning system comprises an arc-shaped guide path, along which the resilient element is movable, and in that the coupling means can be fixed on one side to the outer brace and are connected to one another on the other side via the resilient element. As a result of these measures, the resilient element moves along the guide path when the patient turns his or her head. With this arrangement, the resilient element, such as, for example, an elastic band or a coil spring, is, as it were, fitted between two pairs of coupling means, such as, for example, two pieces of cord-like or strip-like material, in such a way that if a pull is exerted on one coupling means, a tensile force is transmitted via the spring to the other coupling means. The spring and
REFERENCES:
patent: 3526035 (1970-09-01), Armstrong
patent: 3918159 (1975-11-01), Andrews
patent: 4037324 (1977-07-01), Andreasen
patent: 5064370 (1991-11-01), Jones
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