DE102021129793A1 - Orthodontic appliance with movement unit and sleeve - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a movement unit (10) for an orthodontic appliance (8) for correcting an incorrect position of a tooth (7) to be corrected in a human lower or upper jaw (1), comprising a tooth enclosing unit (13) for fixing the movement unit (10). the tooth (7) to be corrected, and a coupling element (14; 15) for the displaceable connection of the movement unit (10) to a guide arch (16) of the orthodontic appliance (8). The coupling element (14; 15) has a sliding section (23; 24) for guiding the movement unit (10) along the guide arc (16). The sliding section (23; 24) is ring-shaped to encompass the guide arc (16). The invention also relates to an orthodontic appliance for correcting an incorrect position of a tooth (7) to be corrected in the human upper or lower jaw (1), comprising a guide arch (16) for specifying a movement path for the tooth (7) to be corrected, and a movement unit (10). The movement unit comprises at least the following: a tooth enclosing unit (13) for fixing the movement unit (10) to the tooth (7) to be corrected, and a coupling element (14; 15) for the displaceable connection of the movement unit (10) to the guide arch (16) , wherein the coupling element (14; 15) has a sliding section (23; 24) for guiding the movement unit (10) along the guide arc (16), the sliding section (23; 24) being annular in design for embracing the guide arc (16).

Description

The present invention relates to a moving unit for an orthodontic appliance having the features of the preamble of claim 1. The invention further relates to an orthodontic appliance for correcting a misalignment of a tooth to be corrected in the upper or lower jaw of a human being, as in the preamble of claim 6 or claim 7 described. In addition, the invention relates to a method for producing such a movement unit for an orthodontic appliance or such an orthodontic appliance itself.

The state of the art, from which the present invention is based, forms the DE 10 2020 106 185 A1 . A corresponding orthodontic appliance 8 is in 1 , schematically in a state introduced into a human upper jaw 1, as well as in an enlarged excerpt according to the viewing direction according to arrow III 1 also in 2 shown.

in the in 1 shown human upper jaw 1, the twelve teeth 2, 2 ', 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 are shown in a plan view. The orthodontic appliance 8 is inserted into the human upper jaw 1 in order to correct an incorrect position of the tooth 7 to be corrected. In concrete terms, the orthodontic appliance 8 is used to move the position of the tooth 7 to be corrected further back, that is to say distally, that is to say according to the illustration 1 down to the right in order to distalize tooth 7 to be corrected as intended. Because of the distalization or distal movement of the tooth 7 to be corrected, the orthodontic appliance 8 shown can also be referred to as an orthodontic distalization appliance or as a distal slider.

In contrast to different orthodontic appliances, such as distalization or mesialization appliances that work with a variety of brackets attached to teeth, the orthodontic appliances 8, from which the present invention is based, represent a less severe intervention in the human teeth The orthodontic appliance 8 shown only interacts with the five teeth 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, but not with the seven other teeth 2 and 2'.

For the intended displacement of the tooth 7 to be corrected, the orthodontic appliance 8 has an anchoring unit 9 and a movement unit 10. The anchoring unit 9 encompasses the teeth 5 and 6 that are not to be corrected and ultimately anchors the entire orthodontic appliance 8 via the fixing unit 12 in the human bone Upper jaw 1. In principle, however, deviating anchorages are also conceivable. In any case, a motive force F is exerted by that anchoring unit 9 or a different one, namely in the direction of the moving unit 10. Specifically, the motive force F runs between a connection unit 17, which is part of the anchoring unit 9, and a first coupling element 14, which in turn is part of the moving unit is 10.

Due to the movement force F, which prevails, for example, via spring forces or magnetic forces between the connection unit 17 and the first coupling element 14, the entire movement unit 10 and thus also the tooth 7 to be corrected, which is surrounded by a band-like tooth enclosing unit 13 of the movement unit 10, moves away from the connection unit 17 and thus pushed away from the anchoring unit 9. The result of this is that the tooth 7 to be corrected is displaced along the movement path specified by a guide arc 16 .

Other methods are also conceivable as to how the movement force is exerted on the movement unit and thus on the tooth to be corrected. Thus, a connection unit does not have to be provided on the guide bow adjacent to the (first) coupling element of the movement unit, supported by which connection unit a movement force is somehow exerted in the direction of the coupling element and consequently the movement unit. Rather, the movement unit, for example the coupling element of the movement unit, can have a hook section on which a rubber piece is hooked and which rubber piece is fixed at another point. The rubber then exerts the desired moving force as a pulling force on the hook portion and thus on the entire moving unit and consequently on the tooth to be corrected.

The coupling of the tooth 7 to be corrected to the intended movement path, i.e. specifically to the guide arc 16, is achieved in that the first coupling element 14, or in the in 1 and 2 In the illustrated case, a second coupling element 15, which is/are connected to the tooth 7 to be corrected, also has/have sliding sections 23 and 24 respectively.

Those sliding sections 23 or 24 (whereby only one coupling element 14 or 15 and accordingly also only one sliding section 23 or 24 can be provided) are ring-shaped. The sliding section 23 or 24 slides with its inner surface of its ring-shaped configuration directly on the outer surface of the guide arc 16.

An alternative orthodontic appliance for correcting an incorrect position of a tooth to be corrected can also be dispensed with the provision of an anchoring unit which, as described above, encloses a tooth (“stationary”) (not to be corrected, “fixed”). Then the guide arch or the orthodontic appliance is not fixed to the human jaw via the anchoring unit, for example with a mini-screw, but rather a different anchoring unit can also be formed directly adjoining the guide arch, which anchoring unit is then itself via mini-screws, in the case of the upper jaw, for example Palate screws, is fixed to the human jaw.

The state of the art described is to be optimized in such a way that jamming effects between the movement unit 10 and the guide arc 16 are avoided. A problem that has sometimes been observed is that a tooth 7 to be corrected has not yet completely completed its intended distalization, but no further displacement along the guide arc 16 takes place.

Against this background, the object of the present invention is to improve the described orthodontic appliance in such a way that an improved distalization or mesialization of teeth to be corrected is possible. Furthermore, it is an object to provide a movement unit for such an orthodontic appliance for this purpose.

Finally, it is also an object of the invention to provide a method for producing an orthodontic appliance or movement unit suitable for improved distalization or mesialization.

In relation to a movement unit, this object is achieved by a movement unit having the features of claim 1 . Preferred embodiments of the movement unit are specified in subclaims 2 to 5, for example.

Furthermore, the object related to an orthodontic appliance is achieved by an orthodontic appliance having the features of claim 6 and by an orthodontic appliance having the features of claim 7 .

Furthermore, the object related to a manufacturing method is achieved by a method for manufacturing with the features of claim 8 and claim 11 respectively. Preferred embodiments of the production method are specified in subclaims 9 and 10 or 12, respectively.

Finally, the object is achieved by using a sleeve with the features of claim 13.

• - eine Zahnumfassungseinheit zum Fixieren der Bewegungseinheit an dem zu korrigierenden Zahn, sowie
• - ein Kopplungselement zum verschiebbaren Verbinden der Bewegungseinheit mit einem Führungsbogen der kieferorthopädischen Apparatur.

Specifically, a movement unit for an orthodontic appliance for correcting an incorrect position of a tooth to be corrected in a human lower or upper jaw is proposed, the movement unit comprising at least the following components:

• - A tooth enclosing unit for fixing the movement unit to the tooth to be corrected, as well as
• - A coupling element for slidably connecting the movement unit to a guide arch of the orthodontic appliance.

In this case, the coupling element has a sliding section for guiding the movement unit along the guide arc, the sliding section being ring-shaped for embracing the guide arc. The proposed moving unit is characterized in that a contact surface of the sliding portion for providing the sliding guidance of the moving unit along the guide arc is formed such that the contact surface includes a functional portion for reducing sliding resistance of the moving unit on the guide arc.

A proposed orthodontic appliance for correcting an incorrect position of a tooth to be corrected in the human upper or lower jaw includes a guide arc for specifying a movement path for the tooth to be corrected and is characterized in that a proposed movement unit is provided.

• - einen Führungsbogen zum Vorgeben eines Bewegungspfades für den zu korrigierenden Zahn, sowie
• - eine Bewegungseinheit.

An orthodontic appliance for correcting an incorrect position of a tooth to be corrected in the human upper or lower jaw is also proposed, the orthodontic appliance comprising at least the following components:

• - A guide arc for specifying a movement path for the tooth to be corrected, as well as
• - a movement unit.

• - eine Zahnumfassungseinheit zum Fixieren der Bewegungseinheit an dem zu korrigierenden Zahn, sowie
• - ein Kopplungselement zum verschiebbaren Verbinden der Bewegungseinheit mit dem Führungsbogen.

The movement unit includes at least the following:

• - A tooth enclosing unit for fixing the movement unit to the tooth to be corrected, as well as
• - a coupling element for slidably connecting the movement unit to the guide arch.

In this case, the coupling element has a sliding section for guiding the movement unit along the guide arc, the sliding section being designed in the form of a ring for encompassing the guide arc. The orthodontic appliance is characterized in that a contact surface of the sliding section for providing the sliding guidance of the moving unit along the guide arch is made of a friction-reducing material and an outer surface of the guide arch is made of a different guide arch material, with a friction coefficient of a material pairing of the friction-reducing material of the contact surface on the Guide sheet material is smaller than a comparative coefficient of friction of a material pairing of the guide sheet material on the guide sheet material.

According to an independent aspect of the invention, the use of a sleeve in an orthodontic appliance for providing a sliding guidance of a movement unit along a guide arc is also proposed to solve the problem. The movement unit preferably corresponds to a proposed movement unit, as described above or below. More preferably, the orthodontic appliance corresponds to a proposed orthodontic appliance, as described above or below.

Essential to the present invention is the idea that, for orthodontic appliances that include a guide arch (so-called sliders), the sliding of the movement units or sliding sections of these on the guide arches is improved. To this end, specific measures are proposed which counteract jamming effects in the contact surface between the inner surface of the sliding section and the outer surface of the guide curve.

The tooth to be corrected is gripped by the movement unit, for example encompassed by the band-like design of the tooth-enclosing unit, and then displaced in the jaw as intended.

The coupling element serves to mediate between the movement unit and thus the tooth to be corrected and the guide arch. The coupling element is preferably formed in one piece with the tooth enclosing unit. The coupling element can preferably be produced additively, preferably 3D-printed, together with the tooth-enclosing unit.

The coupling element has a sliding section for connection to the guide curve. The sliding portion is ring-shaped. Accordingly, the sliding section has a through-opening, by means of which the sliding section can be placed on the guide curve and slide along the guide curve. Ring-shaped does not mean that the cross section would have to be circular. In addition to circular cross-sections, different cross-sections such as oval or square (having rounded corners) can also be provided if the guide arc is also designed to be oval or polygonal with respect to the cross-section. The sliding section is therefore used to grip around the guide arc.

Basically, the contact surfaces between the sliding section and the guide arc are formed via the inner surfaces of the sliding section, thus ensuring that the entire movement unit slides along the guide arc. According to the proposal, a separate functional section is provided in that contact surface, which reduces the sliding resistance of the movement unit on the guide arc. This may involve increased manufacturing complexity or at least increased complexity with regard to the assembly of the orthodontic appliance or the expense for the attending physician when providing it in the patient's jaw. However, this increased effort is worthwhile in that the movement units can no longer tilt or jam so easily and the orthodontic treatment would be impaired, since the movement unit can no longer slide along the guide arch to correct the tooth.

In the present case, sliding resistance is to be understood as meaning that the proposed measures reduce, for example, the coefficient of friction of the pair of materials sliding on one another. The material pairing that would be present if the sliding section of the movement unit and in particular its contact surface were made of the same material as the guide arc or its outer surface is to be used as a comparative state. This is because the state of the art, on which the present invention is based, proposes producing the guide arc and the movement unit or the sliding section from the same material via 3D printing.

According to the proposal, the contact surface of the orthodontic appliance can be be formed from a friction-reducing material, while the guide arc may be formed from a different material (“guide arc material”). Then the coefficient of friction of the material pairing of friction-reducing material of the contact surface on the guide sheet material is smaller than a comparison coefficient of friction of the material pairing of guide sheet material on the guide sheet material, i.e. on itself.

The coefficients of friction can relate to sliding friction and/or static friction. The coefficients of friction are to be determined under the same conditions.

Likewise, a reduction in the sliding resistance can also be understood to mean that the risk of tilting or jamming of the moving unit relative to the guide arc is reduced. If the proposed functional section were not provided, the risk of jamming effects and thus the sliding resistance would be disadvantageously increased in this case.

According to a preferred embodiment, the functional section can be designed as a rounded edge in an edge area of the contact surface. Preferably, a through-opening of the sliding portion, which through-opening is used for the passage of the guide arc, is rounded at its edges. Jamming effects between the contact surface of the sliding section and the guide arc are advantageously reduced in this way. The sliding section can no longer tilt so easily and the sliding resistance is advantageously reduced.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the functional section can be designed as a friction-reducing coating on the contact surface. In this way, a specific material can advantageously be selected for the contact surface, with which the sliding resistance is reduced. In the case of a guide arch formed from metal, it may be preferable to form the friction-reducing coating in the sliding portion from plastic.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the sliding section can have a sleeve, the sleeve forming the contact surface and an inner surface of the sleeve forming the functional section. In particular, the sleeve can be formed from a non-metallic material, more preferably from plastic. The sliding resistance can thus be particularly reduced, in particular when the guide bow is made of metal. The sleeve can also be made of a metallic material, but due to the sliding properties of the inner surface of the sleeve ensure improved sliding of the sleeve on the guide bow.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the sliding section can have a sleeve, the sleeve forming the contact surface via a through-opening in the sleeve and at least one rounded edge of the through-opening in the sleeve forming the functional section. The sleeve can thus particularly advantageously contribute to reducing the sliding resistance not only through the design of its material but also through its shape. The rounded edge or rounded edges counteracts jamming effects.

According to a preferred embodiment of the production method for movement units, the movement unit can essentially be produced by means of an additive production process. In this way, a movement unit that can be adapted particularly individually to the patient can be produced.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the movement unit can essentially be 3D-printed.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the sleeve can be manufactured separately from the other components of the movement unit. Advantageously, the sleeve can thus be produced uniformly in a large quantity, while the other components, such as the sliding section and the tooth-enclosing unit of the movement unit, can be produced individually for the patient.

According to a preferred embodiment of the manufacturing method of the orthodontic appliance, the orthodontic appliance can essentially be manufactured by means of an additive manufacturing method. Furthermore, the orthodontic appliance can preferably be substantially 3D printed. In this way, the orthodontic appliances can be manufactured particularly advantageously in an individualized manner to suit the patient's situation.

• 1 eine schematische Darstellung eines menschlichen Oberkiefers mit einer kieferorthopädischen Apparatur gemäß Stand der Technik in einer Draufsicht auf die Zähne des Oberkiefers,
• 2 eine seitliche Ansicht der Verankerungseinheit, der Bewegungseinheit sowie des Führungsbogens aus der schematischen Darstellung der 1 gemäß Pfeil III in 1,
• 3 eine seitliche Ansicht der vorschlagsgemäßen Bewegungseinheit in einer Teilansicht in Verbindung mit einem Führungsbogen einer kieferorthopädischen Apparatur,
• 4 eine seitliche Ansicht der vorschlagsgemäßen Bewegungseinheit in Verbindung mit einem Führungsbogen einer kieferorthopädischen Apparatur sowie in Verbindung mit einem zu korrigierenden Zahn,
• 5 eine schematische Ansicht der vorschlagsgemäßen Bewegungseinheit zusammen mit einem Führungsbogen einer kieferorthopädischen Apparatur sowie einer Hülse für den Gleitabschnitt der Bewegungseinheit,
• 6 eine Hülse für den Gleitabschnitt der vorschlagsgemäßen Bewegungseinheit, in Ansicht a) alleine in einer perspektivischen Ansicht, in Ansicht b) gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform in Verbindung mit dem Gleitabschnitt und einem Führungsbogen einer kieferorthopädischen Apparatur, sowie in Ansicht c) entsprechend der weiteren Ausführungsform aus Ansicht b) alleine in einer seitlichen schematischen Darstellung,
• 7 eine seitliche Schnittansicht eines Abschnitts eines Gleitabschnitts gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform der vorschlagsgemäßen Bewegungseinheit mit einem Führungsbogen einer kieferorthopädischen Apparatur,
• 8 eine Teilansicht einer alternativen Ausführungsform eines Führungsbogens (Ansicht a)), sowie den Querschnitt des Führungsbogens an den Positionen B (Ansicht b)), C (Ansicht c)) und D (Ansicht d)) gemäß Ansicht a) der 8,
• 9 zwei weitere Ausführungsformen des Führungsbogens mit einem alternativen Querschnitt, dargestellt ebenfalls jeweils an den Positionen B (Ansichten a) bzw. d)), C (Ansichten b) bzw. e)) und D (Ansichten c) bzw. f)) gemäß Ansicht a) des Führungsbogens der 8, und
• 10 eine vorschlagsgemäße kieferorthopädische Apparatur in einer schematischen Darstellung im menschlichen Oberkiefer.

Further advantageous and preferred configurations and features result from the following description with reference to the figures. In the drawing, which only shows exemplary embodiments,

• 1 a schematic representation of a human upper jaw with an orthodontic appliance according to the prior art in a plan view of the teeth of the upper jaw,
• 2 a side view of the anchoring unit, the movement unit and the Füh tion sheet from the schematic representation of 1 according to arrow III in 1 ,
• 3 a side view of the proposed movement unit in a partial view in connection with a guide arch of an orthodontic appliance,
• 4 a side view of the proposed movement unit in connection with a guide arch of an orthodontic appliance and in connection with a tooth to be corrected,
• 5 a schematic view of the proposed movement unit together with a guide arch of an orthodontic appliance and a sleeve for the sliding section of the movement unit,
• 6 a sleeve for the sliding section of the proposed movement unit, in view a) alone in a perspective view, in view b) according to a further embodiment in connection with the sliding section and a guide arch of an orthodontic appliance, and in view c) according to the further embodiment from a view b) alone in a lateral schematic representation,
• 7 a lateral sectional view of a section of a sliding section according to a further embodiment of the proposed movement unit with a guide arch of an orthodontic appliance,
• 8th a partial view of an alternative embodiment of a guide arch (view a)), and the cross section of the guide arch at positions B (view b)), C (view c)) and D (view d)) according to view a) of 8th ,
• 9 two further embodiments of the guide arch with an alternative cross-section, also shown at positions B (views a) and d)), C (views b) and e)) and D (views c) and f)) according to view a) of the guide arch of 8th , and
• 10 a proposed orthodontic appliance in a schematic representation in the human upper jaw.

In the 1 and 2 basically an orthodontic appliance 8 according to the state of the art is shown, from which the present invention is based. The orthodontic appliance 8 according to 1 as well as the detail view in 2 , which shows a side view of the anchoring unit 9, the moving unit 10 and the guide arch 16 of the orthodontic appliance 8 1 according to arrow III in 1 shows, have already been largely described at the outset.

For the sake of completeness, in connection with the 1 and 2 mentioned that the orthodontic appliance 8 also has, at the end of the guide arch 16 facing away from the movement unit 10 , a tooth-enclosing unit 18 at the end that encompasses or encompasses the two teeth 3 and 4 . This tooth enclosing unit 18 at the end is connected to the guide arch 16 and is formed in one piece with the guide arch 16 in that the end of the guide arch 16 facing away from the movement unit 10 merges into the end tooth enclosing unit 18 via a transition section 19 . This has the advantage that, compared to a loose end of a guide arch, which could remain in the oral cavity, the guide arch 16 is fixed at the end in the present case, in that it ends in the tooth-enclosing unit 18 at the end. Accidental bending over of the guide bow 16 or possible injuries caused by a loose end of a guide bow can thus be avoided in an advantageous manner. It is also possible in this way to prevent the patient accidentally swallowing a loose end of a guide bow.

the inside 1 The guide arc 16 shown runs in relation to the upper jaw 1 on the palate side. In a non-illustrated embodiment for the lower jaw, the guide arch would run correspondingly on the tongue side. Accordingly, the guide arch 16 is arranged essentially between the teeth and the palate or the tongue of the patient. Alternatively, a guide arch could also be designed in such a way that it runs on the cheek side, that is to say that it is arranged essentially between the teeth and the cheeks of the patient. This can be planned individually and for the patient or the individual case and can be easily implemented in a particularly advantageous manner by the treating dentist in that the individual components of the orthodontic appliance 18 are largely produced in one piece and in particular by means of an additive manufacturing process.

With a view to 2 it should be added that the anchoring unit 9 provides a connecting section 25 enclosing the guide arc 16 via its connection unit 17 . In principle, that connecting section 25 likewise permits a movement relative to the guide arc 16 . In the present case, however, the anchoring unit 9 and thus also the connection unit 17 are stationary in their position via the previously described fixing unit 12 and the corresponding connecting means on the human upper jaw 1 .

In an alternative embodiment, the connecting section 25 could also be designed to be relatively immovable in relation to the guide arc 16 . In particular, the guide arc 16 could advantageously be designed in one piece with the connection unit 17 and thus with the entire anchoring unit 9 . As a result, the position of the guide bow 16 can also be fixed in a simple manner via the fixing unit 12 of the anchoring unit 9 and the corresponding connecting means on the human upper jaw 1. The rigidity or rigidity of the connection between the guide arc 16 and the connection unit 17 can be increased by this one-piece design. As a result, the anchoring of the anchoring unit 9 or of the entire orthodontic appliance 8 can be further increased.

In the present case, however, the interaction of anchoring unit 9 with its connecting section 25 enclosing guide arch 16 and end-side tooth enclosing unit 18 enclosing stationary teeth 3 and 4 ensures the stationary positioning and fixing of guide arch 16 relative to the teeth or to the human upper jaw 1. The need to fix the connection between the connecting section 25 and the guide bow 16 itself is eliminated in the present case.

The design of the displaceable connection between the sliding sections 23 and 24 of the first coupling element 14 and the second coupling element 15 is such that the sliding sections 23, 24 are designed in the shape of a ring.

As a result, simple sliding along the guide arc 16 should in principle be made possible. One advantage of the ring-shaped design is, for example, that the first coupling element 14 and the second coupling element 15 and thus the entire movement unit 10 with the tooth 7 to be corrected can follow a much freer course of the guide arc 16 . Thus, the guide arc 16 no longer has to be designed to run in a straight line along the course along which the movement unit 10 is to be displaced. Rather, the guide arch 16 can have a curved course with curves, so that a more complex displacement path for the movement unit 10 and thus the tooth 7 to be corrected can be planned and implemented.

The present invention further improves that sliding of the movement unit 10 along the guiding arc 16 . The sliding section 23, 24, which is basically ring-shaped, can definitely have a longer axial extent. The term axial extent here means the extent in the direction parallel to the guide arc 16 in the assembled state of the orthodontic appliance. In this respect, the features of the orthodontic appliance 8 or the movement unit 10 described in connection with the prior art can also be transferred to the proposed solution. In the following it will be described to what extent the present invention proposes an improved sliding movement unit 10 and thus improved orthodontic appliances 8 .

3 shows a section of a proposed movement unit 10 with improved sliding properties. Furthermore, the proposed movement unit 10 in 4 in a schematic representation in interaction with a tooth to be corrected 7, as well as in 5 shown in a partially exploded view.

The movement unit 10 has a tooth enclosing unit 13, in this case a band-like tooth enclosing unit 13. The tooth enclosing unit 13 is used for embracing the tooth 7 to be corrected. By enclosing the tooth enclosing unit 13 and thus the entire movement unit 10 is fixed to the tooth 7 to be corrected and connected to it. A sliding section 23 also extends from the tooth enclosing unit 13 , the sliding section 23 being formed in one piece with the tooth enclosing unit 13 . For this purpose, the proposed movement unit 10 is produced as a whole in an additive manufacturing process, in the present case 3D-printed. In this way, individual adjustments to the geometry of the movement unit 10 and thus of the entire orthodontic appliance 8 can be made to the patient in a particularly advantageous manner. As an alternative to production using the additive manufacturing method, the movement unit could also be produced subtractively, as a whole or at least partially. This also applies to the other components of the orthodontic appliance 8, which can be produced either additively or subtractively as a whole or at least in part.

A sleeve 36 is also provided in the sliding portion 23 of the moving unit. The sleeve 36 forms, via its inner surface 37, which is provided via the through opening 38 of the sleeve 36 (cf. 6 ), a contact surface 39 for the sliding section 23. The contact surface 39 of the sliding portion 23 serves to provide the sliding guidance of the movement unit 10 along the guide arc 16. The sleeve 36 is in 3 in the area of the sliding portion 23 indicated by dashed lines. The guide arc 16 is also indicated further inside via the dotted lines.

An adapted contact surface 39 , which reduces the sliding resistance, is thus provided via the sleeve 36 for the relative movement between the movement unit 10 and the guide arc 16 . The inner surface 37 of the sleeve 36 serves as a functional section 40 of the contact surface 39 of the sliding section 23. The sliding resistance of the movement unit 10 on the guide arc 16 is reduced by the material selection of the sleeve 36 and thus of the functional section 40 or the entire contact surface 39.

Specifically, the sleeve 36 is made of a non-metallic material, in this case made of plastic, and the guide bow 16 is 3D-printed from a metallic material. Also, the components of the sliding portion 23 and the moving unit 10 other than the sleeve 36 are metal printed. The sleeve 36 made of plastic ensures better sliding of the entire movement unit compared to if the sleeve 36 were not provided and the components were provided to slide metal on metal.

The material pairing of the sleeve 36 (or at least that part of the sleeve 36 that forms the contact surface 39) and the guide arch 16 (or at least that area of the guide arch 16 that forms the outer surface) is selected in such a way that for the sleeve 36 one of the guide arch material different, friction-reducing material is selected. Thus the coefficient of friction would be higher if the sleeve 36 or, in general, the contact surface 39 were formed from the same material as the guide arc 16 .

The coefficient of friction can be the coefficient of friction for static friction as well as for sliding friction. The selection of the coefficient of friction relates to the specifically considered material pairing of contact surface 39 of the sleeve 36 and guide arch 16, with the coefficient of friction of that specific material pairing having to be compared with the corresponding coefficient of friction of the material pairing of the guide sheet material on the guide sheet material determined under the same conditions itself. According to the proposal, the contact surface of a movement unit is no longer to be made from the same material as the guide sheet material, but rather from a material that results in reduced sliding resistance.

A material pairing of the sleeve 36 or its contact surface 39 and the guide sheet material (material of the guide sheet 16 or at least the outermost layer of the guide sheet 16) is also conceivable, which material pairing also represents a metal-metal material pairing. The material of the contact surface 39 of the sleeve 36 should again be selected so that the specific pair of materials has a reduced sliding resistance compared to the case if the guide arc material were selected both for the guide arc 16 and for the contact surface 39 of the sleeve 36.

As an alternative or in addition to the fact that the sliding resistance of the movement unit 10 on the guide arc 16 can be reduced by the choice of material for the sleeve 36 and thus the functional section 40 or the entire contact surface 39, the geometric design of the shape of the sleeve 36 or in the In general, the contact surface 39 serve to form a functional section 40 for reducing the sliding resistance. Thus, the sleeve 36 can have approximately rounded edges at the edge region of its through-opening 38 . Such roundings counteract clamping effects and thus also reduce the sliding resistance. This is explicitly based on the in 7 illustrated embodiment of a sliding portion 23 of a moving unit 10 and later also described. The rounded edges 49 shown there can also be provided with a sleeve 36 .

How to continue the synopsis of the 3 , 4 and 5 As can be seen, the movement unit 10 has a hook section 41 adjoining the sliding section 23 . The hook section 41 is used to connect other components of the orthodontic appliance, such as a rubber strap, which other components ensure that the movement force F is exerted on the movement unit 10 and thus on the tooth 7 to be corrected as intended.

Basically, when the orthodontic appliance 8 is inserted in the human upper or lower jaw 1, the movement unit 10 is arranged to interact with other components of the orthodontic appliance 8 in such a way that the movement force F acts on the movement unit 10 for the intended displacement of the Tooth 7 acts.

The sleeve 36 according to 3 furthermore has a protruding outer edge 42 which protrudes beyond an edge area 43 of the sliding section 23 in the assembled state of the sleeve 36 with the movement unit 10 . The sleeve 36 is therefore longer in the axial direction, ie in the assembled state of the orthodontic appliance 8 in the direction parallel to the guide arc 16, than the sliding section 23. This can have a later effect exchange of a sleeve 36, if this should ever become necessary, since there is a point of contact from the outside directly on the sleeve 36 even when assembled.

The sleeve 36 is accommodated in a through hole 44 of the sliding portion 23 . This can preferably be a press fit, via which the sleeve 36 is pressed with its outer surface 45 into the inner surface 46 of the sliding section 23 .

Alternatively, the sleeve 36 could also be glued to the sliding section 23 . Another alternative of a connection is a form fit, as in 6 shown in views b) and c). Accordingly, in the area of the protruding outer edge 42 of the sleeve 36 there is at least one widening (as in 6 b) left only) provided. In concrete terms, expansions can also be provided at both ends of the sleeve 36 . In 6 c) 1 shows how the sleeve has nose sections 47 on both sides of the projecting outer edges 42 viewed radially outwards. After the sleeve 36 has been introduced into the through opening 44 of the sliding section 23, these nose sections 47 rest against the end faces 48 of the sliding section 23.

In these different ways, a fixed connection between the sleeve 36 and the sliding section 23 or the entire movement unit 10 can be ensured in order to prevent the components from being undesirably displaced relative to one another.

The proposed movement unit with the sleeve 36 ensures an improved orthodontic appliance 8 in which jamming effects can no longer occur so easily. Instead of the inner surface 46 of the sliding section 23 sliding directly on the outer surface of the guide curve 16 , the inner surface of the sleeve 36 now slides over the outer surface of the guide curve 16 in an improved manner. The cross-section of the sleeve 36 or its through-opening 38 is correspondingly designed to correspond to the cross-section of the guide arc 16 .

Alternatively, different functional sections 40 can also be provided to reduce the sliding resistance of the movement unit 10 on the guide arc 16 . According to the proposal, how 7 as can be seen, it can be provided that the functional section 40 is designed as rounded edges 49 in an edge region 50 of the contact surface 39 . The edge area 50, as in 7 shown, be directly the edge region 43 of the sliding portion 23 itself. Alternatively, in an exemplary embodiment with a sleeve 36 , the edge area of the sleeve 36 can also have rounded edges; in that case, the sleeve 36 itself then has rounded edges in the edge area of its through-opening 38 .

The rounded edges 49 on the through-opening 44 of the sliding section 23 or alternatively on the through-opening 38 of the sleeve 36 ensure that the movement unit 10 can no longer jam on the guide arc 16 so easily. In this way, the sliding resistance is advantageously reduced.

An alternative embodiment of an improved movement unit 10 (not shown) is such that the functional section 40 is designed as a friction-reducing coating on the contact surface 39.

In 10 a proposed orthodontic appliance 8 is shown as an example, with the orthodontic appliance 8 not being anchored via a previously described anchoring unit 9, which is fixed to a tooth, but rather via the connection structure 51, which emerges directly from the guide arch 16. The connection structure 51 has two receptacles for the provision of palatal screws for fixing the orthodontic appliance on the human upper jaw 1 .

The left in 10 The movement unit 10 that can be seen has only one coupling element 14, which is connected to the guide arch 16, while the movement unit that can be seen on the right has two coupling elements 14, 15, namely a first coupling element 14 with the sliding section 23 and a second coupling element 15 with the sliding section 24, on.

In principle, the guide curve 16 shown does not have to be a guide curve 16 with a circular cross section. Rather, more complex movement paths for the teeth 7 to be corrected can be provided via deviating cross sections.

The guide arc 16 is used to specify a predetermined movement path along which the movement unit 10 is to move and through which the tooth 7 to be corrected is ultimately displaced as intended. To do this, for example, slides the right in 10 recognizable movement unit 10 by means of its first coupling element 14 and its second coupling element 15 along the guide arc 16.

In this case, the guide arc 16 can have a non-constant cross-section that deviates from a constant circular cross-section, such as example based on the 8th and 9 becomes evident.

In 8th such an embodiment of the guide arc 16 is shown in a partial section, with the partial section of the guide arc 16 being shown in particular, along which the movement unit 10 with its first coupling element 14 and, if applicable, second coupling element 15 or with the respective sliding sections 23 or 24 would be guided along , to move the tooth 7 to be corrected as intended. In this case, the guide arc 16 again has a curved course with curves in this section, as can be seen from view a) of FIG 8th can be seen. Accordingly, the tooth 7 to be corrected is not merely displaced in a straight line, for example distalized, but adopts a more complex sequence of movements for the purpose of correcting the tooth position.

In addition to a rectilinear corrective movement of the tooth 7 to be corrected, the more complex design of the guide arc 16 also means that a further position correction can be provided, for example laterally to the rectilinear “distalization path” that is usually provided. In addition, for the purpose of correcting the position of the tooth 7 to be corrected, a simultaneous, simultaneous rotational movement can also be induced on the tooth to be corrected.

For this purpose, the guide arc 16 has an oval cross section 26 according to the exemplary embodiment shown. Alternatively, another cross-section deviating from a circular cross-section could also be provided, such as that in 9 in the views a), b) and c) shown essentially rectangular cross-section 27 with the rounded corners 28 or in 5 in sections d), e) and f) shown essentially square cross-section 29 with the rounded corners 30. In any case, for this preferred embodiment, it must be a shape that deviates from an ideal rotationally symmetrical shape such as a circular shape with regard to the cross-section of the guide arc 16 act so that when the cross section is twisted by a certain angle, the cross section does not automatically have the same orientation.

In all the cross-section 26 or 27 or 29 representing views according to sections b), c) and d) of 8th and also pursuant to sections a), b), c), d), e) and f) of 9 is the cross section 26 or 27 or 29 of the guide arc 16 from the view according to the arrow IV in view a) of 8th shown. The cross section 26 in view b) is the 8th according to position B of view a) of 8th shown. The cross section 27 in turn is in view a) of 9 and the cross section 29 in view d) of 9 corresponding to position B shown. In addition, the respective cross sections 26 or 27 or 29 are shown in positions following position B, so-called following positions C and D, namely: the cross section 26 in following position C in view c) of FIG 8th and in the following position D in view d) of 8th , the cross section 28 in the subsequent position C in view b) of 9 and in the following position D in view c) of 9 , and the cross section 29 in the following position C in view e) of 9 and in the following position D in view f) of 9 .

From the synopsis of 8th and 9 With reference to the differently designed guide curves 16, it becomes apparent that the cross section 26 or 27 or 29 of the guide curve 16 is designed along the extension of the guide curve 16 in such a way that the orientation of the cross section 26 or 27 or 29 changes in such a way that that the cross section 26 or 27 or 29 is rotated at a subsequent position C compared to a previous position B along the extension of the guide arc 16 by an angle o. Furthermore, the orientation of the cross section 26 or 27 or 29 changes such that the cross section 26 or 27 or 29 is rotated by an angle β at a subsequent position D compared to a previous position B along the extension of the guide arc 16 .

This makes it possible to cause a desired turning or rotation of the tooth 7 to be corrected, since the corresponding first coupling element 14 and the second coupling element 15 that may also be provided slide along the guide arch 16 with differently aligned cross sections 26 or 27 or 29 and thereby also changing its orientation and thus the orientation of the entire movement unit 10 and finally of the tooth 7 to be corrected.

In this way, a particularly advantageous orthodontic appliance 8 is achieved, since following the distalization or possibly a mesialization, the tooth 7 to be corrected would not have to be straightened, for example, in further treatment measures. Rather, more complex corrective measures can now be carried out using the proposed orthodontic appliance 8 .

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• DE 102020106185 A1 [0002]

Claims (13)

Movement unit (10) for an orthodontic appliance (8) for correcting an incorrect position of a tooth (7) to be corrected in a human lower or upper jaw (1), comprising: - a tooth enclosing unit (13) for fixing the movement unit (10) on the correcting tooth (7), - a coupling element (14; 15) for the displaceable connection of the movement unit (10) to a guide arch (16) of the orthodontic appliance (8), the coupling element (14; 15) having a sliding section (23; 24) for guiding the movement unit (10) along the guide curve (16), the sliding section (23; 24) being annular in design for encompassing the guide curve (16), characterized in that a contact surface (39) of the sliding section (23; 24) for providing the sliding guidance of the movement unit (10) along the guide arch (16) in such a way that the contact surface (39) comprises a functional section (40) for reducing the sliding resistance of the movement unit (10) on the guide arch (16). Movement unit (10) according to the preceding claim, wherein the functional section (40) is designed as a rounded edge (49) in an edge region (50) of the contact surface (39). Movement unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the functional section (40) is designed as a friction-reducing coating on the contact surface (39). Movement unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the sliding section (23) has a sleeve (36), the sleeve (36) forming the contact surface (39) and an inner surface (37) of the sleeve (36) forming the functional section (40 ) trains. Movement unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the sliding section (23) has a/the sleeve (36), the sleeve (36) forming the contact surface (39) via a through-opening (38) of the sleeve (36) and at least a/the rounded edge (49) of the through opening (38) of the sleeve (36) forms the functional section (40). Orthodontic apparatus for correcting an incorrect position of a tooth (7) to be corrected in the human upper or lower jaw (1), comprising: - a guide arch (16) for specifying a movement path for the tooth (7) to be corrected, - a movement unit (10) , wherein the movement unit comprises at least the following: - a tooth enclosing unit (13) for fixing the movement unit (10) to the tooth (7) to be corrected, - a coupling element (14; 15) for the displaceable connection of the movement unit (10) to the guide arch ( 16), wherein the coupling element (14; 15) has a sliding section (23; 24) for guiding the movement unit (10) along the guide arc (16), the sliding section (23; 24) being annular for embracing the guide arc (16). characterized in that a contact surface (39) of the sliding section (23; 24) for providing the sliding guidance of the moving unit (10) along the guide arch (16) is made of a friction-reducing material and an outer surface of the guide arch (16) is made of a different guide arch material is formed, wherein a coefficient of friction of a material pairing of the friction-reducing material of the contact surface (39) on the guide sheet material is smaller than a comparison coefficient of friction of a material pairing of the guide sheet material on the guide sheet material. Orthodontic apparatus for correcting an incorrect position of a tooth (7) to be corrected in the human upper or lower jaw (1), in particular according to the preceding claim, comprising a/the guide arch (16) for specifying a/the movement path for the tooth (7 ), characterized in that a / the movement unit (10) is provided according to one of the preceding claims. Method for manufacturing a movement unit (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the movement unit (10) is essentially produced by means of an additive manufacturing method. Manufacturing method according to the preceding claim, wherein the movement unit (10) is substantially 3D printed. Method of manufacture according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the sleeve (36) is manufactured separately from the other components of the movement unit (10). Method for manufacturing an orthodontic appliance (8) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the orthodontic appliance (8) is produced essentially by means of an additive manufacturing method. Method of manufacture according to the preceding claim, wherein the orthodontic appliance (8) is substantially 3D printed. Use of a sleeve (36) in an orthodontic appliance (8) for providing sliding guidance of a movement unit (10), preferably according to any one of the preceding claims, along a guide arc (16).

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