US3513545A

US3513545A - Preformed orthodontic band

Info

Publication number: US3513545A
Application number: US751556A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank R Miller
Original assignee: Ormco Corp
Current assignee: Ormco Corp
Priority date: 1968-08-09
Filing date: 1968-08-09
Publication date: 1970-05-26
Anticipated expiration: 1987-05-26
Also published as: DE1940468B2; DE1940468A1

Description

May 26, 1970 F. R. MILLER 3,513,545

PREFORMED ORTHODQNTIC BAND Filed Aug. 9, 1968 2 Sheets-Shee. 1

I N VEN TOR. Fri/n. :2 /1//7/@r May 26, 1970 F. R. MILLER 3,513,545

l PREFORMED oRTHoDoNTIc BAND Filed Aug. 9, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheei 2 `I N VEN TOR. Fra/n. :2. M//er WM w64 JMWT an ya? 3,513,545 PREFORMED ORTHODONTIC BAND Frank R. Miller, Bradbury, Calif., assiguor to Ormco Corporation, Glendora, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Aug. 9, 1968, Ser. No. 751,556

' Int. Cl. A61c 7/00 U.S. Cl. 32--14 14 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE An improved construction for an orthodontic incisor, cuspid, bicuspid or molar band is provided. The band of the present invention has relatively thin interproximal portions as compared with the thickness of the remainder of the band. The interproximal portions of the band are thinned, for example, by a grinding action which is accompanied by a simultaneous hardening of the metal in the band, so that no loss of strength is encountered. The thinned interproximal portions of the band facilitates the fitting of the band over the tooth, since unlike the prior art tooth bands, no substantial tooth separation is required.

Background of the invention It is usual for the orthodontist to :be supplied with a 4lrit of tooth bands which are used in conjunction with other orthodontic devices and attachments. The tooth bands are fitted onto the teeth of the patient on a trial and error basis. The bands must be ductile to permit them to be fitted exactly to the contours of the individual tooth. For suicient strength and yet suicient ductility, the walls of the tooth -bands in the prior art have a thickness of the order, for example, of 3-6 mils.

The wall thickness of the prior art bands has created problems in the interproximal area since substantial tooth separation is required when the prior art bands are fitted into the mouth of the patient. This iitting can be painful, and the large wall thickness also results in a substantial space between the teeth which must be closed after the bands have been removed. However, prior to the present invention, any attempt to provide a thinner band, especially for the molars, has resulted in a concomitant loss in strength of the band, which could not be tolerated.

In the practice of the present invention, however, the interpoximal or mesal and distal sides of the band are thinned, this being achieved by a mild grinding action, for example, by the machine described in the copending application Ser. No. 751,555, filed Aug. 9, 1968. The resulting thinning of the band in these areas is accompanied by a simultaneous hardening of the metal in the band at the areas being ground, so that no loss in strength is encountered. This work-hardening effect is particularly pronounced when stainless steel is used as the material to constitute the band. Although there is a loss in ductility in the work-hardened areas of the band, the remaining portions which are unaffected by the grinding action provide the required ductility so as to permit the band to be fitted onto the tooth of the patient.

In the case of the molar bands, the upper or occlusal edge of the thinned parts of the band is usually left in its original dimensions, so as to provide the orthodonist with a strong non-cutting edge to permit him to push the band down over the tooth without crumpling or bending the edge. Other bands, such as anterior bands may have the thinned areas extending from edge to edge. Alternately, the thinned areas may be limited to the central parts of the band, as will be described.

Therefore, the bands of the present invention, having their interproximal portions thinned, are advantageous in United States Patent that there is less total space between the teeth to close after the bands have been removed. Moreover, the application of the bands of the invention is less painful since there is less initial separation of the teeth required. This latter factor often results in less work for the orthodontist since, in many instances, the initial tooth separation step may be eliminated. Also, the use of the bands of the invention results in fewer problems of tooth relapse and rotation, as well as in greater patient comfort.

Brief description of the drawings FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical pre-formed molar band which may be treated in accordance with the concepts of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the pre-formed molar band of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view, partly in section, showing the band thinned across part of its interproximal portions in accordance with the concepts of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a top view of a typical pre-formed anterior band treated in accordance with the concepts of the invention, with thinning in the interproximal portions extending from the lower edge to the upper edge of the band;

FIG. 5 is a side view of the band of FIG. 4, partly in section, and showing the band treated in accordance with the concepts of the invention with its interpoximal portions thinned; and

FIG. 6 is a side View, partly in section, of an anterior band similar to the band of FIG. 5, but thinned in an area in the center of the proximal portions leaving the incisal and gingival edges of the band with their original thicknesses for maximum resistance to ciumpling.

Detailed description of the tooth band The tooth band shown in FIGS. 1-3, as mentioned above, is a pre-formed molar band. The band is designated 10, for example, and, as shown, includes a distal side, a mesal side, a buccal side, and a lingual side. When itted into the mouth of the patient, for example, the buccal side is to the outside and the lingual side is to the inside. The distal and mesal sides constitute the interproximal portions of the band. The tooth band also includes an upper edge, designated the occlusal edge, and a lower edge designated the gingival edge.

In the practice of the present invention, and as best shown in FIG. 3, the mesal and distal sides are thinned by an abrading action. In the case of the illustrated molar band, the occlusal edge is not thinned, so as to provide a surface for the orthodontist to force the band down over the tooth and having sui'licient edge strength to resist crumpling or bending.

As mentioned above, a grinding action such as described in the aforementioned copending application, produces a simultaneous hardening of the metal in the band in the affected areas, especially when a material such as stainless steel is used, so that there is no overall loss in strength of the band. Moreover, the ductility of the remainder of the band is sulicient so that the bands may be fitted onto the tooth, as easily as the prior art bands, and with the aforesaid advantages due to the thinning in the interproximal portions.

As mentioned above, this thinning of the interproximal portions of the band are advantageous Abecause the fitting of the bands to the teeth of the patient is less painful and requires less work for the orthodontist. Also, the use of the lbands of the invention results in less total space between the teeth to close after the bands have been removed, and fewer problems of tooth relapse and tooth rotation.

The anterior tooth band shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 is designated '12, and, as shown, includes a distal side, a mesial side, a labial side and a lingual side. When the latter band is tted onto a tooth of the patient, for example, the labial side is to the front and the lingual side is to the rear, and the distal and mesial sides form the interproximal portions of the band.

The tooth band of FIGS. 4 and 5 also includes an upper edge, designated the incisal edge and a lower edge designated the gingival edge. In the practice of the invention in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, the mesial and distal sides, that is the interproximal portions, are thinned by an abrading or grinding action; with the thinning extending approximately one-third the entire width of the band from the incisal edge to the gingival edge, its center being positioned such as to provide the thinnest point at the interproximal contact.

As mentioned, the metal used in the band is one, such as stainless steel, which becomes work-hardened during the grinding action. Therefore, the grinding action which thins the band at the designated places simultaneously produces a hardening of the metal in the band in the affected areas. This assures that there is no overall loss in the strength of the band. Moreover, and as mentioned above, the ductility of the remainder of the band is suf ficient so that the band may be fitted onto the tooh, as easily as the prior art bands.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, an anterior band is shown in a view similar to the view of FIG. 5, the latter band being designated 14. In the band of FIG. 6, the thinning action is limited to an area at the interproximal contact points of the band, leaving the incisal and gingival edges with their original thickness. The band of FIG. 6 is particularly configured so as to exhibit sufiicient edge strength to resist bending of the sides of the band when it is moved into place down over the tooth of the patient.

Therefore, while the invention has been described in one of its aspects, other equivalent aspects may be practiced without departing from the spirit thereof. The following claims are intended to cover the various aspects of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An orthodontic tooth band for encircling a tooth, formed of a ductile metallic material and having buccal, distal, lingual and mesial sides, and having occlusal and gingival edges, at least parts of the distal and mesial sides of said band being thinner than the lingual and buccal sides thereof.

2. The band defined in claim 1 in which said mesial and distal sides of said band are harder than said buccal and lingual sides thereof.

3. The band defined in claim 1 in which the thickness of said occlusal edge of said band is essentially uniform around the periphery thereof and substantially that of said buccal and lingual sides thereof.

4. The orthodontic tooth -band defined in claim 1 in which the thin distal and mesial sides thereof extend with a substantially uniform thickness from the occlusal to the gingival edges, said uniform thickness being thinner than the thickness of the lingual and buccal sides thereof.

S. The band defined in claim 1 in which the thickness of said occlusal edge of said band and of said gingival edge thereof are essentially uniform around the periphery of the band and substantially that of said buccal and lingual sides thereof.

6. An orthodontic band for encircling a tooth, having a proximal portion, and configured so that at least part of said proximal portion of said band is thinner than the remaining portions thereof.

7. The orthodontic tooth band of claim 6 in which the thinner dimension of said proximal portion extends across the width of said band from the top edge to the bottom edge of said band.

8. The orthodontic tooth band defined in claim 6 in which said thinner proximal portion has an increased thickness adjacent the upper edge of said band corresponding to the thickness of the remaining portions of said band.

9. The band defined in claim 6 in which said proximal portion has an increased thickness at both the upper and lower edges of said band corresponding to the thickness of the remaining portions of said band.

10. An orthodontic tooth band for encircling a tooth, said band being formed of a ductile metallic material having buccal, distal, lingual and mesial sides, and having occlusal and gingival edges, in which the thickness of said occlusal edge of said band is essentially uniform around the periphery thereof and is substantially that of said buccal and lingual sides thereof, and parts of said distal and mesial sides of said band displaced down from said occlusal edge thereof being thinner than the lingual and buccal sides thereof.

11. The band defined in claim 10, in which said mesial and distal sides of said band are harder than said buccal and lingual sides thereof.

12. The band defined in claim 10 in which the thickness of said occlusal edge of said band and of said gingival edge thereof are essentially uniform around the periphery of the band and substantially that of said buccal and lingual sides thereof.

13. An orthodontic band for encircling a tooth, having a proximal portion, said band being configured so that at least a part of said proximal portion thereof is thinner than the remaining portion thereof, and in which said thinner proximal portion of said band has an increased thickness adjacent the upper edge of said band corresponding to the thickness of the remaining portions of said band.

14. The band defined in claim 13, in which said proximal portion has an increased thickness at both the upper and lower edges of said band corresponding to the thickness of the remaining portions of said band.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,204,114 11/1916 Angle 32-14 1,794,213 2/1931 Spahn 32--14 ROBERT PESHOCK, Primary Examiner