ORTHODONTIC BRACKET ASSEMBLIES WITH TORQUE-ADJUSTING DRUMS

摘要

Orthodontic bracket assemblies with torque-adjusting drums. The drum defines at least a majority of the archwire slot of the corresponding bracket assembly, and the drum may be selectively rotated about its longitudinal axis to adjust the prescriptive force that is applied to a patient's tooth during orthodontic use of the bracket assembly. The bracket assembly includes a positioning assembly that selectively retains the drum in a selected orientation relative to the base of the bracket assembly, thereby defining a prescription to be imparted by the bracket assembly to a patient's tooth. In some embodiments, the bracket assembly includes a biasing mechanism that selectively urges the positioning assembly to a position in which the drum is, or is not, retained in a selected position. In some embodiments, the bracket includes a release mechanism that selectively disengages the positioning assembly to permit adjustment of the drum.

主权项

1. An orthodontic bracket assembly, comprising:
a housing configured to be coupled to a patient's tooth and defining an enclosure; a torque-adjusting drum within the enclosure and coupled for rotational movement within the housing within a range of retained positions; wherein the torque-adjusting drum defines an elongate archwire passage that is sized to receive an archwire during orthodontic use of the bracket assembly; wherein in each of the retained positions, the torque-adjusting drum defines a different prescriptive force to be applied to the patient's tooth during orthodontic use of the bracket assembly; a positioning assembly configured to selectively retain the torque-adjusting drum within a selected retained position relative to the housing; a release mechanism configured to selectively permit adjustment of the torque-adjusting drum from the selected retained position to a different retained position of the range of retained positions; and a biasing mechanism configured to at least one of bias the torque-adjusting drum to a retained position and bias the torque-adjusting drum away from a retained position.