ORTHODONTIC APPLIANCE BY USING A SHAPE MEMORY POLYMER

摘要

Disclosed is an orthodontic appliance for straightening misaligned teeth. The orthodontic appliance is made of a shape memory polymer, and is formed in a cap-shaped tray capable of covering the maxillary or mandibular teeth. An original shape of the tray orthodontic appliance made of the shape memory polymer is identical to that of perfectly aligned teeth obtained after orthodontic treatment, and a temporarily formed shape of the tray orthodontic appliance is identical to that of the teeth alignement of a patient before orthodontic treatment. The tray orthodontic appliance is restored to the original shape memorized at a temperature above a specified glass transition temperature. The orthodontic appliance can be easily manufactured to perform orthodontic treatment, thus providing appealing esthetics, in which the orthodontic appliance can be colored to be identical to a tooth with inexpensive manufacturing cost.