| 摘要 |
The present invention is a method and intraoral appliance for correcting malocclusions, incorporating an adjustment assembly and a placement assembly. The adjustment assembly is mounted to a tooth of the maxilla, and the placement assembly is mounted to a corresponding tooth of the mandible. The adjustment assembly cooperates with the placement assembly when the jaws are drawn together, in order to correct the patient's malocclusion. The amount of correction to the malocclusion is finely, continuously adjustable through the adjustment assembly. The adjustment assembly includes a first tooth attachment for mounting the adjustment assembly to a tooth on the maxillary jaw, an adjusting mechanism to lengthen or shorten the distance of forward positioning imparted to the patient's mandibular jaw, an abutment member to preserve the proper forward-moving force once the patient's jaws are properly closed, and an inhibiting member that inhibits the patient from closing his/her mouth unless the jaws are properly seated relative to one another as defined by the appliance settings. The placement assembly includes a second tooth attachment for mounting the placement assembly to a tooth on the mandibular jaw and a projection element extending from the second tooth attachment. The projection element has a stop end capable both of engagement with the inhibiting member of the adjustment assembly when the patient's jaws are not properly seated, and engagement with the abutment member of the adjustment assembly when the jaws are properly closed.
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