Patent ID: 9636191
Date: 2017-05-02
CPC Classifications: A61C

Claim:
1. An orthodontic bracket, comprising; a bracket base which is releasably affixed to an anterior facing surface of a patient's tooth; an immovable bracket body mounted on the bracket base, and which has an anterior facing surface which defines a transversely disposed substantially cylindrical cavity, and wherein a multiplicity of engagement regions are formed in a predetermined spatial pattern in the immovable bracket body; an arch wire insert having a main body which is defined by a longitudinal axis, and which is further received within the transversely disposed substantially cylindrical cavity, and wherein the main body of the arch wire insert further defines, at least in part, a transversely disposed arch wire slot having a selectively adjustable volume, and wherein the arch wire insert is selectively rotatable about the longitudinal axis thereof; a bracket body insert which is releasably received within the transversely disposed arch wire slot, and which further has a main body which occupies, at least in part, a portion of the selectively adjustable volume of the arch wire slot, and wherein the bracket body insert has an engagement member having a distal end, and which is operable to be received within one of the multiplicity of engagement regions formed in the immovable bracket body, and wherein the receipt of the distal end of the engagement member in one of the engagement regions releasably fixes the rotatable orientation of the arch wire insert relative to the immovable bracket body, and further selectively adjusts the volume of the transversely disposed arch wire slot while the bracket base is releasably affixed to the anterior facing surface of the patient's tooth; and an arch wire received within the transversely disposed arch wire slot, and which acting in combination with the arch wire insert and the bracket body insert, provides a multiplicity of selective torque expressions which individually forcibly act upon the patient's tooth, and wherein the orthodontic, bracket can be employed to achieve first second and third orders of movement of the patient's tooth without a clinically predetermined manipulation of the arch wire which is received in the transversely disposed, arch wire slot, and the bracket base may simultaneously remain affixed to the anterior facing surface of the patient's tooth for the entire orthodontic treatment, and wherein the arch wire insert is partially rotatably movable relative to the bracket body and bracket base and in a given axis of movement when the bracket base is affixed on the anterior facing surface of the patient's tooth, and wherein the arch wire insert and the bracket body insert can be releasably detached from the bracket body, and an alternative bracket body insert releasably attached within the arch wire slot defined by the arch wire insert during the orthodontic treatment period.