MAGNETIC ORTHODONTIC DEVICE

A magnetic orthodontic device has an aligner and a magnet. The aligner has at least one connecting portion and at least one assembling portion. The at least one connecting portion is adapted to be connected to a tooth or an alveolar bone of a patient. The at least one assembling portion is respectively disposed at the at least one connecting portion. The at least one magnet is respectively assembled to the at least one assembling portion.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a device for orthodontia, and more particularly to a magnetic orthodontic device that can reduces the orthodontic treatment time.

2. Description of Related Art

Orthodontic aligners are applied to correct malocclusion such as under bite, over bite, deep overbite, or open bite. A traditional orthodontic device has a bracket, an archwire, and an elastomeric ligature. The bracket and the archwire are metallic. The bracket is attached to teeth via adhesive, and the archwire is held to the bracket with the elastomeric ligature. The pulling interaction between the brace and the archwire guides the teeth into a desired orientation.

The traditional orthodontic device has an uneven contour. The uneven contour of the traditional orthodontic device causes food debris to easily stick to the bracket, results in difficulty in cleaning the bracket, and raises the risk of tooth decay. More particularly, the uneven contour of the traditional orthodontic device continually rubs the interior of the mouth, causes a foreign body sensation in the mouth, and reduces the aesthetic appearance.

In order to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks of the traditional orthodontic device, a clear aligner manufactured by3D printing is invented. The clear aligner provides better wearing experience without reducing the aesthetic appeal of the patient.

However, the clear aligner still has the following defects:

1. The clear aligner is mounted on crowns of teeth. When the crowns are abutted by the clear aligner and forced to move, the force provided by the clear aligner is transmitted from the crowns to periodontal ligament, and roots of teeth slowly move consequently. Therefore, the progressive orthodontic treatment via the clear aligner takes a long period of time.

2. The orthodontic treatment via the clear aligner requires sixty to seventy sets of clear aligner for gradually correcting teeth orientation. The number of sets of clear aligner is determined according to various orthodontic treatments and treatment time. Therefore, the orthodontic treatment via the clear aligners causes high expense of producing clear aligners.

3. In order to fix the clear aligner to the teeth, an engaging member is attached to the teeth, and the clear aligner has a corresponding recess for engaging with the engaging member. However, the engaging member is made of UV curable resin and is prone to wearing out by the clear aligner and fails to engage with corresponding recess of the clear aligner. In addition, the engaging member is easily detached from the teeth and fails to fix the clear aligner when the patient has poor oral hygiene. Therefore, the clear aligner can be inadvertently detached from teeth.

To overcome the shortcomings of the clear aligner, the present invention provides a magnetic orthodontic device to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide a magnetic orthodontic device to shorten orthodontic treatment time.

The magnetic orthodontic device comprises an aligner and a magnet. The aligner has at least one connecting portion and at least one assembling portion. The at least one connecting portion is adapted to be connected to a tooth or an alveolar bone. The at least one assembling portion is respectively disposed at the at least one connecting portion. The at least one magnet is respectively assembled to the at least one assembling portion.

The magnetic orthodontic device in accordance with the present invention corrects teeth orientation via attraction and repelling between magnets and can reduce orthodontic treatment time and lower expense of producing clear aligners. Moreover, the magnets are more wear-resistant than engaging members made of UV curable resin and prolong service life of the magnet orthodontic device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A magnetic orthodontic device in accordance with the present invention has three embodiments. Each embodiment of the present invention has an aligner and at least one magnet mounted to the aligner.

With reference toFIG. 1, a first embodiment of the present invention is a first orthodontic device10of a first configuration. The first orthodontic device10has a first aligner11and two magnets M. The first aligner11has two connecting portions111, two assembling portions112, and a linkage portion113. The linkage portion113is elongated and has two opposite ends. The two connecting portions111are respectively connected to the two opposite ends of the linkage portion113. The connecting portions111of the first aligner11are designed to increase an attachment area between the first aligner11and a tooth to be firmly connected to a tooth. One of the two connecting portions111has a circular contour. The other one of the two connecting portions111has a rectangular contour.

With reference toFIG. 1, the two assembling portions112are respectively defined in the two connecting portions111. Each one of the two assembling portions112may be a recess or a through hole for receiving a respective one of the two magnets M. The two magnets M are respectively embedded in the two assembling portions112.

With reference toFIG. 5, in the first embodiment, the first aligner11has only one assembling portion112, which is defined in one of the two connecting portions111of the first aligner11. There may be only one magnet M accordingly embedded in the assembling portion112.

With reference toFIG. 2, a second embodiment of the present invention is a second orthodontic device20of a second configuration. The second orthodontic device20has a second aligner21and a magnet M. The second aligner21is a temporary anchorage device, TAD, and is shaped like a pole and has two opposite ends, a connecting portion211, and an assembling portion212. The connecting portion211is disposed at one of the two opposite ends of the second aligner21and has a thread. The assembling portion212is disposed adjacent to the other end of the second aligner21. The magnet M is mounted on the assembling portion212.

With reference toFIGS. 3 and 4, a third embodiment of the present invention is a third orthodontic device30of a third configuration. The third orthodontic device30has a third aligner31and multiple magnets M. The third aligner31is a brace with a U-shaped contour and has a connecting portion311and multiple assembling portions312. The connecting portion311has a U-shaped cross-section and two inner peripheral surfaces311A,311B facing to each other. The multiple assembling portions312are defined in one of the two inner peripheral surfaces311A. The multiple magnets M are respectively embedded in the multiple assembling portions312.

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 5, a first treatment using the magnet orthodontic devices in accordance with the present invention is applied to lower teeth as illustrated inFIG. 5. In the first treatment, two said first orthodontic devices10are accompanied with a clear aligner I for orthodontic treatment with teeth extraction. In the first treatment, each first orthodontic device10has one said magnet M. The aligner11of each orthodontic device10has one said assembling portion112defined in a respective one of the two connecting portions111of the aligner11. The magnet M of each first orthodontic device10is embedded in the assembling portion112of the aligner11of the first orthodontic device10. With reference toFIG. 5, the assembling portion112of the aligner11of each first orthodontic device10is defined in a respective one of the aligner's connecting portions111that has a circular contour. The two aligners11of the two first orthodontic devices10are respectively connected to two crowns of two of the lower teeth. Each aligner11is connected to the crown via the rectangular connecting portion111of the aligner11. The clear aligner I is connected to crowns of the lower teeth. Two gaps S are respectively formed between the clear aligner I and the corresponding two teeth respectively connected with the two aligners11of the two first orthodontic devices10. The two gaps S provide enough spaces for movements of the corresponding two teeth. When the two magnets M of the two first orthodontic devices10attract, two roots of the corresponding two teeth approach each other. The two crowns of the corresponding two teeth are pushed by the clear aligner I and approach each other. Therefore, the corresponding two teeth slowly approach each other to accomplish orthodontic treatment with teeth extraction. The teeth orientation is corrected via both the two first orthodontic devices10and the clear aligner I. The crowns and roots of the teeth approach each other simultaneously. Therefore, the orthodontic treatment is accelerated.

With reference toFIGS. 1 and 5, the first treatment using the magnet orthodontic devices in accordance with the present invention can also be applied to upper teeth as shown inFIG. 5. Two first orthodontic devices10are respectively connected to two of the upper teeth. Each first orthodontic device10has two said magnets M. The aligner11of each first orthodontic device10has two assembling portions112respectively defined in the two connecting portions111of the aligner11of the first orthodontic device10. The two magnets M of each first orthodontic device10are respectively embedded in the two assembling portions112of the aligner11of the first orthodontic device10. The connecting portion111with a rectangular contour of each first orthodontic device10is connected to a corresponding one of the upper teeth. The upper teeth inFIG. 5are also corrected both via the two first orthodontic devices10and the clear aligner I mounted on the upper teeth. Therefore, the orthodontic treatment is also speeded up.

With reference toFIGS. 1, 2, and 6, a second treatment of the magnet orthodontic devices in accordance with the present invention is applied to upper teeth inFIG. 6. In the second treatment, one said first orthodontic device10and one said second orthodontic device20are accompanied with one said clear aligner I for orthodontic treatment of canines. In the second treatment, the first orthodontic device10has two said magnets M, and the aligner11of the first orthodontic device10has two said assembling portions112respectively defined in the two connecting portions111of the aligner11for receiving the two magnets M. The aligner11is connected to one of canines T1of the upper teeth via one of the two connecting portions111having a rectangular contour. The connecting portion211of the second orthodontic device20is screwed with alveolar bone at a position near one of first molars T2of the upper teeth. A gap S is formed between the canine T1and the clear aligner I to provide enough space for movement of the canine T1. When the magnets M of the first orthodontic device10and the magnet M of the second orthodontic device20attract, the canine T1moves toward the first molar T2.

With reference toFIGS. 1, 4, and 7, a third treatment of the magnet orthodontic devices in accordance with the present invention is applied to lower teeth and upper teeth inFIG. 7. In the third treatment, one said first orthodontic device10and one said third orthodontic device30are accompanied with one said clear aligner I for orthodontic treatment of underbite. The first orthodontic device10and the clear aligner I are attached to the lower teeth. The first orthodontic device10has two said magnets M. The aligner11of the first orthodontic device10is connected to one of canines T1of the lower teeth via one of the two connecting portions111with a rectangular contour. The third orthodontic device30is mounted on the upper teeth. The third orthodontic device30has a magnet M. The aligner31has an assembling portion312for receiving the magnet M. The assembling portion312is disposed according to a position of one of the first molars T2of the upper teeth. When the magnet M of the first orthodontic device10and the magnet M of the third orthodontic device30attract, the first orthodontic device10and the third orthodontic device30approach each other to align the upper teeth and the lower teeth.

With reference toFIGS. 2, 4, and 8, a fourth treatment using the magnet orthodontic devices in accordance with the present invention is applied to lower teeth. In the fourth treatment, two said second orthodontic devices20are accompanied with one said third orthodontic device30for orthodontic treatment of deep overbite. The two connecting portions211of the two aligners21of the two second orthodontic devices20are screwed with the alveolar bone of mandible and respectively disposed below two lateral incisors T3of the lower teeth. The third orthodontic device30is mounted on the lower teeth via the aligner31of the third orthodontic device30and has four magnets M. The aligner31of the third orthodontic device30has four assembling portions312for respectively receiving the four magnets M of the third orthodontic device30. When the magnets M of the two second orthodontic devices20and the magnets M of the third orthodontic device30attract, the lower teeth move downward to move away from the upper teeth for correcting deep overbite.

With reference toFIGS. 4 and 9, a fifth treatment of the magnet orthodontic devices in accordance with the present invention is applied to lower teeth and upper teeth inFIG. 9. Two said third orthodontic devices30are respectively mounted on the upper teeth and the lower teeth for orthodontic treatment of deep overbite. Each third orthodontic device30has four said magnets M. The aligner31of each third orthodontic device30has four said assembling portions312. The four magnets M of each third orthodontic device30are respectively embedded in the four assembling portions312of the aligner31of the third orthodontic device30. The four magnets M of the third orthodontic device30mounted on the upper teeth are arranged according to two central incisors T4and two lateral incisors T3of the upper teeth in position. The four magnets M of the third orthodontic device30mounted on the lower teeth are arranged according to two central incisors T4and two lateral incisors T3of the lower teeth in position. When the magnets M of the two third orthodontic devices30repel, the two third orthodontic devices30move away from each other. Therefore, the upper teeth and the lower teeth move away from each other.

With reference toFIGS. 4 and 10, a sixth treatment using the magnet orthodontic devices in accordance with the present invention is applied to lower teeth and upper teeth. In the sixth treatment, two said third orthodontic devices30are respectively mounted on the lower teeth and the upper teeth for orthodontic treatment of open bite. Each third orthodontic device30has four magnets M. The aligner31of each third orthodontic device30has four assembling portions312. The four magnets M of each third orthodontic device30are respectively embedded in the four assembling portions312of the aligner31of the third orthodontic device30. The four magnets M of the third orthodontic device30mounted on the upper teeth are arranged according to two central incisors T4and two lateral incisors T3of the upper teeth in position. The four magnets M of the third orthodontic device30mounted on the lower teeth are arranged according to two central incisors T4and two lateral incisors T3of the lower teeth in position. When the magnets M of the two third orthodontic devices30attract, the two third orthodontic devices30approach each other. Therefore, the upper teeth and the lower teeth move toward each other.

With reference toFIGS. 4 and 11, a seventh treatment using the magnet orthodontic devices in accordance with the present invention is applied to lower teeth and upper teeth. Two said third orthodontic devices30are respectively mounted on the upper teeth and the lower teeth. Each third orthodontic device30has a magnet M. The aligner31of each third orthodontic device30has one said assembling portion312. The magnet M of each third orthodontic device30is embedded in the assembling portion312of the aligner31of the third orthodontic device30. The magnet M of one of the third orthodontic devices30mounted on the upper teeth is arranged according to one of the canines T1of the upper teeth in position. The magnet M of the other one of the third orthodontic devices30is arranged according to one of the second molars T5of the lower teeth in position. When the magnets M of the two third orthodontic devices30attract, the two third orthodontic devices30approach each other to align the upper teeth and the lower teeth.