Abstract:
The invention involves an attachable orthodontic hook system for the attachment of an orthodontic hook to a vacuum formed orthodontic appliance, the hook designed for the reception of orthodontic elastics used to correct the patient&#39;s bite.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
   The invention involves an attachable hook system for the attachment of orthodontic elastics during orthodontic treatment. The hook is attached to a vacuum formed orthodontic removable orthodontic appliance constructed from a plastic or vinyl. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Vacuum formed orthodontic appliances have been used for many years. Initially they were used for retention of teeth following orthodontic treatment and for bite plates. The appliance was subsequently used for a minor tooth movement, usually a single tooth. As time passed the appliance was used to align the anterior teeth wherein a mold of the teeth is made and the six anterior teeth are realigned and the appliance is constructed in the form of the desired position. The Invisalign Company came into being in 1998 wherein they used steriolithography to construct a series of vacuum formed appliances which moved the teeth progressively into a fully aligned position. At this point, generally, no attempt was made to move the patient&#39;s bite with the vacuum formed retainers. If elastics will move a bite in a fixed orthodontic appliance, why not in removable appliances? The use of elastics in removable vacuum formed appliance required elastic hooks which can be glued to the vacuum formed plastic appliances, but don&#39;t readily glue to vinyl appliances. The Raintree Essex Company markets tools which must be heated to make an elastic hook. The first tool makes a mushroom extrusion of material and the second tool defines the hook into a mushroom shape. 
   SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
   The invention involves an attachable orthodontic elastic hook system wherein an orthodontic hook is attached to a vacuum formed orthodontic appliance for the use of rubber bands to move the bite. A depression punch tool is used to depress the internal surface of the vacuum formed appliance and punch an insertion hole in the material. The orthodontic elastic hook is comprised of a hook and a pedestal base with a receiving post. The pedestal base fits into the recession and the receiving post passes through the punched hole to the exterior of the appliance. An elastic receiving hook is inserted over the receiving post and secured in place by a self-locking mechanism or screw type mechanism. In one embodiment the elastic hook is the shape of a mushroom, which is the typical shape of the lingual hook placed on a molar orthodontic band. In another embodiment the mushroom hook has a left and right circular hook, similar in size to the mushroom-shaped hook and mounted linearly in the same plane, which provides a larger hooking area, allowing the use of larger elastic bands. This embodiment requires the direction of the elastic hook to be rotationally stable. The rotational stability is provided by placing a rectangular hole in the retainer material and a pedestal base with a rectangular extension, which fits within the rectangular pedestal hole, and a female rectangular receptacle within the snap on hook for elastics. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of the removable hook on an appliance in a patient&#39;s mouth; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the countersink-punch pliers; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a jaw of the pliers; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a jaw of the pliers; 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the hook with lock mounted to the appliance; 
       FIG. 6  is a disassembled view of the removable hook; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective sectional view of the removable hook; 
       FIG. 8  is a side view of another embodiment of the hook; 
       FIG. 9  is a view of the removable hook with a pedestal base; 
       FIG. 10  is view of the removable hook in  FIG. 9  with the hook mounted to the appliance; 
       FIG. 11A  is a side view of a jaw of the pliers; 
       FIG. 11B  is a side view of a jaw of the pliers; 
       FIG. 12A  is a view of the threaded hole punch; and 
       FIG. 12B  is a cutting end view of the hole punch in  FIG. 12A . 
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view of a clip mount; and 
       FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view of the clip mount. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is an attachable orthodontic hook system, wherein an attachable hook  3 ,  FIG. 1 , is attached to a vacuum formed orthodontic appliance  1 . The hook  3  is used to attach rubber bands  2  used in orthodontic treatment. As shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  6 , and  7  the attachable hook  3  is comprised of a pedestal back  51 , a locking longitudinal shaft  52 , and a single button hook  54  or a button hook  54  with accessory hooks  81  as shown in  FIGS. 8 ,  9 , and  10 . 
   The orthodontic vacuum formed appliance  1  is prepared for the placement of the attachable hook  3  by using a pair of countersink punch pliers  11  as in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 , and  4 . The countersink punch pliers  11 , are comprised of opposing jaws  18 , one with a male countersink  15  which fits into a female countersink  12  in the opposing jaw. When the retainer material  1  is pressed between the opposing jaws  18  a countersink  12  is produced, as in  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  9 , and  10 , which allows a seat for the pedestal back  51  as shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  9 , and  10 . In  FIGS. 2 and 3  a hole producing punch  13  extends from the center of the surface of the male portion  15  extending towards the countersink  12  wherein the punch  13  fits into a cutting hole  41  and cuts a hole in the retainer material I in the center of the countersink  12 . The cutting hole  41  is continued in the form of an escape channel  17 , as shown  FIGS. 2 and 4 , allowing the cut material to escape. In  FIG. 3  the punch  13  is the head of a threaded portion  16 , which is mounted in a smooth channel in the jaw  18 , wherein an adjustment set screw  14  is threaded and mounted to the threaded portion  16  allowing adjustment of the punch  13  by rotating the set screw  14 . 
   In  FIGS. 5 and 6 , in a preferred embodiment, a circular locking shaft  52  is mounted centrally at a right angle to the pedestal back  51  wherein the locking shaft  52  contains locking extensions, or notches  57 , directed towards the pedestal back  51 . In  FIGS. 5 ,  6 , and  7  a button hook  54  in the shape of a half sphere comprises a female locking extension  56  extending at a right angle from the flat surface  58  of the half sphere  54 . Contained within the female locking extension  56  is a longitudinal locking cavity  53  sized to fit over the locking shaft  52 . The locking cavity  53  contains locking extensions  72  directed towards the button hook  54  wherein, in  FIG. 6 , the female locking extension  56  is placed over the locking shaft  52  firmly locking the orthodontic hook in place.  FIG. 5  shows the attachable hook  3  attached to the appliance material  61 . The appliance material  61  has been prepared to receive the pedestal back  51  with the attached locking shaft  52 . In  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  9 , and  10  the countersink  12  with the center hole  102  has been formed in the retainer material  61  by using the countersink punch plier  11  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  11 A,  11 B,  12 A, and  12 B the countersink  12  is of sufficient depth to allow for the thickness of the retainer material  61  wherein the installed pedestal back  51  fits flush and does not protrude upon the patient&#39;s teeth or gums. The locking shaft  52  is inserted through the central  102  in the countersink  12  until the pedestal back  51  is seated in the countersink  12 . The locking cavity  53  of the button hook  54  is placed over the horizontal locking shaft  52  as far as it will go. The female locking extensions  56  of the locking cavity  53  engage the notches or locking extensions, as shown in  FIG. 5 , and the button hook  57  is now firmly attached to the retainer  1 . 
     FIG. 7  shows another preferred embodiment of the attachable hook  1  wherein the pedestal back  51  contains a threaded post  71  to fit the internal female thread  72  of the button hook  54 . The button hook  54  is threaded on until tight. The pedestal back  51  may also contain an alien wrench fitting allowing the pedestal back  51  to be screwed on with an alien wrench. 
     FIG. 8  shows another embodiment the button hook  54 . The hook is a tri-button hook  89  which contains accessory buttons  81  attached to the button hook  54  opposite to each other and on the same plane as the button hook  54 . The advantage of the tri-button hook  89  is allowing easier attachment of orthodontic elastic bands  2  and an attachment which is more resistant to dislodging of the elastic bands  2 . 
   In a preferred embodiment the tri-button hook  89  is not allowed to rotate when mounted to the retainer  1 . The stability is accomplished, as shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , by a rectangular interlock  101  on the pedestal back  51  which is integral with the locking shaft  52 . A rectangular hole  102  is prepared in the center of the countersink  12  to fit over the rectangular interlock  101  and  103 . The rectangular interlock  101  and  103  is of sufficient height that it extends beyond the retainer material  61 . The pedestal back is inserted in the rectangular hole  102  allowing the female rectangular lock  101  and  103 , mounted to the end of a female longitudinal shaft  56 , to fit over the rectangular male interlock  101 , preventing rotation of the tri-button hook  89 . The rectangular hole  102  is cut with another embodiment of the countersink punch pliers  11  as shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  11 A,  11 B,  12 A, and  12 B wherein the cutter  91 ,  FIG. 9 , is rectangular and the cutting escape channel  95 ,  FIG. 12B , is also rectangular. 
   In another embodiment, in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , a clip  121  with locks  122  is fastened over the edge of the orthodontic material  61 . The locking shaft  52  projects vertically from the clip  121 , wherein a hook such as a button hook  54  is attached. 
   The attachable hook  3  may be constructed from plastic, vinyl, nylon, and metal. Other materials are possible. The intent of the invention is not limited to the preferred embodiments, but include embodiments wherein an elastic hook is attachable to a vacuum formed appliance. The countersink punch plier could be replaced with a machine or a punch with a hammer and anvil.