Abstract:
An orthodontic coupling includes a first portion and a second portion that are resiliently interconnected for movement toward and away from each other. The second portion is adapted for insertion into a passage of an orthodontic appliance, and the resilient connection between the first portion and the second portion releasably secures the coupling in place. The coupling is particularly useful for connecting force modules such as Class II correctors to buccal tube appliances.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    This invention relates to a coupling used in orthodontic treatment. The coupling is useful for connecting force modules or other devices to other orthodontic components in the oral cavity.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Orthodontic therapy is a specialized form of treatment within the field of dentistry. Orthodontic treatment involves movement of malpositioned teeth to orthodontically correct locations. Orthodontic treatment often greatly improves the aesthetic appearance of the patient&#39;s teeth and also improves the patient&#39;s occlusion, so that when the jaws are closed the upper teeth are in proper positions relative to the lower teeth.  
           [0005]    Orthodontic therapy is often carried out by use of a system of tiny appliances, wires and other components that are commonly known collectively as “braces”. Typically, a small appliance known as a bracket is connected to each of the patient&#39;s anterior, cuspid and bicuspid teeth and an archwire placed in a slot of each bracket. The archwire forms a track to guide movement of the brackets and the associated teeth to desired positions.  
           [0006]    End sections of orthodontic archwires are often held by appliances known as buccal tubes that are secured to the patient&#39;s molar teeth. Each buccal tube has a passage that slidingly receives the end section of the archwire. Buccal tubes may be placed on the patient&#39;s first molar teeth or the patient&#39;s second molar teeth.  
           [0007]    In some instances, and particularly in connection with adolescent patients, the second molar tooth has often not sufficiently erupted at the beginning of orthodontic treatment to receive a buccal tube. In those instances, the practitioner may elect to install a convertible buccal tube on the patient&#39;s first molar teeth. Later, and after the second molar teeth have erupted, a buccal tube is installed on the second molar teeth and the buccal tube on the first molar teeth is converted to a bracket. Convertible buccal tubes have an enclosed passage that can be opened when desired to convert the passage into a slot that is open along one side, similar to the slots of orthodontic brackets.  
           [0008]    In orthodontic treatment, the molar teeth often serve as convenient points of anchorage for various components because the molar teeth are relatively large and have a plurality of roots. As a consequence, many buccal tube appliances have a passage in addition to the passage for receiving the archwire slot. The additional passage (also known as an auxiliary passage) can be used for connection to other orthodontic devices as desired.  
           [0009]    For example, the orthodontic treatment of some patients includes correction of the alignment of the upper dental arch to the lower dental arch. Certain patients have a condition referred to as a Class II malocclusion wherein the lower dental arch is located an excessive distance rearward of the upper dental arch when the jaws are closed. Other patients may have an opposite condition referred to as a Class III malocclusion wherein the lower dental arch is located forward of the upper dental arch when the jaws are closed.  
           [0010]    In the past, correction of Class II and Class III malocclusions was often carried out by the use of a force-applying system known as headgear. The headgear includes strapping that extends around the rear of the patient&#39;s head, and the strapping is connected to a facebow having legs that are received in the passages of buccal tubes. An example of headgear is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,368,039 to Armstrong. Optionally, each side of the strapping is connected to the facebow by a releasable coupling having a tension spring. The strapping and springs serve to apply a rearwardly-directed force to the buccal tube appliances and hence to the patient&#39;s associated jaw.  
           [0011]    Intra-oral devices for correction of Class II and Class III malocclusions are also known. Such intra-oral devices are preferred by many patients who might otherwise be embarrassed by the appearance of headgear. Practitioners also often prefer intra-oral devices for correction of Class II and Class III malocclusions because, unlike headgear, many of those devices are fixed in place and issues of patient cooperation are avoided.  
           [0012]    A number of intra-oral devices for correcting Class II and Class III malocclusions are known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,708,646, 5,352,116, 5,435,721 and 5,651,672 describe intra-oral devices with flexible spring members that are connected to upper and lower arches of a patient. The length of the device is selected such that the member is curved in an arc when the patient&#39;s jaws are closed. The inherent spring bias tends to urge the members toward a normally straight orientation and provide a force that pushes one dental arch forward or rearward relative to the other dental arch when the jaws are closed.  
           [0013]    U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,645,424 and 5,678,990 describe intra-oral devices for correcting Class II and Class III malocclusions having linkage that includes pivotal connections. The devices in both of these references have an overall somewhat “Z”-shaped configuration. A device having a somewhat similar overall configuration is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,423 and includes double helical loops located on each side of a central segment. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,990, one of the linkages comprises a spring-loaded telescoping assembly.  
           [0014]    Other orthodontic devices for correcting Class II and Class III malocclusions are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,798,773, 4,462,800 and 4,551,095. Those devices include telescoping tube assemblies that urge the dental arches toward positions of improved alignment. Another telescoping tube assembly for repositioning the dental arches is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,711,667. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,562,445 and 5,964,588 also describe intra-oral devices having telescoping members.  
           [0015]    In the past, it has been common practice to connect Class II correctors to buccal tubes using a ball pin. Examples of such connections are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,234,791, 5,964,588 and 5,651,672. As described in those references, a ball pin is threaded through an aperture located adjacent the upper end of the Class II corrector, and then directed through the passage in the buccal tube from its distal side (i.e., the side facing away from the middle of the patient&#39;s dental arch) to the mesial side (i.e., the side facing toward the middle of the patient&#39;s dental arch). The mesial end of the pin is then bent at an angle to retain the pin in place.  
           [0016]    While ball pins provide an inexpensive and secure connection of Class II correctors to buccal tube appliances, there are inherent problems associated with the same. For example, some practitioners encounter difficulty when threading the pin through the buccal tube appliance from its distal side, particularly in instances where space in the oral cavity is restricted. Pliers are often used for placing the pin in the passage of the buccal tube appliance, but if the grip on the pin is lost, the pin may slip out of the aperture of the Class II corrector and become loose in the patient&#39;s oral cavity. Furthermore, once the pin has been correctly installed in the passage, it may be difficult to bend the end section of the pin at an angle, especially when a certain orientation is desired.  
           [0017]    It has also been proposed in the past to use a retaining clip for connecting Class II correctors to buccal tube appliances. Such clips are somewhat similar to safety pins, in that they have a free end with a straight shank and another end with a hook that can be extended around the shank. Once the free end has been inserted into the passage of the buccal tube appliance, the clip is closed by moving the hook until the hook extends around the shank.  
           [0018]    However, the retaining clips described above are not entirely satisfactory because they also are constructed for insertion into the passage of the buccal tube appliance from its distal side to its mesial side. Moreover, it may be difficult and somewhat time-consuming to connect the hook to the shank within the confines of the oral cavity. Clearly, there is a need for a better coupling that overcomes these difficulties.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0019]    The present invention provides an improved coupling for attachment of orthodontic components to each other. The coupling includes a body with a portion that is received in a passage of an orthodontic appliance with a flexible, snap-in retention movement. The snap-in retention obviates the need to place a bend in a coupling in order to secure the coupling to the appliance.  
           [0020]    In more detail, the present invention in one aspect is directed toward an orthodontic coupling that comprises a body having a first portion, a second portion and a third portion interconnecting the first portion and the second portion. The second portion is substantially straight and has an outer, free end. The third portion is resilient and enables movement of the outer end toward and away from the first portion. The third portion biases the outer end of the second portion toward a position adjacent the first portion.  
           [0021]    Another aspect of the present invention is also directed to an orthodontic coupling. In this aspect, the coupling includes a body having a first portion, a second portion and a third portion interconnecting the first portion and the second portion. The first portion, the second portion and the third portion present an overall, generally “U”-shaped configuration in elevational view and the first portion and the second portion are substantially straight. The first portion and the second portion are resiliently biased in directions toward each other.  
           [0022]    Another aspect of the invention is directed toward an orthodontic assembly. The assembly includes a buccal tube having a passage, a force module, and a coupling for connecting the force module to the buccal tube. The coupling includes a body having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion and the second portion are movable toward and away from each other. The second portion is received in the passage and is resiliently biased in a direction toward the first portion in order to releasably retain the body in contact with the buccal tube.  
           [0023]    Another aspect of the present invention is also directed toward an orthodontic assembly. In this aspect, the assembly includes a buccal tube having a passage, a Class II corrector and a coupling for connecting the Class II corrector to the buccal tube appliance. The coupling includes a body having a first portion, a second portion and third portion interconnecting the first portion and the second portion. The second portion is received in the passage and has an outer, free end. The third portion is resilient and enables movement of the outer end toward and away from the first portion. The third portion biases the outer end of the second portion toward a position adjacent the first portion in order to releasably retain the second portion in the passage of the buccal tube.  
           [0024]    The invention in another aspect is also directed to an orthodontic assembly having a buccal tube with a passage, a force module and a coupling for connecting the force module to the buccal tube. The coupling includes a body having a first portion and a second portion, and the first portion and the second portion are movable toward and away from each other. The second portion has an outer end and is resiliently biased to an orientation such that that outer end is spaced from the first portion. The outer end moves away from the first portion as the second portion is received in the passage.  
           [0025]    Preferably, the coupling is constructed such that the portion received in the passage of the buccal tube appliance is inserted in the passage in a distal direction. Such structure enables the practitioner to better view the installation procedure and have better access for manipulation of the coupling. Preferably, the coupling is constructed to position the force module adjacent a distal side of the buccal tube appliance so that the overall working length of the force module is not unduly constrained. Advantageously, the force module in this orientation applies force to the coupling in a distal direction, which further helps to ensure that the coupling does not detach from the buccal tube appliance during the course of treatment.  
           [0026]    These and other aspects of the invention are described in more detail in the paragraphs that follow and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing an example of a patient undergoing orthodontic treatment, wherein a coupling of the present invention is used to connect a Class II corrector to a buccal tube appliance mounted on the patient&#39;s upper left first molar tooth;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the coupling alone that is shown in FIG. 1, except that a pivot pin for connection to the Class II corrector has been removed;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the coupling shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 along with a portion of the Class II corrector, looking toward the coupling in a lingual direction (i.e., in a direction toward the patient&#39;s tongue);  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 is a view somewhat similar to FIG. 3 except that the buccal tube appliance is also shown;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 5 is an enlarged plan view, looking in an occlusal direction (i.e., in a direction toward the outer tips of the patient&#39;s teeth) toward the coupling, the buccal tube appliance and the portion of the Class II corrector illustrated in FIG. 4;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 6 is an enlarged end elevational view of the coupling, buccal tube appliance and Class II corrector shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, looking in a distal direction;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 7 is an enlarged side elevational view of an orthodontic coupling constructed according to another embodiment of the invention, looking downwardly in an occlusal direction;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 8 is an enlarged end view of the coupling shown in FIG. 7, looking in a distal direction;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but additionally showing an exemplary buccal tube appliance and Class II corrector; and  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 8 except that the buccal tube appliance and the Class II corrector shown in FIG. 9 have been added. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0037]    An orthodontic assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 and is broadly designated by the numeral  20 . The assembly  20  includes a coupling  22 , a buccal tube appliance  24  and a force module  26 . The assembly  20  is connected to other components of a patient undergoing orthodontic treatment.  
         [0038]    In FIG. 1, a number of slotted orthodontic brackets  28  are fixed to the teeth of the patient&#39;s upper jaw  30  and an archwire  32  is received in the slot of each bracket  28 . An elastomeric O-ring ligature  34  extends around tiewings of each bracket  28  in order to urge the archwire  32  toward an orientation seated in the slots.  
         [0039]    Similarly, the orthodontic system illustrated in the example shown in FIG. 1 includes a number of lower brackets  36  that are mounted on the teeth of the patient&#39;s lower jaw  38 . An archwire  40  is received in the slots of the brackets  36  and is held in place by elastomeric O-ring ligatures.  
         [0040]    The left distal end of the upper archwire  32  is received in archwire passageway of the buccal tube appliance  24 . Optionally, an end section of the archwire  32  is bent as shown in FIG. 1 in  a location adjacent the distal side of the buccal tube appliance  24 . Preferably, but not necessarily, the archwire passageway of the buccal tube appliance  24  is “convertible” so that it can be opened along its labial side when desired by the practitioner.  
         [0041]    The force module  26  is preferably similar to the force module described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,964,588, which is incorporated by reference herein. In brief, the force module  26  includes a first elongated tubular member  43  (see FIG. 3), a second elongated tubular member that is received in the first member in sliding, telescoping relation, and a third member  44  that is received in the second member. A helical compression spring  46  extends around the first tubular member  43  and has an outer end that bears against a connector  48  of the force module  26  that is fixed to the first member  43 . The opposite end of the spring  46  bears against an annular fitting  50  that is secured to an outer end section of the second member.  
         [0042]    Preferably, the outer end of the third member  44  is formed as shown in FIG. 1 for reception around the lower archwire  40 . Also, the outer end of the third member  44  preferably includes a recess for ease of bending the outer end section around the lower archwire  40 . The recess is described in pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/687,392, which is incorporated by reference herein.  
         [0043]    Preferably, the overall effective length of the force module  26  is selected so that the first and second members are not fully compressed and the second member is not fully inserted into the first member when the patient&#39;s jaws are closed. As a consequence, the inherent bias of the spring  46  provides the desired corrective forces by urging the first and second member away from each other in order to thereby move one dental arch relative to the other.  
         [0044]    Turning now to the coupling  22 , reference is made to FIGS.  2 - 6  wherein the coupling  22  is shown in more detail. As illustrated, the coupling  22  includes a body  52  having a substantially straight first portion  54 , a substantially straight second portion  56  and a third portion  58 . The third portion  58  interconnects the first portion  54  and the second portion  56 . The second portion  56  has an outer, free end  60  and preferably includes a smooth curve having a relatively large radius of curvature along its entire length. The second portion  56  includes a central apex  62  that is inwardly curved in a direction toward the first portion  54 .  
         [0045]    The first portion  54  has a somewhat rectangular configuration in plan view along with a recess  64  that extends along its upper, gingival side. As shown in FIGS.  2 - 4 , the curved apex  62  of the second portion  56  extends toward the middle of the recess  64  of the first portion  54 . Preferably, the length of the recess  64  in a mesial-distal direction is just slightly greater than the overall, mesial-distal length of the adjacent section of the buccal tube appliance  24  as depicted in FIG. 4 so that buccal tube appliance  24  is received in seated relationship in the recess  64 .  
         [0046]    The third portion  58  is sufficiently resilient to enable relative movement of the second portion  56  and the first portion  54  in directions toward and away from each other. Preferably, the second portion  56  and the third portion  58  are located as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 relative to the first portion  54  when the third portion  58  is in its normal, relaxed condition. In this relaxed condition, the second portion  56  including the outer, free end  60  is separated by a space  72  from the first portion  54  and the portions  54 ,  56  extend in directions that are substantially parallel to each other.  
         [0047]    Preferably, but not necessarily, the second portion  56  and the third portion  58  have a transverse cross-sectional configuration that is elliptical or somewhat similar in shape to an ellipse, with the major axis of the ellipse extending in a direction that is parallel to a buccolabial-lingual reference axis. As a result, the portions  56 ,  58  exhibit increased strength in a lateral direction (i.e., in a buccolabial-lingual direction) to help withstand the forces imposed on the coupling  22  as the patient&#39;s jaws  30 ,  38  move relative to each other. In contrast, the smaller dimension along the minor axis of the elliptical shape enables the portions  56 ,  58  to exhibit enhanced resiliency in an occlusal-gingival direction so that the first and second portions  54 ,  56  can be moved away from each other when desired without undue effort.  
         [0048]    As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the second portion  56  of the coupling  22  is received in an auxiliary passage  66  of the buccal tube appliance  24 . During installation, the free end  60  is inserted in the mesial side of the passage  66 . As the practitioner continues to press the coupling  22  against the appliance  24  in a distal direction, the portions  54 ,  56  self-move away from each other a distance sufficient to enlarge the space  72  between the free end  60  and the first portion  54 . Such movement is enabled by the inherent resilience of the third portion  58 , and optionally may also be facilitated by the inherent resilience of the second portion  56  (which optionally has the same cross-sectional shape as the third portion  58 ). The curved shape of the second portion  56  near its free end  60  also helps to ease the spreading-apart motion of the portions  54 ,  56 .  
         [0049]    As installation of the coupling  24  proceeds, the free end  60  is directed through the passage  66  in a distal direction until such time as it emerges from the distal side of the passage  66 . The inherent memory of the third portion  58  (and optionally the second portion  56 ) relatively moves the portions  54 ,  56  toward each other and toward the orientation shown in FIG. 4 as the free end  60  moves toward its position illustrated in FIG. 4. At that time, and as depicted in FIG. 4, the adjacent section of the buccal tube appliance  24  is received in the recess  64  of the first portion  54 .  
         [0050]    The resilience of the body  52 , in combination with the shape of the recess  64  enables the appliance  24  to “snap-fit” into its position in the recess  64 . In this position, the wall of the appliance  24  that is located on the occlusal side of the passage  66  is held captive in the recess  64 . During treatment, the resilience of the body  52  ensures that this captive relationship continues until such time as the practitioner desires to release the coupling  22  from the appliance  24 . In practice, the coupling  22  may be released by pressing on the coupling  22  or the force module  26  in an occlusal direction (i.e. in a downwardly direction viewing the arrangement in FIG. 4) in order to widen the space  72  so that the coupling  22  can then be moved in a mesial direction for disengagement from the appliance  24 .  
         [0051]    Preferably, the outer free end  60  has an outermost curved or tapered edge for facilitating lateral deflection of the second portion  56  and entry into the passage  66 . In addition, the passage  66  preferably has a chamfered mesial entrance as shown by the dashed lines in FIGS. 4 and 5. Such construction eases installation of the coupling  22 , especially in locations of the oral cavity where space is limited and viewing of the installation procedure may be difficult.  
         [0052]    Preferably, the body  52 , including the portions  54 ,  56 ,  58 , is integral and fabricated as a single component. Optionally, the body  52  may be made by a metal injection molding process using a heat treatable material such as 17-4 PH stainless steel. As another alternative, the body  52  may be made by a milling process.  
         [0053]    The coupling  22  is pivotally connected to the connector  48  of the force module  26  by a pin  68  (see, e.g., FIGS.  3 - 6 ). The pin  68  extends through an aperture of the connector  48  and has an outer, enlarged head to prevent disengagement from the connector  48 . The pin  68  may be secured to the body  52  by any suitable means such as tack welding, an interference fit or the like.  
         [0054]    Advantageously, the shape of the first portion  54  substantially prevents excessive rotation of the coupling  22  in directions along an arc about an axis parallel to the central axis of the passage  66 . The generally flat lingual wall of the first portion  54 , in combination with the shape of the outer surface of the adjacent band (i.e., the molar band upon which the appliance  24  is mounted) or alternatively, the outer surface of the patient&#39;s tooth (i.e., the molar tooth upon which the appliance  24  is mounted), helps to prevent such rotation. As a consequence, rotation of the force module  26  is also limited.  
         [0055]    Additionally, the exemplary coupling  22  as shown in the drawings is located in an orientation where it is unlikely to cause undue interference with other orthodontic components in the patient&#39;s oral cavity or with the patient&#39;s soft tissue, such as the adjacent soft tissue of the cheeks. Such construction helps ensure that the coupling  22  as well as the other components will not be damaged during the course of treatment and that the likelihood of injury to the patient&#39;s soft tissue is reduced. As an additional advantage, the body  52 , when symmetrically constructed as shown in the drawings, can be assembled for use on either the right side or the left side of the patient&#39;s dental arches so that the number of different parts that must be manufactured is also reduced.  
         [0056]    An orthodontic coupling  22   a  according to another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS.  7 - 10 . The coupling  22   a  includes a body  52   a  that in this instance is made from a single formed section of wire stock. The body  52   a  includes a substantially straight first portion  54   a , a substantially straight second portion  56   a  and a third portion  58   a  that interconnects the first portion  54   a  and the second portion  56   a . In this illustration, the coupling  22   a  is adapted for installation on the upper right hand side of the patient&#39;s oral cavity.  
         [0057]    The portions  54   a ,  56   a ,  58   a  present an overall, generally “U”-shaped configuration in their normal, relaxed configuration with the portions  56   a ,  58   a  extending generally parallel to each other. The third portion  58   a  is resilient and enables the first portion  54   a  and the second portion  56   a  to relatively move toward and away from each other. The portions  54   a ,  56   a ,  58   a  are shown in their relaxed configurations in the drawings.  
         [0058]    The body  52   a  includes a recurve segment  70   a  that extends toward the second portion  56   a . When the portions  54   a ,  56   a ,  58   a  are in normal relaxed configuration, the recurve segment  70   a  is closely adjacent the second portion  56   a , separated by a space  72   a . Preferably, an outer, free end of the second portion  56   a  is bent at a slight angle as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 in order to facilitate entry of the second portion  56   a  into the passage of a buccal tube appliance.  
         [0059]    During insertion the second portion  56   a  into the passage of a buccal tube appliance, such as the passage  66   a  of the appliance  24   a  shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the portions  54   a ,  56   a  deflect and spread apart due to the inherent resiliency of the third portion  58   a . The portions  54   a ,  56   a  shift apart a distance sufficient to enable the buccal tube appliance to pass through the now enlarged space  72   a  as the coupling  22   a  continues to move in a distal direction. During such movement, the space  72   a  enlarges as needed to accommodate the thickness of the wall of the appliance  24   a  that is located on the buccolabial side of the passage  66   a.    
         [0060]    Once the buccal tube appliance  24   a  is received in the position shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 and is located on the mesial side of the recurve segment  70   a , the portions  54   a ,  56   a  self-return to their positions adjacent each other due to the inherent bias presented by the third portion  58   a . Thereafter, the reduced space  72   a  serves to retain the coupling  22   a  in place on the buccal tube appliance  24   a.    
         [0061]    Preferably, the coupling  22   a  includes a stop  74   a  to limit relative rotation of the coupling  22   a  and the buccal tube  24   a  in a direction along an arc about the major longitudinal axis of the second portion  56   a . In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the stop  74   a  is constructed by fixing a curved wall to the first portion  54   a . Optionally, the curved wall is cut from a section of stainless steel tubing and is welded or brazed to the first portion  54   a.    
         [0062]    The body  52   a  also includes a pivot portion  76   a  that functions in the manner similar to the pivot pin  68  described above. The pivot portion  76   a  is received in an aperture of a connector  48   a  of a force module  26   a . The pivot portion  76   a  extends in a direction generally perpendicular to the major direction of extension of the second portion  56   a.    
         [0063]    An outer end of the pivot portion  76   a  is provided with a retainer  78   a  in order to prevent disconnection of the coupling  22   a  from the force module  26   a . The coupling  22   a  is also provided with a spacer  80   a  on the opposite side of the connector  48   a . The spacer  80   a  functions as a stop to prevent the connector  48   a  from entering the bend of the body  52   a  that extends along the recurve segment  70   a.    
         [0064]    The embodiments described above and shown in the accompanying illustrations are illustrative of the present invention and should not be deemed limiting. Those skilled in the art may recognize that other couplings may be constructed that utilize the principles of the present invention. Moreover, the couplings described above may be used in conjunction with other types of force modules, such as the numerous other Class II correction devices described in the patents set out above. Accordingly, the invention should not be limited to the details set out above, but instead only by a fair scope of the claims that follow along with their equivalents.