Patent GB-1194426-A (GB)
Title: Orthodontic Appliance
IPC: A61C7/28
Filed: 1967-07-27
Abstract: 1,194,426. Orthodontic appliances. GUILD ARTS & CRAFTS Inc. 27 July, 1967 [3 Aug., 1966; 30 June, 1967], No. 34535/67. Heading A5R. An orthodontic appliance comprises a "bracket which, is adapted to be operatively connected to the labial side of a tooth and which is provided with a passageway for receiving an orthodontic wire. The bracket comprises a gencraily flat plate-like section from which projects a rereiver section formed of resiliently deflectable material; the wire-receiving passageway extends laterally through the receiver section which is divided into two spaced arms the extremities of which define a slot which communicates with and is laterally coextensive with the passageway but which is of reduced vertical dimension relative to the vertical dimension of the passageway so that the arms must be urged apart to permit entry of a selected orthodontic wire into the passageway. The orthodontic appliance may further include a receptacle which is adapted to be attached directly to the labial side of a tooth and to receive the platelike section of the bracket; the receptacle may comprise a generaly flat base from one edge of which extends a stop and from each of the other three edges of which extends a retaining flange, the plate-like section of the bracket being vertically slidable over the stop and beneath the flanges for retention on the base of the receptacle. As illustrated in Figure 1, receptacle 10 comprises a rectangular base 15 having side wa'lls '16 each provided with a flange 17 except in the region 18 where the wall is partially cut away, a lower wall 20 provided with a flange 21 except in the central region 22 and outer regions 23 where the wall is completely out away, and an upper wall 24 the central region 25 of which is partially cut away. The receptacle, which may (be formed of sheet metal, is intended to be attached to a tooth either by adhesive or by means of an integral tooth-encircling band 12 and is adapted to receive a bracket 11 which may be moulded of a plastics material. The 'bracket comprises a rectangular plate-like section 30 from which projects a receiver section 31 reinforced by triangular structure 33 extending from the edge 32 of the plate-like section and optionally also by portions 34. The receiver section has smoothly rounded edges 35 and 36 merging smoothly into flat surface 37 from which a slot 39 extends into the receiver section; the slot, which is defined by arm 40 and by a 'protubeirance 42 forming an integral part of arm 41, is in communication with a 'passageway 38 adapted to receive an orthodontic wire (not shown) which will extend transversely across the tooth upon which the bracket is mounted and across adjacent teeth. The bracket may be formed with a passageway in the form of a groove 43 which aligns with the corresponding cut away portions formed in the walls of the receptacle when the bracket is received in the receptacle and through which may be passed for example a ligating wire (not shown) or a tool (not shown) for altering the position of the bracket and receptacle relative to the tooth upon which they are mounted. Figure 5 illustrates an alternative bracket 11a comprising a rectangular plate 30a which is provided with a groove 43a and from which projects a receiver section 31a reinforced by gusset structure 33a; the receiver section includes mutually resilient arms 40a and 41a having respective smoothly rounded outer edges 35a and 36a and respective smoothly rounded inrer edges 44 and 42a which define the entrance to a slot in cormmunication with an orthodontic wire-receiving passageway 38a.