Patent ID: 7887324

Claim:
An orthopedic-orthodontic appliance for inducing remodeling of craniofacial hard and soft tissues including at least one tooth, the appliance comprising: a base plate comprising a first half and a second half, the base plate further comprising at least two overlays adapted to overlay an occlusal surface of posterior teeth bilaterally wherein one overlay is adapted to overlay an occlusal surface of a left-side of a jaw and the second overlay is adapted to overly a second occlusal surface of a right-side of the jaw; a contacting material comprising at least one axial spring adapted to contact the palatal/lingual surface of at least one tooth, the contacting material coupled to the base plate, wherein the contacting material is adapted to produce and transmit intermittent, cyclic forces to the palatal/lingual surface of the tooth; a midline medio-lateral actuator adapted to permit separation of the first half and the second half, the midline medio-lateral actuator being disposed intermediate therebetween; clasps coupled to the base plate, the clasps being adapted to bilaterally contact a posterior of at least one tooth; and wherein the at least one axial spring comprises a 3-D axial spring comprising a continuous spring body comprising an arm portion at a proximal end and a head portion at a distal end, the head portion being adapted to contact the palatal/lingual surface of at least one tooth in an orientation approximately parallel to the long axis of the tooth and anchored by a base-plate the head portion comprising at least one first minor sinusoidal-shaped coil extending from the proximal end and having a first axis coincident with a long axis of the axial spring, the head portion further comprising at least one first major sinusoidal-shaped coil extending from the proximal end and having a second axis arranged about 90-degrees from the first axis.