Orthodontic appliance

Claim 2

An orthodontic appliance for use in combination with a bracket having attaching flanges, and a body extending labially from the flanges and having socket means at the occlusal and gingival ends thereof and a mesial-distally extending arch wire slot opening along the occlusal gingival axis, said appliance comprising a frame, projections on the frame engaging in the socket means and locking the appliance on the bracket, and at least the projection at the slot end of the appliance having a labiolingual depth to extend over the arch wire slot and lock the arch wire to the bracket, whereby deformation of the appliance is necessary to mount and demount same on the bracket.

Claim 3

An orthodontic appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein said frame includes means coacting with a flange to control rotational movement between the bracket and arch wire.

Claim 4

An orthodontic appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein the appliance is made of metal and initially formed for application to the bracket after which it can be permanently deformed into locking position.

Claim 5

An orthodontic appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein the appliance is molded of resilient plastic in the form that it will take when in locked position on the bracket and thereby be deformed when applying it to the bracket.

Claim 6

An orthodontic appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein the frame is generally ring-shaped.

Claim 7

An orthodontic appliance as defined in claim 1, wherein the frame is generally half ring-shaped.

Claim 8

An orthodontic appliance as defined in claim 1, and means extending lingually from the frame defining an arch wire slot for receiving the arch wire and controlling mesiodistal inclinations of the bracket.

Claim 9

An orthodontic appliance as defined in claim 1, and mesiodistally-directed extensions on the frame having hook-shaped ends engaging the arch wire to control mesiodistal inclinations of the bracket.

Claim 10

A lock ring for use in combination with a bracket having attaching flanges, and a body extending labially from the flanges and having socket means at the occlusal and gingival ends thereof and a mesial-distally extending arch wire slot opening gingivally, said lock ring comprising a generally ring-shaped frame defined by gingival and occlusal ends and mesial and distal sides, projections extending inwardly from the gingival and occlusal ends for engaging in the socket means to lock the lock ring on the bracket, the projection at the gingival end of the frame extending lingually to overlie the arch wire slot and lock the arch wire therein while permitting relative tipping between the arch wire and the bracket, and the mesial and distal sides being positioned mesial and distal of the bracket body to engage the arch wire at points mesial and distal from the bracket body and effect rotation control, whereby deformation of the appliance is necessary to mounT and demount same on the bracket.

Claim 11

A lock ring for use in combination with a bracket having attaching flanges, and a body extending labially from the flanges and having socket means at the occlusal and gingival ends thereof and a mesial-distally extending arch wire slot opening gingivally, said lock ring comprising a generally ring-shaped frame defined by gingival and occlusal ends and mesial and distal sides, projections extending inwardly from the gingival and occlusal ends for engaging in the socket means to lock the lock ring on the bracket, the projection at the gingival end of the frame extending lingually to overlie the arch wire slot and lock the arch wire therein while permitting relative tipping between the arch wire and the bracket, and the mesial and distal sides being positioned mesial and distal of the bracket body to engage the arch wire at points mesial and distal from the bracket body and effect rotation control, whereby deformation of the appliance is necessary to mounT and demount same on the bracket.

Claim 12

A lock ring as defined in claim 9, wherein the socket means of the bracket body are defined by a gingival-occlusally extending opening through the body.

Claim 13

A lock ring as defined in claim 10, wherein the lock ring is made of dead soft metal in the form that it will allow the ring to be slipped over the bracket body and thereafter be deformed to cause the projections to engage in the opposite ends of the body opening.

Claim 14

A lock ring as defined in claim 10, wherein the lock ring is molded of plastic in the form that it will take when in locked position on the bracket, and said lock ring having such resiliency that will permit deformation to a shape that will slip over the bracket body.

Claim 15

A lock ring as defined in claim 10, and means on the mesial and distal frame sides defining lingually extending notches for receiving the arch wire to effect mesiodistal inclinations of the bracket.

Claim 16

A lock ring as defined in claim 10, and flexible means extending mesial and distal of the frame terminating in arch wire hook portions for connection to the arch wire to effect mesiodistal inclinations of the bracket.

Claim 17

A lock ring as defined in claim 1, wherein said arch wire locking means coacts with the slot to permit tipping between the bracket and arch wire.