Orthodontic appliance having cooperation detection capability

Claim 2

An orthodontic appliance for use in the positioning of teeth, said appliance formed of a material which is normally essentially transparent under normal room conditions and which increases in opacity by absorption of moisture when placed in a patients mouth for a predetermined period of time.

Claim 3

An orthodontic appliance according to claim 1, said material being polyvinyl chloride, at least a portion of which is water-blush polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 4

An orthodontic appliance according to claim 2, said appliance being formed of a material consisting of between 25 percent and 75 percent water-blush polyvinyl chloride, the remainder being non-water-blush polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 5

An orthodontic appliance according to claim 3, said appliance being formed of a material consisting of approximately 50 percent water-blush polyvinyl chloride and approximately 50 percent non-water-blush polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 6

An orthodontic appliance according to claim 1, said appliance being a tooth positioner which is generally U-shaped in plan and has a tooth receiving trough generally of a size and shape for reception of teeth of a patient, said trough being defined by lingual and labial-buccal flanges and having tooth receiving depressions, the flanges being thinner in the lingual to labial direction than the central portion of the positioner, whereby said flanges increase in opacity at a faster rate than the thicker central portion and wherein the flanges also return from a relatively opaque state back to the essentially transparent state at a faster rate than the central portion when the positioner is removed from the mouth.

Claim 9

The method of claim 6, wherein the material is polyvinyl chloride, at least a portion of which is water-blush polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 10

The method of claim 7, wherein the material is between 25 to 75 percent water-blush polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 11

The method of claim 8, wherein the material is approximately 50 percent water-blush polyvinyl chloride and 50 percent non-water-blush polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 12

The method of claim 6, including the step of forming the dental appliance of a mixture of water-blush polyvinyl chloride and non-water-blush polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 13

The method of claim 6, including the step of subjecting the appliance to use in position for positioning teeth within a patient''s mouth for a specified period of time, wherein the opacity of the appliance will increase by an amount dependent on the period of time that the appliance is used in the mouth prior to the said step of observing opacity.

Claim 14

In the orthodontic art, wherein a transparent plastic positioner is placed in the patient''s mouth for predetermined periods of time for repositioning teeth therein, a method of detecting whether the patient is cooperating in the wearing of the positioner for the said predetermined periods of time, comprising the steps of: forming the positioner of a material which is normally transparent at room conditions but which increases in opacity when subjected to high moisture conditions such as when in a patient''s mouth, and observing the opacity of the positioner following a period when a patient was instructed to wear the posiTioner for certain periods of time to ascertain if the patient has in fact worn the positioner for said predetermined periods of time.

Claim 15

In the orthodontic art, wherein a transparent plastic positioner is placed in the patient''s mouth for predetermined periods of time for repositioning teeth therein, a method of detecting whether the patient is cooperating in the wearing of the positioner for the said predetermined periods of time, comprising the steps of: forming the positioner of a material which is normally transparent at room conditions but which increases in opacity when subjected to high moisture conditions such as when in a patient''s mouth, and observing the opacity of the positioner following a period when a patient was instructed to wear the posiTioner for certain periods of time to ascertain if the patient has in fact worn the positioner for said predetermined periods of time.

Claim 16

The method of claim 12, wherein the material is polyvinyl chloride, at least a portion of which is water-blush polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 17

The method of claim 13, wherein the material is between 25 to 75 percent water-blush polyvinyl chloride.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14, wherein the material is approximately 50 percent water-blush polyvinyl chloride and 50 percent non-water-blush polyvinyl chloride.