Orthodontic appliance

Claim 2

A removable orthodontic appliance comprising means for exerting corrective forces on teeth, said appliance also including means for sensing when the appliance is being used and means responsive to said sensing means for recording the amount of time the appliance is in use on the patient.

Claim 3

The appliance of claim 1 wherein the sensing means are responsive to forces exerted by the appliance.

Claim 4

The appliance of claim 1 wherein the sensing means are responsive to a skin electrolytic function.

Claim 5

The appliance of claim 1 wherein the recorder provides a direct readout.

Claim 6

The appliance of claim 1 wherein the recorder must be connected to a readout instrument to provide a readout.

Claim 7

A removable orthodontic traction appliance of the kind used in orthodontia for retracting the upper teeth of a patient, said appliance comprising frame means for engaging brackets attached to upper molars to exert a force on the molars, said appliance also including means for sensing when the appliance is being used and means responsive to said sensing means for recording the amount of time the appliance is in use on the patient.

Claim 8

A removable orthodontic traction appliance of the kind used in orthodontia for retracting the upper teeth of a patient, said appliance comprising frame means for engaging brackets attached to upper molars to exert a force on the molars, said appliance also including means for sensing when the appliance is being used and means responsive to said sensing means for recording the amount of time the appliance is in use on the patient.

Claim 9

The appliance as defined in claim 6 wherein the appliance includes a bow structure and the recorder means are located in the bow structure.

Claim 10

The appliance as defined in claim 6 wherein the appliance includes a head pad and the recorder means are located in the head pad.

Claim 11

An appliance as defined in claim 6 wherein the sensing means are responsive to the force exerted by the frame means.

Claim 12

An appliance as defined in claim 6 wherein the sensing means include force setting means effective to select a limited range of forces for Actuating the recorder.

Claim 13

An appliance as defined in claim 6 wherein the recorder records the time of use but does not display the amount of time recorded.

Claim 14

An appliance as defined in claim 6 including a pressure indicator or recorder.

Claim 15

A pad of the kind associated with an elastic band for applying a load to bow structure of an orthodontic traction appliance, said pad including means for sensing when said appliance is being used and means responsive to said sensing means for recording the amount of time the appliance is in use.

Claim 16

A pad of the kind associated with an elastic band for applying a load to bow structure of an orthodontic traction appliance, said pad including means for sensing when said appliance is being used and means responsive to said sensing means for recording the amount of time the appliance is in use.

Claim 17

A pad as defined in claim 13 wherein the pad is shaped to engage the back of the patient''s neck.

Claim 18

A pad as defined in claim 13 wherein the recorder includes a solid state memory chip and the sensing means includes switch means which are closed in response to a force within a selected range of forces and a temperature within a selected range of temperatures so that the recorder will not record unless both conditions of force and temperature are present.

Claim 19

A readout instrument in combination with the orthodontic appliance of claim 1.

Claim 22

According to claim 17 including engaging a metal frame against brackets attached to upper molars, exerting a force on the metal frame to retract the upper teeth, and recording on a time recorder built into the appliance the amount of time the metal frame is so engaged under force with the brackets.