Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
A method for making a tooth positioning and retaining appliance with air holes, said appliance having an arch-shaped body of resilient material with upper and lower archways arranged in ideal arch relationship to receive upper and lower arches of a person, and air holes between the archways and the labial and lingual sides of the body, said method comprising the steps of setting up a mold having upper and lower mold members with models of the upper and lower dental arches to form the archways and an intermediate mold member, supporting air hole forming means by said intermediate mold member to extend at an acute angle to an occlusal plane of at least one of said models, closing the mold, filling the mold with curable molding material, curing the material, opening the mold, removing the molded appliance with the air hole forming means, and removing the air hole forming means from the appliance to define the air holes.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
158 words
A method for making a tooth positioning and retaining appliance with air holes, said appliance having an arch-shaped body of resilient material with upper and lower archways arranged in ideal arch relationship to receive upper and lower arches of a person, and air holes between the archways and the labial and lingual sides of the body, said method comprising the steps of setting up a mold having upper and lower mold members with models of the upper and lower dental arches to form the archways and an intermediate mold member, supporting air hole forming means by said intermediate mold member to extend at an acute angle to an occlusal plane of at least one of said models, closing the mold, filling the mold with curable molding material, curing the material, opening the mold, removing the molded appliance with the air hole forming means, and removing the air hole forming means from the appliance to define the air holes.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
191 words
A method for making a tooth positioning and retaining appliance with air holes, wherein the appliance includes an arch-shaped body of resilient material having upper and lower archways arranged in ideal arch relationship to receive upper and lower arches of a person, and air holes between the archways and the labial and the lingual sides of the body, said method comprising the steps of setting up a mold having upper and lower mold members with models of the upper and lower dental arches to form the archways with said mold members having narrow recesses therebetween for opposite ends of an insert member which is generally flat but having a humped portion intermediate said ends, disposing said ends of the insert member in said recesses with said humped portion being disposed across a cavity of said mold and located adjacent an anterior portion of one of said arches to the insert member clears said arches, closing the mold, filling the mold with curable molding material, curing the material, opening the mold, removing the molded appliance with the insert member, and removing the insert member from the appliance to define the air holes.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
191 words
A method for making a tooth positioning and retaining appliance with air holes, wherein the appliance includes an arch-shaped body of resilient material having upper and lower archways arranged in ideal arch relationship to receive upper and lower arches of a person, and air holes between the archways and the labial and the lingual sides of the body, said method comprising the steps of setting up a mold having upper and lower mold members with models of the upper and lower dental arches to form the archways with said mold members having narrow recesses therebetween for opposite ends of an insert member which is generally flat but having a humped portion intermediate said ends, disposing said ends of the insert member in said recesses with said humped portion being disposed across a cavity of said mold and located adjacent an anterior portion of one of said arches to the insert member clears said arches, closing the mold, filling the mold with curable molding material, curing the material, opening the mold, removing the molded appliance with the insert member, and removing the insert member from the appliance to define the air holes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said insert member has the form of plural fingers interconnected at one end and each of said fingers has a hump.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
160 words
A method for making a tooth positioning and retaining appliance with air holes, wherein the appliance includes an arch-shaped body of resilient material having upper and lower archways arranged in ideal arch relationship to receive upper and lower arches of a person, and air holes between the archways and the labial and lingual sides of the body, said method comprising the steps of setting up a mold having upper and lower mold members with models of the upper and lower dental arches to form the archways, placing flexible air hole forming means in the mold between interior portions of said arches to form the air holes, closing the mold, pressing said models against said forming means, deforming said means between said arches, filling the mold with curable molding material, curing the material, opening the mold, removing the molded appliance with the air hole forming means, and removing the air hole forming means from the appliance to define the air holes.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
160 words
A method for making a tooth positioning and retaining appliance with air holes, wherein the appliance includes an arch-shaped body of resilient material having upper and lower archways arranged in ideal arch relationship to receive upper and lower arches of a person, and air holes between the archways and the labial and lingual sides of the body, said method comprising the steps of setting up a mold having upper and lower mold members with models of the upper and lower dental arches to form the archways, placing flexible air hole forming means in the mold between interior portions of said arches to form the air holes, closing the mold, pressing said models against said forming means, deforming said means between said arches, filling the mold with curable molding material, curing the material, opening the mold, removing the molded appliance with the air hole forming means, and removing the air hole forming means from the appliance to define the air holes.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
199 words
A method for making a tooth positioning and retaining appliance with air holes, wherein the appliance includes an arch-shaped body of resilient material having upper and lower archways arranged in ideal arch relationship to receive upper and lower arches of a person, and air holes between the archways and the labial and lingual sides of the body, said method comprising the steps of setting up a mold having upper and lower mold members with models of the upper and lower dental arches to form the archways with said mold members having narrow recesses therebetween for opposite ends of an insert member which is generally flat and extends at an acute angle to the occlusal plane of at least one of said models, disposing said ends of the insert member in said recesses with said humped portion being disposed across a cavity of said mold and located adjacent an anterior portion of one of said arches so the insert member clears said arches, closing the mold, filling the mold with curable molding material, curing the material, opening the mold, removing the molded appliance with the insert member, and removing the insert member from the appliance to define the air holes.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
199 words
A method for making a tooth positioning and retaining appliance with air holes, wherein the appliance includes an arch-shaped body of resilient material having upper and lower archways arranged in ideal arch relationship to receive upper and lower arches of a person, and air holes between the archways and the labial and lingual sides of the body, said method comprising the steps of setting up a mold having upper and lower mold members with models of the upper and lower dental arches to form the archways with said mold members having narrow recesses therebetween for opposite ends of an insert member which is generally flat and extends at an acute angle to the occlusal plane of at least one of said models, disposing said ends of the insert member in said recesses with said humped portion being disposed across a cavity of said mold and located adjacent an anterior portion of one of said arches so the insert member clears said arches, closing the mold, filling the mold with curable molding material, curing the material, opening the mold, removing the molded appliance with the insert member, and removing the insert member from the appliance to define the air holes.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of making a custom tooth positioning and retaining appliance with air holes from a blank of moldable material in a three-part mold having an air hole insert wherein the appliance to be made includes an arch-shaped body of resilient material having upper and lower achways to receive upper and lower arches of a person, and air holes between the archways and the labial and lingual sides of the body, said method comprising the steps of mounting models of the arches in the mold such that when the mold is closed a freeway spacing will be defined between the arches, forcing the air hole insert into the blank of material, placing the blank of material with the insert therein in the mold such that the location of the insert is guided by the mold, closing the mold to effect the forming of the arches in the blank in relation to the air holes, opening the mold, removing the appliance, and separating the insert from the appliance.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of making a custom tooth positioning and retaining appliance with air holes from a blank of moldable material in a three-part mold having an air hole insert wherein the appliance to be made includes an arch-shaped body of resilient material having upper and lower achways to receive upper and lower arches of a person, and air holes between the archways and the labial and lingual sides of the body, said method comprising the steps of mounting models of the arches in the mold such that when the mold is closed a freeway spacing will be defined between the arches, forcing the air hole insert into the blank of material, placing the blank of material with the insert therein in the mold such that the location of the insert is guided by the mold, closing the mold to effect the forming of the arches in the blank in relation to the air holes, opening the mold, removing the appliance, and separating the insert from the appliance.