Lingual retainer and methods of manufacturing and bonding same

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1 wherein the internal rounded axial line angles form a continuous U-shape on an incisor;

Claim 4

The method according to claim 1 wherein the internal rounded axial line angles form a continuous W-shape on a cuspid.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of positioning said base includes direct positioning of said base in the lingual fossa of said tooth.

Claim 6

The method according to claim 1 wherein the step of positioning said base includes indirect positioning of said base in the lingual fossa of said tooth.

Claim 7

The method according to claim 5 wherein the step of indirect positioning includes positioning a transfer tray carrying the retainer onto said tooth, holding said transfer tray in place with steady pressure, and removing said transfer tray.

Claim 8

The method according to claim 1 additionally comprising the step of etching said surface of said metal base prior to applying said bonding adhesive.

Claim 9

The method according to claim 1 wherein said applying step includes applying a superbond adhesive to said surface.

Claim 10

The method according to claim 1, wherein said custom lingual retainer is bonded after the tooth has been orthodontically corrected.

Claim 13

The method according to claim 10 wherein the directly attaching step includes soldering said wire to said base and flowing the solder to the periphery of said base.

Claim 14

The method according to claim 11 wherein the soldering step includes minimizing the thickness of the soldered joint.

Claim 15

The method according to claim 10 wherein the step of custom fitting includes custom fitting said preformed base to a model of the tooth.

Claim 16

The method according to claim 13 additionally comprising the step of encapsulating said retainer when fitted to said model of said tooth to form a transfer tray.

Claim 17

The method according to claim 14 wherein said encapsulating step includes encapsulating said retainer with a transparent material.

Claim 18

The method according to claim 10 additionally comprising the step of etching the surface of said preformed base.

Claim 19

The method according to claim 10 wherein the step of custom fitting includes custom fitting a preformed base into the lingual fossa of each tooth to be held by said retainer and additionally comprising the step of interconnecting each of said bases with said soft wire.

Claim 20

A custom lingual retainer comprising: a pair of bases adapted to be custom fit into an accented lingual fossa of a pair of spaced-apart teeth, said teeth accented by accenting the mesial and distal ridges of the lingual fossa of a tooth by creating deeper internal rounded axial line angles and modifying the cingulum within the lingual fossa to form a cingulum rest; and wire means directly connected to and extending between said pair of bases, said wire means comprising a wire of soft material adapted to absorb the physiological movement of adjacent teeth during mastication.

Claim 21

A custom lingual retainer comprising: a pair of bases adapted to be custom fit into an accented lingual fossa of a pair of spaced-apart teeth, said teeth accented by accenting the mesial and distal ridges of the lingual fossa of a tooth by creating deeper internal rounded axial line angles and modifying the cingulum within the lingual fossa to form a cingulum rest; and wire means directly connected to and extending between said pair of bases, said wire means comprising a wire of soft material adapted to absorb the physiological movement of adjacent teeth during mastication.

Claim 22

The custom lingual retainer according to claim 18 wherein said base is soldered to said wire and wherein the solder extends to the periphery of said base.

Claim 23

The custom lingual retainer according to claim 19 wherein the soldered joint is of minimal thickness.

Claim 24

The custom lingual retainer according to claim 18 wherein the base includes a triangular steel member.

Claim 25

The custom lingual retainer according to claim 21 additionally comprising a triangular steel mesh attached to said steel member.

Claim 26

The custom lingual retainer according to claim 18 wherein the base includes a triangular member made of an etchable alloy.

Claim 27

The custom lingual retainer according to claim 18 wherein said wire includes a soft rectangular wire approximately 0.022 inches wide and 0.018 inches thick.

Claim 28

The custom lingual retainer according to claim 18 wherein said wire includes a round spiral flex wire approximately 0.020 inches in diameter.

Claim 29

The custom lingual retainer according to claim 18 additionally comprising a second base adapted to be custom fit to the lingual fossa of a tooth to be held by said retainer, and wherein said wire interconnects said bases.

Claim 30

The custom lingual retainer according to claim 18, wherein said base includes a base having an inverted V-shaped portion.

Claim 31

The custom lingual retainer according to claim 18, wherein said base is adapted to be custom fit into the lingual fossa of a tooth after the tooth has been orthodontically corrected.