Orthodontic palatal arch bar and method of using same

Claim 2

In an orthodontic arch bar appliance for application to the dental upper arch of a person and between opposed molars thereof and comprising a length of spring steel wire defining a pair of spaced oppositely extending body portions integral at like ends with an open U-shaped spring loop adjacent the midportion of the bar that projects laterally of the bar and has its loop leg portions coplanar related, said wire body portions at their respective other ends being doubled over and disposed normally of the respective body portions in substantial coplanar relation to project from the wire in substantially the same direction as the loop and form the wire terminal end portions, the improvement wherein: said wire body portions each include a spur located to be spaced from the body portion terminal end portion a distance to be disposed at the level of the centrum of the maxillary molar adjacent it when the bar is operatively applied to and between said molars, said spurs substantially paralleling said terminal end portions and projecting oppositely thereof.

Claim 3

The improvement set forth in claim 1 wherein: said spurs are each defined by doubled over sections of the respective body portions.

Claim 4

The improvement set forth in claim 1 wherein: said spurs each comprise a short length of metal bonded to the respective body portions.

Claim 5

The improvement set forth in claim 1 wherein: said spurs are each approximately three-four millimeters in length.

Claim 6

The improvement set forth in claim 1 wherein: the wire is arched to conform with the dental upper palatal arch in a plane that is substantially normal to said terminal end portions and said spurs.

Claim 7

An orthodontic appliance for application to the dental upper arch of a person to and between the first molars thereof and to the canine teeth thereof, said appliance comprising: a first bracket mounted on the lingual side of one of the first molars and a second bracket mounted on the lingual side of the other first molar, said brackets each defining a quadrilaterally configured mesiodistally oriented through opening, an arch bar comprising a length of spring steel wire having a length substantially equal to the palatal distance between said brackets and shaped to define a pair of spaced oppositely extending body portions integral at like ends with an open U-shaped spring loop adjacent the midportion of the bar that projects laterally of the bar and has its loop leg portions coplanar related to lie in substantial parallelism with the upper arch palate, said wire body portions at their respective other ends being doubled over and disposed normally of the respective body portions in substantial coplanar relation to project from the wire in substantially the same direction as the loop and form the wire terminal end portions and said wire being arched and said terminal end portions being disposed for lodging in said bracket openings, said wire body portions each including a spur located to be spaced from the body portion terminal end portion a distance disposed at the level of the centrums of the maxillary first molar adjacent it when the bar is operatively applied to and between said brackets, said spurs substantially paralleling said terminal end portions and projecting distally, a first lingual hook mounted on the lingual side of one of the upper arch canine teeth, a second lingual hook mounted on the lingual side of the other of the upper arch canine teeth, said lingual hooks being located gingivally adjacent the level of the respective centrums of the maxillary canine teeth, a first lingual elastic member extending in tension between the canine hook and bar spur on one side of the arch, and a second lingual elastic member extending in tension between the canine hook and bar spur on the other side of the arch.

Claim 8

An orthodontic appliance for application to the dental upper arch of a person to and between the first molars thereof and to the canine teeth thereof, said appliance comprising: a first bracket mounted on the lingual side of one of the first molars and a second bracket mounted on the lingual side of the other first molar, said brackets each defining a quadrilaterally configured mesiodistally oriented through opening, an arch bar comprising a length of spring steel wire having a length substantially equal to the palatal distance between said brackets and shaped to define a pair of spaced oppositely extending body portions integral at like ends with an open U-shaped spring loop adjacent the midportion of the bar that projects laterally of the bar and has its loop leg portions coplanar related to lie in substantial parallelism with the upper arch palate, said wire body portions at their respective other ends being doubled over and disposed normally of the respective body portions in substantial coplanar relation to project from the wire in substantially the same direction as the loop and form the wire terminal end portions and said wire being arched and said terminal end portions being disposed for lodging in said bracket openings, said wire body portions each including a spur located to be spaced from the body portion terminal end portion a distance disposed at the level of the centrums of the maxillary first molar adjacent it when the bar is operatively applied to and between said brackets, said spurs substantially paralleling said terminal end portions and projecting distally, a first lingual hook mounted on the lingual side of one of the upper arch canine teeth, a second lingual hook mounted on the lingual side of the other of the upper arch canine teeth, said lingual hooks being located gingivally adjacent the level of the respective centrums of the maxillary canine teeth, a first lingual elastic member extending in tension between the canine hook and bar spur on one side of the arch, and a second lingual elastic member extending in tension between the canine hook and bar spur on the other side of the arch.

Claim 9

The appliance set forth in claim 6 wherein: said elastic members are in tension approximately the same amount.

Claim 10

The appliance set forth in claim 6 wherein: the tension force exerted by the respective elastic member does not exceed one hundred grams.

Claim 11

The appliance set forth in claim 6 wherein: said arch bar terminal end portions and said loop project anteriorly, said spurs projecting distally.

Claim 12

The appliance set forth in claim 9 wherein: said arch bar terminal end portions being inserted in said bracket through openings, respectively, from the distal ends of said openings.

Claim 15

The method set forth in claim 11 including: applying uniform force on the anterior teeth from the labial sides of same in the plane of the arch and acting distally to align the maxillary teeth anteriorly of the first molars in the arch and in tooth to tooth contact against the maxillary first molars.

Claim 16

The method set forth in claim 11 wherein: the arch bar that is removed is equipped to provide the fittings of said re-establishing step and said arch bar as so equipped is used to practice said re-establishing step.

Claim 17

The method set forth in claim 11 wherein: after the lingual elastics are applied by said applying steps the arch bar provided by said re-establishing step is centrally cut away short of said fittings to free said first molars for slipping mesially.

Claim 20

The method set forth in claim 15 including: applying uniform forces on the anterior teeth of both the upper and lower arches from the labial sides of same in the planes of the respective arches and acting distally to align the teeth anteriorly of the first molars in the respective arches and in tooth to tooth contact against the first molars of the respective arches.