Mandibular distration device for use in mandibular distraction osteogenesis

Claim 2

A mandibular distraction device, comprising: first and second sets of tooth engagement members adapted to be attached to mandibular teeth of respective opposite lateral sides of the mandible, wherein each of said first and second sets of tooth engagement members has opposite sides; a first pair of expander assemblies attached to said opposite sides of said first set of tooth engagement members, said first pair of expander assemblies comprising at least one expandable screw device; and a second pair of expander assemblies attached to said opposite sides of said second set of tooth engagement members, said second pair of expander assemblies also comprising at least one expandable screw device.

Claim 3

The mandibular distraction device of claim 1, wherein said first and second pairs of expander assemblies are removably attached to said opposite sides of said sets of tooth engagement members.

Claim 4

The mandibular distraction device of claim 2, wherein said first and second sets of tooth engagement members have receptors attached thereto, and said first and second pairs of expander assemblies have connectors attached thereto that are removably engageable with said receptors.

Claim 5

The mandibular distraction device of claim 3, wherein: each of said receptors comprises a metal member fixed to at least one of said tooth engagement members and has a connector guide extending thereon; and each said connector comprises a metal member fixed to one of said expander assemblies and has an engagement surface complementary to said connector guide of a respective one of said receptors for removable engagement therewith.

Claim 6

The mandibular distraction device of claim 4, wherein: at least one of said receptors comprises a back portion fixed to at least one of said tooth engagement members and a front portion defining said connector guide, said connector guide comprising a vertical slot open at front and upper areas thereof and closed at said back area and a lower area thereof, said lower area defining a vertical stop, and said slot tapering from said back area adjacent to said back portion toward said front area; and at least one of said connectors comprising a plug having a front portion fixed to one of said expander assemblies and a plug portion that extends vertically and has a taper complementary to said vertical slot of said at least one of said receptors.

Claim 7

The mandibular distraction device of claim 4, wherein: at least one of said receptors comprises a back portion fixed to at least one of said tooth engagement members and a front portion defining said connector guide, said connector guide comprising a vertically tapering front member having a pair of vertically extending flanges thereon defining spaces between said front portion and said at least one tooth engagement member and a vertical stop; and at least one of said connectors comprising a cap having a front portion fixed to one of said expander assemblies having a rear surface engageable with said front portion of said at least one of said receptors and channel members on said front portion of said cup that extend vertically and have a taper complementary to said vertically tapering front member of said at least one receptor, said front portion being engageable with said vertical stop.

Claim 8

The mandibular distraction device of claim 6, wherein: said vertically extending flanges have secondary flanges extending therefrom toward said at least one of said tooth engagement members forming glue pockets adapted to receive glue for gluing said cap to said receptor.

Claim 9

The mandibular distraction device of claim 6, wherein: said front portion of said at least one of said receptors has a vertical alignment hole extending therein from an upper surface thereof.

Claim 10

The mandibular distraction device of claim 6, wherein said cap has a slot extending horizontally across said front portion thereof at a lower end of said cap.

Claim 11

The mandibular distraction device of claim 6, wherein said back portion of said at least one of said receptors comprises horizontally extending tabs and said back portion is fixed to two of said tooth engagement members.

Claim 12

The mandibular distraction device of claim 4, wherein said receptors and said connectors are made of stainless steel and soldered to said tooth engagement members and said expander assemblies, respectively.

Claim 13

The mandibular distraction device of claim 1, wherein said tooth engagement members are stainless steel crowns.

Claim 14

The mandibular distraction device of claim 1, wherein said tooth engagement members are stainless steel bands.

Claim 15

The mandibular distraction device of claim 1, wherein each said expandable screw device comprises first and second body portions having aligned threaded holes extending therein and a threaded shaft engaging both said threaded holes.

Claim 16

The mandibular distraction device of claim 1, wherein each said set of tooth engagement members comprises a plurality of members aligned for disposition on the teeth of one side of the mandible, and each said expander assembly comprises a forward portion connected to some of said members of one said set of tooth engagement members and a rearward portion connected to the remainder of said members of the one said set of tooth engagement members, said forward and rearward portions being expandable relative to each other for separation of said some of said members from said remainder of said members.

Claim 17

The mandibular distraction device of claim 15, wherein said first set of tooth engagement members, having said first pair of expander assemblies thereon, are connected to said second set of tooth engagement members having said second pair of expander assemblies thereon at said forward portions of said expander assemblies.

Claim 18

The mandibular distraction device of claim 16, wherein said forward portions of said expander assemblies and said some of said tooth engagement members are connected to each other by a further expander assembly.

Claim 19

The mandibular distraction device of claim 4, wherein: at least one of said receptors comprises a front portion defining said connector guide, said connector guide comprising a pair of vertically extending flanges, a vertical stop on said front portion, an intermediate portion extending from said front portion and a back portion extending from said intermediate portion and fixed to at least one of said tooth engagement members, said intermediate portion spacing said back portion from said front portion; and at least one of said connectors comprising a cap having a front portion fixed to one of said expander assemblies, a rear surface engageable with said front portion of said at least one of said receptors and channel members on said front portion of said cap for engagement with said flanges, said front portion of said cap being engageable with said vertical stop.

Claim 20

The mandibular distraction device of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second pairs of expander assemblies comprises a single said expander screw device on one of said opposite sides of the respective said set of tooth engagement members and an expendable tube and pin slider device on the other of said opposite sides of the respective said set of tooth engagement members.

Claim 21

A mandibular distraction device, comprising: first and second sets of tooth engagement members adapted to be attached to the bicuspid and molar teeth of respective opposite lateral sides of the mandible, wherein each of said first and second sets of tooth engagement members has opposite sides, and wherein each of said first and second sets of tooth engagement members comprises bicuspid engagement members and molar engagement members; a first pair of expander assemblies removably attached to said opposite sides of said first set of tooth engagement members, said first pair of expander assemblies comprising at least one expander screw device; a second pair of expander assemblies attached to said opposite sides of said second set of tooth engagement members, said second pair of expander assemblies also comprising at least one expander screw device; bicuspid receptors attached to said bicuspid engagement members and molar receptors attached to said molar engagement members; connectors attached to said first and second pairs of expander assemblies, said connectors being removably engaged with said receptors.

Claim 22

A mandibular distraction device, comprising: first and second sets of tooth engagement members adapted to be attached to the bicuspid and molar teeth of respective opposite lateral sides of the mandible, wherein each of said first and second sets of tooth engagement members has opposite sides, and wherein each of said first and second sets of tooth engagement members comprises bicuspid engagement members and molar engagement members; a first pair of expander assemblies removably attached to said opposite sides of said first set of tooth engagement members, said first pair of expander assemblies comprising at least one expander screw device; a second pair of expander assemblies attached to said opposite sides of said second set of tooth engagement members, said second pair of expander assemblies also comprising at least one expander screw device; bicuspid receptors attached to said bicuspid engagement members and molar receptors attached to said molar engagement members; connectors attached to said first and second pairs of expander assemblies, said connectors being removably engaged with said receptors.

Claim 23

The mandibular distraction device of claim 20, wherein: each of said receptors comprises a metal member fixed to at least one of said tooth engagement members and has a connector guide extending substantially perpendicular to the direction of expansion of one of said expander assemblies connected thereto; and each of said connectors comprises a metal member fixed to one of said expander assemblies and has an engagement surface complementary to said connector guide of a respective one of said receptors for removable engagement therewith in a direction substantially perpendicular the direction of expansion.

Claim 24

The mandibular distraction device of claim 21, wherein: at least one of said bicuspid receptors comprises a front portion defining said connector guide, said connector guide comprising a pair of vertically extending flanges, a vertical stop on said front portion, an intermediate portion extending from said front portion and a back portion extending from said intermediate portion, said intermediate portion spacing said back portion from said front portion, and said back portion being connected with two of said bicuspid engagement members; at least one of said molar receptors comprises a back portion fixed to two of said molar engagement members and a front portion defining said connector guide, said connector guide having a pair of vertically extending flanges thereon, and a vertical stop; and said connectors comprising a cap having a front portion fixed to one of said expander assemblies, a rear surface engageable with said front portion of said at least one of said receptors and channel members on said front portion of said cap for engagement with said flanges, said front portion of said cap being engageable with said vertical stop.

Claim 25

An assembly kit for a mandibular distraction device comprising: first and second sets of tooth engagement members adapted to be attached to the bicuspid and molar teeth of respective opposite lateral sides of the mandible, wherein each of said first and second sets of tooth engagement members has opposite sides, and wherein each of said first and second sets of tooth engagement members comprises bicuspid engagement members and molar engagement members; a first pair of expander assemblies that are removably or fixedly attachable to said opposite sides of said first set of tooth engagement members, said first pair of expander assemblies comprising at least one expander screw device; a second pair of expander assemblies that are removably or fixedly attachable to said opposite sides of said second set of tooth engagement members, said second pair of expander assemblies also comprising at least one expander screw device; bicuspid receptors attachable to said bicuspid engagement members and molar receptors attachable to said molar engagement members; and connectors attachable to said first and second pairs of expander assemblies, said connectors being removably fixedly engageable with said receptors.

Claim 26

An assembly kit for a mandibular distraction device comprising: first and second sets of tooth engagement members adapted to be attached to the bicuspid and molar teeth of respective opposite lateral sides of the mandible, wherein each of said first and second sets of tooth engagement members has opposite sides, and wherein each of said first and second sets of tooth engagement members comprises bicuspid engagement members and molar engagement members; a first pair of expander assemblies that are removably or fixedly attachable to said opposite sides of said first set of tooth engagement members, said first pair of expander assemblies comprising at least one expander screw device; a second pair of expander assemblies that are removably or fixedly attachable to said opposite sides of said second set of tooth engagement members, said second pair of expander assemblies also comprising at least one expander screw device; bicuspid receptors attachable to said bicuspid engagement members and molar receptors attachable to said molar engagement members; and connectors attachable to said first and second pairs of expander assemblies, said connectors being removably fixedly engageable with said receptors.