Orthodontic self-ligating brackets

Abstract

Disclosed is a self-ligating orthodontic bracket having a mounting base with a concavely contoured surface for attachment to a tooth, a main archwire slot formed upon the base, the mounting base being supported by a bracket body, and the slot being sized for receiving an orthodontic rectangular or round archwire, a ligating slide selectively slideable between an open position permitting access to the archwire slot and a closed position covering the archwire slot. The self-ligating orthodontic bracket also includes a resilient retention feature designed for holding the ligating slide in the open or the closed positions for retreating or retaining the orthodontic archwire within an archwire slot, respectively.

1 . A self-ligating orthodontic bracket comprising:
 a ligating slide including a gear extending from an inner underside surface thereof; and   a bracket body configured to slidably receive the ligating slide, the bracket body comprising a deck defining a modified dumbbell channel and a lake separated by a resilient retention feature, wherein the lake permits flexing of at least one portion of the resilient retention feature in response to movement of the gear in the dumbbell channel during shifting of the ligating slide.   
     
     
         2 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 1  wherein the modified dumbbell channel and the lake are elongated relief areas included in the deck. 
     
     
         3 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 1  configured such that the ligating slide operates in an open position when the gear is positioned at one end of the dumbbell channel and in a closed position when the gear is positioned at a second end of the dumbbell channel, the resilient retention feature resisting movement of the gear from the open position to the closed position. 
     
     
         4 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 1  wherein the at least one portion of the resilient retention feature is located between a first end and a second end of the dumbbell channel and flexes toward the lake in response to movement of the gear in dumbbell channel. 
     
     
         5 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 1  wherein the deck further defines a guiding path and the ligating slide further includes a bar rail that fits within the guiding path. 
     
     
         6 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 1  wherein the gear deflects the at least one portion of the resilient retention feature to the lake in a transverse relation to the direction of travel of the ligating slide. 
     
     
         7 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 1  wherein the gear is a cylindrical protrusion. 
     
     
         8 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 1  wherein the bracket body further comprises an archwire slot and the deck further comprises a ligating slide recess in which the ligating slide is slidably received, the ligating slide configured to operate in an open position when the gear is positioned at one end of the dumbbell channel and in a closed position when the gear is positioned at a second end of the dumbbell channel, the resilient retention feature resisting movement of the gear from the open position to the closed position. 
     
     
         9 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 8  wherein the archwire slot is accessible to receive or remove an orthodontic archwire when the ligating slide is in the open position and at least a portion of the archwire slot is covered by the ligating slide when the ligating slide is in the closed position to retain the orthodontic archwire. 
     
     
         10 . A self-ligating orthodontic bracket for use with a ligating slide including a gear extending from an inner underside surface thereof comprising:
 a bracket body configured to slidably receive the ligating slide, the bracket body comprising a deck defining a modified dumbbell channel and a lake separated by a resilient retention feature, wherein the lake permits flexing of at least one portion of the resilient retention feature in response to movement of the gear in the dumbbell channel during shifting of the ligating slide.   
     
     
         11 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 10  wherein the modified dumbbell channel and the lake are elongated relief areas included in the deck. 
     
     
         12 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 10  configured such that the ligating slide operates in an open position when the gear is positioned at one end of the dumbbell channel and in a closed position when the gear is positioned at a second end of the dumbbell channel, the resilient retention feature resisting movement of the gear from the open position to the closed position. 
     
     
         13 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 10  wherein the at least one portion of the resilient retention feature is located between a first end and a second end of the dumbbell channel and flexes toward the lake in response to movement of the gear in dumbbell channel. 
     
     
         14 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 10  wherein the deck further defines a guiding path and the ligating slide further includes a bar rail that fits within the guiding path. 
     
     
         15 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 10  wherein the gear deflects the at least one portion of the resilient retention feature to the lake in a transverse relation to the direction of travel of the ligating slide. 
     
     
         16 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 10  wherein the gear is a cylindrical protrusion. 
     
     
         17 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 10  wherein the bracket body further comprises an archwire slot positioned transversely to the modified dumbbell channel and the deck further comprises a ligating slide recess in which the ligating slide is slidably received, the ligating slide configured to operate in an open position when the gear is positioned at one end of the dumbbell channel and in a closed position when the gear is positioned at a second end of the dumbbell channel, the resilient retention feature resisting movement of the gear from the open position to the closed position. 
     
     
         18 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 17  wherein the archwire slot is accessible to receive or remove an orthodontic archwire when the ligating slide is in the open position and at least a portion of the archwire slot is covered by the ligating slide when the ligating slide is in the closed position to retain the orthodontic archwire. 
     
     
         19 . A self-ligating orthodontic bracket comprising:
 a ligating slide including a gear extending from an inner underside surface thereof; and   a bracket body configured to slidably receive the ligating slide, the bracket body comprising a resilient retention feature wherein the gear deflects at least one portion of the resilient retention feature in a transverse relation to the direction of travel of the ligating slide.   
     
     
         20 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 19  wherein the gear is a cylindrical protrusion. 
     
     
         21 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of  claim 19  wherein the bracket body further comprises an archwire slot wherein the archwire slot is accessible to receive or remove an orthodontic archwire when the ligating slide is in an open position and at least a portion of the archwire slot is covered by the ligating slide when the ligating slide is in a closed position to retain the orthodontic archwire.