Electromechanical systems, methods, orthodontic brackets, and tools for adjusting orthodontic prescriptions of orthodontic brackets with adjustable archwire passages

Abstract

Electromechanical systems, methods, orthodontic brackets, and tools for adjusting orthodontic prescriptions of orthodontic brackets with adjustable archwire passages are disclosed herein. The methods include operatively engaging an orthodontic bracket with an engagement structure of an electronic orthodontic adjustment tool, determining a present orientation of an archwire slot of the orthodontic bracket, displaying a displayed orientation of the archwire slot, and adjusting the orientation of the archwire slot based on the displayed orientation. The orthodontic brackets include a base, a body, a retention structure, a transmitter, and may include an orientation-determining structure. The tools include an engagement structure, an orientation indicator, and may include an orientation-determining structure.

1 . An electronic orthodontic adjustment tool configured to selectively adjust an orientation of an archwire slot that is defined by an orthodontic bracket relative to a reference orientation while the orthodontic bracket is operatively attached to a patient's tooth, the tool comprising:
 an engagement structure configured to operatively engage the orthodontic bracket to selectively adjust the orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation; and   an orientation indicator configured to indicate an orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation.   
     
     
         2 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement structure includes a means for operatively engaging the orthodontic bracket to selectively adjust the orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation. 
     
     
         3 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation indicator includes a means for electronically indicating the orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation. 
     
     
         4 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the tool further includes an orientation transmitter configured to generate an orientation indication signal and transmit the orientation indication signal to an electronic device that is associated with the tool. 
     
     
         5 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation indicator includes a display that displays at least one of:
 (i) a tip parameter that is indicative of a tip force that will be applied to the tooth by an archwire for a given relative orientation of the archwire slot;   (ii) a torque parameter that is indicative of a torque force that will be applied to the tooth by the archwire for the given relative orientation of the archwire slot; and   (iii) a rotation parameter that is indicative of a rotational force that will be applied to the tooth by the archwire for the given relative orientation of the archwire slot.   
     
     
         6 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the tool is configured to receive an orientation control signal indicative of a desired orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation, and further wherein the orientation indicator is configured to indicate when the archwire slot is at the desired orientation. 
     
     
         7 . The tool of  claim 6 , wherein the tool further includes a drive structure configured to adjust the orientation of the archwire slot to the desired orientation. 
     
     
         8 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement structure is configured to be inserted into the archwire slot to directly and operatively engage the orthodontic bracket to adjust the orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation. 
     
     
         9 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the orthodontic bracket includes a body, and further wherein the engagement structure is configured to engage at least one of a perimeter of the body of the orthodontic bracket, an edge of the body of the orthodontic bracket, a socket in the body of the orthodontic bracket, and a receiver in the body of the orthodontic bracket to adjust the orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation. 
     
     
         10 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation of the archwire slot includes at least one of a rotational position of the archwire slot, an axial position of the archwire slot, and a translational position of the archwire slot. 
     
     
         11 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the orthodontic bracket includes a base that is configured to be operatively attached to the patient's tooth, and a body that includes the archwire slot, wherein the body is configured to be adjusted relative to the base to adjust the orientation of the archwire slot, and wherein the reference orientation is defined relative to the base. 
     
     
         12 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the reference orientation is defined relative to the patient's tooth to which the orthodontic bracket is operatively attached. 
     
     
         13 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the orientation indicator is configured to indicate an orientation difference between the orientation of the archwire slot and a desired orientation of the archwire slot. 
     
     
         14 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the orthodontic bracket includes a base that is configured to be operatively attached to the patient's tooth, and a body that includes the archwire slot, wherein the body is configured to be adjusted relative to the base, and wherein the tool is configured to adjust an orientation of the body relative to the base to selectively adjust the orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation. 
     
     
         15 . The tool of  claim 1 , wherein the tool further includes an engagement indicator configured to indicate when the engagement structure is operatively engaged with at least one of the orthodontic bracket and the archwire slot. 
     
     
         16 . The tool of  claim 1 , further comprising an orientation-determining structure configured to determine the orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation. 
     
     
         17 . An orthodontic appliance system, comprising:
 the tool of  claim 1 ; and   the orthodontic bracket.   
     
     
         18 . An orthodontic appliance system, comprising:
 an orthodontic bracket, comprising:
 a base configured to be operatively affixed to a tooth that is present within a patient's mouth; 
 a body that is configured to be selectively repositioned relative to the base and that at least partially defines an archwire slot that is shaped to receive an archwire; 
   an electronic orthodontic adjustment tool configured to selectively adjust an orientation of the archwire slot relative to a reference orientation while the bracket is operatively affixed to the tooth, wherein the electronic orthodontic tool comprises:
 an engagement structure including a means for operatively engaging the orthodontic bracket to selectively adjust the orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation; 
 an orientation transmitter configured to generate an orientation indication signal that is indicative of the orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation; and 
   an electronic device configured to receive the orientation indication signal, wherein the electronic device includes a display, and wherein the display is configured to indicate the orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation based on the orientation indication signal.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the display is configured to indicate when the archwire slot is in a desired orientation relative to the reference orientation. 
     
     
         20 . An orthodontic bracket, comprising:
 a base configured to be operatively affixed to a tooth that is present within a patient's mouth;   a body that is configured to be selectively repositioned relative to the base and at least partially defines an archwire slot that is shaped to receive an archwire;   a retention structure configured to be selectively transitioned between:
 (i) a locked configuration in which an orientation of the archwire slot relative to a reference orientation is at least substantially fixed; and 
 (ii) an unlocked configuration in which the retention structure permits the orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation to be adjusted; and 
   a transmitter configured to generate an orientation indication signal that is indicative of the orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation.   
     
     
         21 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 20 , wherein the orientation indication signal is configured to be received by an electronic device that includes a display configured to provide an indication of the orientation of the archwire slot relative to the reference orientation based on the orientation indication signal.