Orthodontic appliance with non-sliding archform

Abstract

An orthodontic bracket and archform system that uses friction-free mechanics are disclosed. The archform can have a male fastener that can be retained within an orthodontic bracket. The orthodontic bracket can have varying locking mechanism, such as deflectable tabs, springs, locking pins, and others, that can cooperate with features of the male fastener to prevent sliding between the archform and the bracket.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An archform configured to move teeth of a patient, the archform comprising a martensite phase when a temperature of the archform is between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and an austenite phase when the temperature of the archform is between 97 and 99 degrees Fahrenheit, wherein the archform is pliable in the martensite phase and rigid in the austenite phase. 
     
     
         2 . The archform of  claim 1 , further comprising nickel titanium. 
     
     
         3 . The archform of  claim 1 , further comprising a custom non-planar shape corresponding to a planned alignment of the teeth of the patient based on a digital model of the teeth of the patient. 
     
     
         4 . The archform of  claim 1 , further comprising a transition temperature such that the archform comprises the martensite phase when the temperature of the archform is below the transition temperature and the austenite phase when the temperature of the archform is above the transition temperature. 
     
     
         5 . The archform of  claim 4 , wherein the transition temperature is between 75 and 97 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         6 . The archform of  claim 4 , wherein the transition temperature is between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         7 . The archform of  claim 1 , further comprising connectors and interproximal loops, wherein the connectors correspond to teeth of the patient and the interproximal loops correspond to interdental spaces between adjacent teeth of the patient. 
     
     
         8 . An archform configured to move teeth of a patient, the archform comprising a martensite phase when a temperature of the archform is room temperature and an austenite phase when the temperature of the archform is body temperature. 
     
     
         9 . The archform of  claim 8 , wherein the archform is pliable in the martensite phase and rigid in the austenite phase. 
     
     
         10 . The archform of  claim 8 , wherein room temperature is between 65 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit and body temperature is between 97 and 99 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         11 . The archform of  claim 8 , further comprising nickel titanium. 
     
     
         12 . The archform of  claim 8 , further comprising a custom non-planar shape corresponding to a planned alignment of the teeth of the patient based on a digital model of the teeth of the patient. 
     
     
         13 . The archform of  claim 8 , further comprising a transition temperature such that the archform comprises the martensite phase when the temperature of the archform is below the transition temperature and the austenite phase when the temperature of the archform is above the transition temperature. 
     
     
         14 . The archform of  claim 13 , wherein the transition temperature is between 75 and 97 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         15 . The archform of  claim 13 , wherein the transition temperature is between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         16 . The archform of  claim 8 , further comprising connectors and interproximal loops, wherein the connectors correspond to teeth of the patient and the interproximal loops correspond to interdental spaces between adjacent teeth of the patient. 
     
     
         17 . An archform configured to move teeth of a patient, the archform comprising a transition temperature such that the archform is in a martensite phase when a temperature of the archform is below the transition temperature and an austenite phase when the temperature of the archform is above the transition temperature. 
     
     
         18 . The archform of  claim 17 , wherein the archform is pliable in the martensite phase and rigid in the austenite phase. 
     
     
         19 . The archform of  claim 17 , wherein the transition temperature is between 75 and 97 degrees Fahrenheit. 
     
     
         20 . The archform of  claim 17 , wherein the transition temperature is between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.