초록 ▼

Methods and devices utilizing a dental appliance for dental retainer wire attachment are disclosed. One such wire attachment appliance includes a shell having one or more cavities formed therein and shaped to receive one or more teeth, at least two wire attachment members provided on the shell, and

Methods and devices utilizing a dental appliance for dental retainer wire attachment are disclosed. One such wire attachment appliance includes a shell having one or more cavities formed therein and shaped to receive one or more teeth, at least two wire attachment members provided on the shell, and at least one attachment material reservoir provided on the shell, wherein the attachment material is provided to attach a wire to a tooth adjacent to a particular reservoir of the at least one attachment material reservoir.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A wire attachment appliance, comprising: a shell formed of a particular material having a plurality of cavities formed therein and shaped to receive one or more teeth;at least two wire attachment members located within at least two of the plurality of cavities;at least one attachment material res

1. A wire attachment appliance, comprising: a shell formed of a particular material having a plurality of cavities formed therein and shaped to receive one or more teeth;at least two wire attachment members located within at least two of the plurality of cavities;at least one attachment material reservoir formed with the shell and located on an interior surface of at least one other of the plurality of cavities, wherein attachment material, different than the particular material, is provided to attach a wire to a tooth adjacent to the at least one attachment material reservoir; andthe wire, having portions positioned in the at least two wire attachment members and having other portions positioned within the at least one attachment material reservoir. 2. The appliance of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of cavities is formed including at least one side surface and wherein the at least one side surface includes a portion that is shaped to abut an exterior surface of one of the one or more teeth. 3. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the wire is a metallic wire. 4. The appliance of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one attachment material reservoir includes an aperture for the placement of a material dispenser therein. 5. The appliance of claim 4, wherein the aperture is sized for the placement of a material dispenser needle tip therein. 6. The appliance of claim 1, wherein at least one of the at least one attachment material reservoir includes an aperture for the venting of air therethrough. 7. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the particular material is a transparent material. 8. The appliance of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of cavities covers a top and portions of each of a number of side surfaces of one of the one or more teeth. 9. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the shell and the at least two wire attachment members are provided as a unitary body. 10. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the shell and the at least one attachment material reservoirs are provided as a unitary body. 11. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the shell, the at least two wire attachment members, and the at least one attachment material reservoir are provided as a unitary body. 12. The appliance of claim 1, wherein the shell includes a number of tabs to aid in lifting the appliance off of the number of teeth. 13. A method of forming a wire attachment appliance, the method comprising: forming a shell having a plurality of cavities shaped to receive a number of teeth of a patient, the shell having at least one attachment material reservoir within at least one of the plurality of cavities, wherein the at least one attachment material reservoir is positioned such that when an attachment material is provided thereto, the attachment material contacts a surface of a tooth adjacent to the particular reservoir to attach a wire to the tooth adjacent to the particular reservoir; andincluding at least two wire attachment members on an interior surface of at least two other of the plurality of cavities. 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the method includes forming a virtual model of one or more of the number of teeth. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method includes creating a physical model based upon the virtual model. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the method includes attaching the at least two wire attachment members to the physical model. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the method includes applying shell formation material over at least a portion of the physical model and the at least two wire attachment members to form the shell having the at least two wire attachment members included on the shell. 18. The method of claim 13, wherein including the at least two wire attachment members includes positioning the at least two wire attachment members on the interior surface of the at least two of the plurality of cavities after the shell is formed. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the method includes attaching the wire to the at least two wire attachment members before the shell formation material is applied over at least the portion of the physical model. 20. A method of attaching a wire, the method comprising: placing a number of portions of a wire into a corresponding number of wire attachment members located within a shell having a plurality of cavities shaped to receive one or more teeth and having at least one attachment material reservoir formed with the shell, and wherein portions of the wire are positioned within the attachment material reservoir;placing the plurality of cavities onto one or more teeth;providing attachment material to at least one of the at least one attachment material reservoir while the plurality of cavities are placed onto the one or more teeth to attach the wire to a tooth adjacent to the at least one reservoir to which attachment material has been provided; andremoving the shell by removing the plurality of cavities from over the one or more teeth. 21. The method of claim 20, wherein removing the shell includes removing the shell and the number of wire attachment members provided on the shell by removing the plurality of cavities from over the one or more teeth. 22. The method of claim 20, wherein removing the shell includes lifting one or more tabs to remove the plurality of cavities from over the one or more teeth. 23. The method of claim 20, wherein providing attachment material includes providing a curable composite material to at least one of the attachment material reservoirs. 24. The method of claim 23, wherein providing curable composite material includes providing a light curable composite material. 25. The method of claim 23, wherein providing curable composite material includes providing a flowable curable composite material. 26. The method of claim 23, wherein the method includes curing the curable composite material to attach the wire to the tooth adjacent to the at least one reservoirs to which attachment material has been provided.