Placement device for installing a pellet-retention device onto a tooth

Abstract

A placement device for placing a dental bracket designed to receive a medicament-releasing pellet onto a tooth of a patient. According to one embodiment, the placement device includes a body and a protrusion disposed on the body. The protrusion is sized and configured so as to releasably attach to the socket of a dental bracket used to receive and retain a medicament-releasing pellet. The protrusion may be male, or alternatively, may include a female cavity designed to receive a socket of a dental bracket.

1 . A placement device for placing a dental bracket designed to receive a medicament-releasing pellet onto a tooth, comprising: 
 a body sized and configured to be at least partially inserted into a person's mouth; and    a protrusion disposed on the body sized and configured so as to releasably attach to a socket of a dental bracket used to receive and retain a medicament-releasing pellet.    
   
   
       2 . A placement device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the body comprises an elongate handle, wherein the protrusion is at an end of the elongate handle.  
   
   
       3 . A placement device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is male so as to mate within a correspondingly-sized and shaped female socket of a dental bracket.  
   
   
       4 . A placement device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion includes a female cavity so as to receive therein the socket of a dental bracket.  
   
   
       5 . A placement device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the placement device comprises a lens attachment for a dental curing light.  
   
   
       6 . A placement device as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the lens attachment is removably attachable adjacent to a light source of a dental curing light.  
   
   
       7 . A placement device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the placement device is transparent so as to allow light emitted by a dental curing light to pass through the placement device so as to cure an adhesive used to bond a dental bracket to a patient's tooth.  
   
   
       8 . A placement device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is substantially spherical.  
   
   
       9 . A placement device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is substantially circular.  
   
   
       10 . A placement device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is substantially ellipsoidal.  
   
   
       11 . A placement device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is substantially bar-shaped.  
   
   
       12 . A placement device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is substantially loaf-shaped.  
   
   
       13 . A placement device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the protrusion has a plurality of prongs that can be flexed or manipulated to at least partially enclose a socket of a dental bracket.  
   
   
       14 . A placement device for placing a dental bracket designed to receive a medicament-releasing pellet onto a tooth, comprising: 
 an elongate handle, sized and configured to be at least partially inserted into a person's mouth;    a substantially spherical protrusion disposed at an end of the elongate handle, the protrusion being sized and configured so as to releasably attach to a socket of a dental bracket used to receive and retain a medicament-releasing pellet    
   
   
       15 . A method of using a pellet bracket placement device, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a placement device as recited in  claim 1;     attaching the protrusion of the placement device to a socket of a dental bracket, so that the dental bracket is releasably coupled to the placement device;    positioning the dental bracket onto a surface of a tooth; and    bonding the dental bracket to the tooth.    
   
   
       16 . A method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the dental bracket is bonded to the tooth with a light curable adhesive resin.  
   
   
       17 . A method as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the dental bracket is bonded to the tooth with a chemical cure adhesive resin.  
   
   
       18 . A method as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising removing the placement device from the dental bracket.