Orthodontic bracket

Abstract

An orthodontic bracket comprising a body having an archwire slot and adapted to be secured to a tooth, and a clip coupled to the body and movable between an open position, permitting access to the archwire slot, and a closed position, inhibiting access to the archwire slot. The clip comprises a base material having recesses formed by laser-ablation, and a coating formed over at least a portion of the base material and over at least one of the recesses.

1 . An orthodontic bracket comprising: 
 a body having an archwire slot and adapted to be secured to a tooth; and    a clip coupled to the body and movable between an open position, permitting access to the archwire slot, and a closed position, inhibiting access to the archwire slot, wherein the clip comprises a base material having recesses formed by laser-ablation, and a coating formed over at least a portion of the base material and over at least one of the recesses.    
   
   
       2 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the base material has a surface, the recesses being formed on the surface, and wherein at least one of the recesses is defined on the clip at a non-normal angle with respect to the surface.  
   
   
       3 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 2 , wherein the non-normal angle is about 45 degrees with respect to the surface.  
   
   
       4 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the base material has a surface, the recesses being formed on the surface, and wherein the recesses comprise a first group of recesses defined on the base material at a first angle with respect to the surface and a second group of recesses defined on the base material at a second angle with respect to the surface, the first angle being different than the second angle.  
   
   
       5 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 4 , wherein the first group is defined on a first portion of the surface of the base material and the second group is defined on a different second portion of the surface, the first portion being adjacent to the second portion.  
   
   
       6 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 1 , wherein each of the recesses is formed by directing a plurality of laser shots on an associated location of the base material.  
   
   
       7 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the base material has a surface, the recesses being formed on the surface, and wherein each of the recesses comprises a crater defined on the surface.  
   
   
       8 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of porcelain, epoxy, enamel, and hydroxyappatite.  
   
   
       9 . A method of making a self-ligating orthodontic bracket, the method comprising: 
 creating a body having an archwire slot and adapted to be secured to a tooth;    creating a clip from a base material;    creating recesses on the base material using laser ablation;    applying a coating to at least a portion of the base material to cover at least one of the recesses to create a coated clip; and    attaching the coated clip to the body.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the base material has a surface, the recesses being formed on the surface, and wherein creating recesses includes creating at least one of the recesses at a non-normal angle with respect to the surface of the base material.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein creating recesses includes creating at least one of the recesses at about 45 degrees with respect to the surface of the base material.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein creating recesses includes creating a first group of recesses at a first angle with respect to the surface of the base material and creating a second group of recesses at a second angle with respect to the surface of the base material, the first angle being different than the second angle.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein creating recesses includes arranging the first group on a first portion of the surface and the second group on a different second portion of the surface, the first portion being adjacent to the second portion.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein creating recesses includes directing a plurality of laser shots on at least one location to form at least an associated one of the recesses.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the base material has a surface, the recesses being formed on the surface, and wherein creating recesses includes defining at least one crater into the surface of the base material.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein applying a coating includes applying a coating comprises a material selected from the group consisting of porcelain, epoxy, enamel, and hydroxyappatite.  
   
   
       17 . A method of making a clip for a self-ligating orthodontic bracket, the method comprising: 
 creating a base from a base material;    creating recesses on the base material using laser ablation, wherein creating recesses includes directing a plurality of laser shots on an associated location to form each of the recesses; and    applying a coating to at least a portion of the base material to cover at least one of the recesses.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the base material has a surface, the recesses being formed on the surface, and wherein creating recesses includes creating at least one of the recesses at a non-normal angle with respect to the surface of the base material.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein creating recesses includes creating a first group of recesses at a first angle with respect to the surface of the base material and creating a second group of recesses at a second angle with respect to the surface of the base material, the first angle being different than the second angle, the first group being adjacent to the second group.