Archwire assembly with stops

Abstract

An archwire assembly comprises an archwire with a crimpable sleeve adapted to slidably move along the archwire so as to be positioned between two adjacent brackets of orthodontic braces. The archwire assembly further includes a stop applied to the archwire and adapted to limit the movement of the sleeve along the archwire. The stop may include removable stops where the sleeve is movable along the archwire between the stops. The removable stops may be movable along the archwire with the application of a sufficient force. The stop may also include a friction-creating substance applied to either the sleeve or the archwire such that it takes a sufficient force to move the sleeve along the archwire. The stop may also include a partially crimped sleeve applied to the archwire such that it takes a sufficient force to move the sleeve along the archwire.

1 . An archwire assembly for orthodontic braces, comprising: 
 an archwire;    a first crimpable sleeve adapted to slidably move along said archwire; and    first and second removable stops, said first crimpable sleeve positioned between said first and second removable stops.    
   
   
       2 . The archwire assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first and second removable stops are selected from the group consisting of elastic O-rings, slotted collars, spring-loaded stops, resilient bands, discrete amounts of polymeric material, discrete amounts of organic material, discrete amounts of wax, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       3 . The archwire assembly of  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a second crimpable sleeve positioned between said first and second removable stops.    
   
   
       4 . The archwire assembly of  claim 3  further comprising: 
 a third removable stop positioned between said first and second crimpable sleeves.    
   
   
       5 . The archwire assembly of  claim 1  wherein said archwire has first and second free ends, each of said first and second removable stops adjacent a corresponding one of said first and second free ends.  
   
   
       6 . The archwire assembly of  claim 1  wherein said first and second removable stops are movable along said archwire.  
   
   
       7 . The archwire assembly of  claim 6  wherein said first and second removable stops are movable along said archwire by a sliding force greater than the weight of said crimpable sleeve.  
   
   
       8 . The archwire assembly of  claim 7  wherein the sliding force is approximately equal to one half pound.  
   
   
       9 . An archwire assembly for orthodontic braces comprising: 
 an archwire;    a crimpable sleeve adapted to slidably move along said archwire; and    a stop applied to at least one of said archwire and said crimpable sleeve, said stop adapted to limit movement of said crimpable sleeve along said archwire.    
   
   
       10 . The archwire assembly of  claim 9  wherein said stop is removable.  
   
   
       11 . The archwire assembly of  claim 9  wherein at least one of said stop and said crimpable sleeve is movable along said archwire.  
   
   
       12 . The archwire assembly of  claim 9  wherein said stop is selected from the group consisting of elastic O-rings, slotted collars, spring-loaded stops, resilient bands, friction-creating substances, discrete amounts of polymeric material, discrete amounts of organic material, discrete amounts of wax, and combinations thereof.  
   
   
       13 . A method of making an archwire assembly comprising: 
 applying a crimpable sleeve to an archwire; and    limiting movement of the crimpable sleeve along the archwire.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein limiting the movement of the crimpable sleeve along the archwire comprises applying first and second removable stops to the archwire.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13  wherein limiting the movement of the crimpable sleeve along the archwire comprises partially crimping the crimpable sleeve.  
   
   
       16 . A method of using an archwire assembly in combination with a plurality of orthodontic brackets applied to a plurality of teeth, the archwire assembly comprising an archwire, a crimpable sleeve mounted on the archwire, and a stop adapted to limit movement of the crimpable sleeve along the archwire, comprising: 
 applying the plurality of orthodontic brackets to the plurality of teeth;    securing the archwire assembly to the plurality of orthodontic brackets; and    removing the stop from the archwire.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising: 
 crimping the crimpable sleeve to secure the crimpable sleeve to the archwire at a fixed position.    
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein removing the stop comprises cutting the stop from the archwire.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein removing the stop comprises sliding the archwire through a radial slot provided in the stop.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16  wherein removing the stop comprises sliding the stop off free ends of the archwire.