Orthodontic indirect bonding tray with moisture control

Abstract

An indirect bonding apparatus for orthodontic bonding procedures includes a tray having inner wall sections defining a channel for receiving the patient's dental arch. A number of orthodontic appliances are detachably connected to the tray along the channel, and each appliance includes a base for bonding the appliance to the tooth. The wall sections include at least one groove extending along the base of at least one appliance in order to provide a space between the wall sections and the patient's tooth structure when the tray is received on the patient's dental arch. The space hinders the flow of oral fluids such as saliva in directions toward the base in order to help ensure that the fluids do not adversely affect the strength of the resulting adhesive bond between the appliance and the tooth.

1 . A method for controlling moisture during indirect orthodontic bonding procedures comprising:
 forming an indirect bonding tray over a model of a patient's dental arch, wherein the model includes a number of model teeth and a quantity of material connected to the model teeth to provide indentations in wall sections of the tray defining an elongated channel;   detachably connecting a number of orthodontic appliances to the tray along the channel such that the wall sections surround the appliances and the indentations are located next to the base of the appliances;   applying a quantity of adhesive to the base of each appliance;   placing the channel of the tray over the patient's dental arch such that the adhesive of each appliance contacts the patient's teeth; and   maintaining a space between the indentations of the wall sections and the patient's teeth in a region next to the base of the appliances during at least a portion of the time that the adhesive contacts the patient's teeth in order to hinder the movement of moisture in a direction toward the adhesive.   
   
   
       2 . A method for controlling moisture during indirect orthodontic bonding procedures according to  claim 1  wherein the act of maintaining a space between the wall sections and the patient's teeth is carried out along at least 50% of the periphery of the base of each appliance. 
   
   
       3 . A method for controlling moisture during indirect orthodontic bonding procedures according to  claim 1  wherein the act of maintaining a space between the wall sections and the patient's teeth is carried out along substantially the entire periphery of the base of each appliance.