Orthodontic appliance system

Abstract

A removable orthodontic appliance of discrete plastic sleeves, each being receivable over a corresponding tooth of a patient. Lingual clips are fastened to the corresponding tooth and which are engageable with corresponding structure of the sleeves for removably retaining each of said plastic sleeves to the corresponding tooth of the patient. Buccal brackets are fixably carried on a side of each of the sleeves positionally corresponding to a buccal surface of the corresponding tooth to which each of the sleeves is receivable. An arch wire is ligated to each of the buccal brackets to extend therebetween. The system can be conveniently removed for cleaning and adjustment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A removable orthodontic appliance system, comprising:
 discrete plastic sleeves each receivable over a substantially all of the visible surface of corresponding tooth of a patient;   lingual clips each being fastened to the corresponding tooth of the patient, said lingual clips being engageable with said discrete plastic sleeves for removably retaining each of said plastic sleeves to the corresponding tooth of the patient;   buccal wire holders fixably carried on at least one side of each of said sleeves positionally corresponding to a buccal surface of the corresponding tooth to which each of the sleeves is receivable; and   an arch wire fastenable to said buccal wire holders and extending therebetween, said appliance system being patient removable with fingers for cleaning or adjustment.   
     
     
         2 . An appliance system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an insertion tray dimensioned for conformable reception over the plastic sleeves and arch wire.   
     
     
         3 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein a bracket is carried on the at least one side of said sleeves on the buccal side. 
     
     
         4 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein brackets are carried on both the buccal and lingual side of said sleeves. 
     
     
         5 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the arch wire is a memory wire. 
     
     
         6 . The appliance of  claim 1  wherein the wire holders are buccal brackets. 
     
     
         7 . In an orthodontic appliance for moving teeth, the improvement comprising individual discrete plastic sleeves, each fitting over substantially all of the visible surface of a tooth, and each adjusted to receive an arch wire to make one continuous movable and removable appliance. 
     
     
         8 . An orthodontic appliance of  claim 1  further comprising an insertion tray for comfortable reception over the discrete plastic sleeves and arch wires. 
     
     
         9 . A method of moving teeth with a dental appliance, comprising forming individual discrete plastic sleeves substantially all of the visible surface for each tooth to be moved;
 adapting said sleeves to receive a memory set arch wire; and   attaching the memory set arch wire to said sleeves to make a continuous but removable appliance.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein memory set arch wires are fastened to both the buccal and lingual sides of said sleeves.