Self-ligating orthodontic bracket and method of making same

Abstract

An orthodontic bracket for coupling an archwire with a tooth comprises a bracket body configured to be mounted to the tooth and a clip. A clip slot extends through the bracket body transversely to the archwire slot. Upon deflection of the clip, it contacts the bracket body at locations that were not in contact before the deflection. The clip may also have various forms and include various structures that cooperate with the body when the clip is deflected to restrict or stop the deflection. The orthodontic bracket may comprise a securing mechanism that is configured to secure the resilient ligating clip in the closed position. A method of manufacturing a shaped unsintered body for use in manufacturing an orthodontic bracket is provided. A portion of the sinterable particles may be removed using a stream of energy to yield a plurality of posts which are then deformed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An orthodontic bracket for coupling an archwire with a tooth, comprising:
 a bracket body that is adapted to be mounted to the tooth and that includes an archwire slot, and   a U-shaped ligating clip that is slidably engageable with the bracket body between an opened position and a closed position, the U-shaped ligating clip being asymmetric about a centerline defined by a midpoint between a mesial-most edge and a distal-most edge of the U-shaped ligating clip.   
     
     
         2 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the U-shaped ligating clip includes a first clip portion that is configured to extend across the archwire slot when the U-shaped ligating clip is in the closed position and a second clip portion that extends in the same direction from a third clip portion, the first clip portion defining the midpoint, a centerline of the second clip portion being offset from the midpoint. 
     
     
         3 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 2 , wherein a shoulder produces the offset between the second clip portion and the midpoint, the shoulder being configured to be clear of the bracket body when the U-shaped ligating clip is in the closed position, and when an archwire deflects the first clip portion away from the archwire slot, the shoulder contacts the bracket body. 
     
     
         4 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 2 , wherein the second clip portion is bifurcated. 
     
     
         5 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 2 , wherein the second clip portion includes an alignment member separated from an L-shaped projection by a cutout, the L-shaped projection is deflectable in a plane that includes the alignment member when the resilient ligating clip is between the opened position and the closed position. 
     
     
         6 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 2 , wherein the bracket body further includes a clip slot and a bore that each extends through the bracket body between the archwire slot and the tooth when the orthodontic bracket is placed on the tooth and a support surface that is open to the archwire slot. 
     
     
         7 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the second clip portion is configured to form at least a portion of one sidewall of the bore when the U-shaped ligating clip is inserted into the clip slot. 
     
     
         8 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 7 , wherein the bracket body further includes a clip receptacle for receiving a free end portion of the first clip portion when the resilient ligating clip is in the closed position. 
     
     
         9 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 8 , wherein the bracket body further includes a tool receptacle that is open to the clip receptacle and has an internal rib that divides the tool receptacle into two portions, the tool receptacle being adapted to receive the end of a tool for forcibly engaging the resilient ligating clip when the clip is in the closed position. 
     
     
         10 . An orthodontic bracket for coupling an archwire with a tooth, comprising:
 a bracket body that is adapted to be mounted to the tooth and that includes an archwire slot and a clip slot that extends through the bracket body between the archwire slot and the tooth when the orthodontic bracket is placed on the tooth and that defines a first cam surface; and   a U-shaped ligating clip that is slidable within the clip slot along a slide path between an opened position and a closed position, the first cam surface lying in the slide path so as to be contacted by the U-shaped ligating clip before the U-shaped ligating clip reaches the closed position, the U-shaped ligating clip being configured to deflect when forced into contact with the first cam surface to move to the closed position.   
     
     
         11 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 10 , wherein the U-shaped ligating clip further includes a first clip portion and a second clip portion that extend generally in the same direction from a third clip portion, the second clip portion including an alignment member separated from an L-shaped projection by a cutout, the L-shaped projection deflecting toward the alignment member when the L-shaped projection is forced into contact with the first cam surface. 
     
     
         12 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 11 , wherein the clip slot further defines a second surface that is oriented generally parallel to the slide path and a third surface that is oriented transverse to the slide path, wherein when deflected, the L-shaped projection slides in contact with the second surface and then returns towards an undeflected state as the L-shaped projection moves passed the third surface so that the U-shaped ligating clip reaches the closed position. 
     
     
         13 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 12 , wherein when the U-shaped ligating clip is in the closed position, the third surface interferes with the L-shaped projection when the U-shaped ligating clip is moved toward the opened position. 
     
     
         14 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 13 , wherein the bracket body further includes a clip receptacle for receiving a free end portion of the first clip portion when the resilient ligating clip is in the closed position and includes a tool receptacle that is open to the clip receptacle, the tool receptacle having an internal rib that divides the tool receptacle into two portions, the tool receptacle being adapted to receive the end of a tool for forcibly engaging the free end to cause the L-shaped projection to contact the third surface and deflect toward the alignment member so that the U-shaped ligating clip is movable toward the opened position.