Dalman orthodontic bracket

Abstract

An orthodontic bracket assembly comprising a bracket base having a mounting portion for attachment to a patient's tooth; an upper retention element; a lower retention element wherein said upper retention element and said lower retention element form a slot adapted to receive an archwire; and a customizable bracket cover having a width an upper lip; and a lower lip wherein the customizable bracket cover is removably couplable to said bracket base.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An orthodontic bracket assembly comprising:
 (1) a bracket base having:
 (a) a mounting portion for attachment to a patient's tooth; 
 (b) an upper retention element; 
 (c) a lower retention element 
   wherein said upper retention element and said lower retention element form a slot adapted to receive an archwire; and   (2) a customizable bracket cover having
 (a) a width 
 (b) an upper lip; and 
 (c) a lower lip wherein the customizable bracket cover is removably couplable to said bracket base. 
   
     
     
         2 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a locking mechanism to restrict axial movement of said customizable bracket cover in said bracket base. 
     
     
         3 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 2  wherein the locking mechanism comprises at least one set of complementary notches and projections on the bracket base and customizable bracket cover to restrict movement of the customizable bracket cover on the bracket base. 
     
     
         4 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 1  wherein the customizable bracket cover upper and lower lips slides or snaps and locks into the bracket base upper and lower retention elements thereby frictionlessly securing the archwire onto the bracket base. 
     
     
         5 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bracket base and the customizable bracket cover are coupled mechanically or magnetically. 
     
     
         6 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 1  wherein said customizable bracket cover further comprises at least one of a hook and an inner surface projection adapted to touch the archwire when the customizable bracket cover is coupled to said bracket base thereby exerting pressure on the archwire. 
     
     
         7 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 1  wherein the bracket base further comprises a secondary slot adapted to receive at least one of a secondary archwire, a removable hook, and a torquing spring. 
     
     
         8 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 1  wherein the width of the customizable bracket cover is one of a narrow width or a wide width for a control of an archwire stiffness. 
     
     
         9 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 1  wherein said customizable bracket cover further comprises a slit or an opening to facilitate a coupling and decoupling of the bracket base to the customizable bracket cover. 
     
     
         10 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 1  wherein said assembly further comprises a hook. 
     
     
         11 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a coupling tool and an indentation on a face of the customizable cover, said indentation adapted to connect to said tool to facilitate a coupling and decoupling of said bracket base to the customizable bracket cover. 
     
     
         12 . An orthodontic bracket assembly comprising:
 (1) a bracket base having:
 (a) a mounting portion for attachment to a patient's tooth; 
 (b) an upper retention element; 
 (c) a lower retention element wherein said upper retention element and said lower retention element form a slot adapted to receive an archwire; and 
   (2) a customizable bracket cover having
 (a) a customizable face; 
 (b) an adjustable width; 
 (c) an upper lip; 
 (d) a lower lip; 
 (e) an adjustable inner surface wall; and 
   wherein the customizable bracket cover is removably couplable to said bracket base.   
     
     
         13 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 12  further comprising a locking mechanism to restrict axial movement of said customizable bracket cover in said bracket base and wherein the locking mechanism comprises at least one set of complementary notches and projections on the bracket base and customizable bracket cover. 
     
     
         14 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 13  wherein the bracket base and the customizable bracket cover are coupled mechanically or magnetically. 
     
     
         15 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 12  wherein the customizable bracket cover slides or snaps, and locks onto the bracket base thereby frictionlessly securing the archwire onto the bracket base. 
     
     
         16 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 12  wherein the customizable bracket cover's width is one of either a narrow width or a wide width wherein said width controls flexibility of the archwire. 
     
     
         17 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 12  wherein the customizable bracket cover's inner surface wall angle controls torquing of a tooth treatment. 
     
     
         18 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 12  wherein said upper lip and said lower lip form an adjustable extended slot adapted to controls a stiffness and a torquing of the archwire thereby controlling a tooth treatment. 
     
     
         19 . The orthodontic bracket assembly of  claim 12  wherein the customizable bracket cover's face, width, a length of the extended archwire slot; and an angle of the inner surface wall are changed throughout an orthodontic treatment to deliver a customized orthodontic treatment. 
     
     
         20 . An orthodontic treatment system comprising a plurality of orthodontic bracket assemblies of  claim 12  wherein the customizable bracket covers are changed individually and throughout a course of an orthodontic treatment.