Dental coupling member, mouthpiece, and orthodontic tool

Abstract

A dental coupling member related comprises: a first elongated body including, in a first-orientation end region, a first coupling part to be coupled with a first attaching part of a first dental appliance and including, formed in a second-orientation end region, a screwing part; an outer tube including, in a second-orientation end region, a second coupling part to be coupled with a second attaching part of a second dental appliance, and being open at an end on a first-orientation end region side; a third elongated body including a screwed part formed in a first-orientation end region and is inserted into the outer tube in a second-orientation end region of the outer tube, the screwed part being for screwing with the screwing part; and a protrusion projecting from an inner peripheral surface of the outer tube and facing an end surface of the third elongated body on the second-orientation end region side.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dental coupling member, comprising:
 a first elongated body including, in a first-orientation end region of the first elongated body, a first coupling part to be coupled with a first attaching part of a first dental appliance and including, formed in a second-orientation end region of the first elongated body, a screwing part ;   an outer tube including, in a second-orientation end region of the outer tube, a second coupling part to be coupled with a second attaching part of a second dental appliance, and being open at an end on a first-orientation end region side;   a third elongated body which includes a screwed part formed in a first-orientation end region of the third elongated body and is inserted into the outer tube in a second-orientation end region of the outer tube, the screwed part being for screwing with the screwing part; and   a protrusion projecting from an inner peripheral surface of the outer tube and facing an end surface of the third elongated body on the second-orientation end region side.   
     
     
         2 . The dental coupling member according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the outer tube comprises a decreased diameter part having a smaller diameter than that of the other portion of the outer tube;   the third elongated body comprises an increased diameter part having a larger outer diameter than the outer diameter of the other portion of the third elongated body; and wherein   a movement of the inner tube to the second-orientation end region side is limited by the increased diameter part of the inner tube hitting the protrusion, and a movement of the inner tube to the first-orientation end region side is limited by the increased diameter part of the inner tube hitting the decreased diameter part.   
     
     
         3 . The dental coupling member according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 the protrusion projects from the second coupling part;   a through hole is formed in the outer tube; and   the second coupling part is to be coupled with a second attaching part on the outer periphery side of outer tube, and the second coupling part is located penetrating the through hole such that the protrusion projects from the inner peripheral surface of the outer tube.   
     
     
         4 . A mouthpiece, comprising:
 the dental coupling member according to  claim 1 ;   a mandibular piece as the first dental appliance; and   a maxillary piece as the second dental appliance.   
     
     
         5 . An orthodontic appliance, comprising:
 the dental coupling member according to  claim 1 ;   a lower-teeth attachment as the first dental appliance to be attached to lower teeth for orthodontically correcting a row of teeth; and   an upper-teeth attachment as the second dental appliance to be attached to upper teeth for orthodontically correcting a row of teeth.