Title of Invention

ORTHODONTIC BRACES

Abstract

1. Orthodontic braces having a flexible U-shaped body for being located in between the upper and lower jaws in the mouth, the body being provided with adjacent top and bottom channels in which the teeth of the upper and lower jaws are snugly receivable, characterised in that the ends of each channel are provided with tooth receiving slots and with ridges engageable with the corresponding teeth of the jaws, for firmly fixing the body in position with respect to the jaws; a plurality of pimples provided on the inner front portion of the body for discouraging contact between the tongue and the said inner front portion; a plurality of through-holes commencing on the inner front portion of die body and emergmg on the outer front portion of the body for enabling passage of air from atmosphere to the interior of the mouth and from the interior of the mouth to atmosphere.

Full Text

This invention relates to orthodontic braces, more particularly, orthodontic braces intended for use in the correction of all parafuactional habits, such as, thumb sucking, mouth breathing, tonge thrustmg, bmxism, lip biting and so on. This results in the improvement of dental and skeletal alignment. Orthodontic braces are known to the art. However the orthodontic braces proposed herein are characterised by features not known to the art as discussed hereunder. According to this invention, the orthodontic braces have a flexible U-sh^)ed body for being located in between the upper and lower jaws in the mouth, the body being provided with adjacent top and bottom channels m which the teeth of the upper and lower jaws are snugly receivable, characterised in that the ends of each channel are provided with tooth receivmg slots and with ridges engageable with the corresponding teeth of the jaws, for firmly fixing the body in position with respect to the jaws; a phirality of pimples provided on the inner front portion of the body/for discouraging contact oetween the tongue and the said mner front portion; a phirality of through-holes commencing on the inner front portion of the body and emerging on the outer front portion of the body for enabling passage of air from atmosphere to tiie interior of the mouth and from the interior of the mouth to atmosphere. Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, and not by way of limitation, a preferred embodiment of the orthodontic braces proposed herein, Fig. 1 illustrating the top channel (side view) of the embodiment. Fig. 2 illustrating the embodiment in front elevation. Fig. 3 illustrating the top plan view of the embodiment and Fig. 4 illustrating the bottom plan view of the embodiment. A flexible U-shaped body B is locatable between the upper and lower jaws in the mouth. The body is provided with adjacent top and bottom channels CI and C2 in which the teeth of the upper and lower jaws are snugly receivable. The ends El El and E2 E2 of each channel are provided with ridges Rl R2. These ridges are engageoble with the corresponding teeth of the jaws, for firmly fixing the body B in position with respect to the jaws. At the said ends are also provided tooth receiving slots Tl Tl and T2 T2. A plurality of pimples PI are provided on the inner front portion of the body below a tongue guard 0 for discouraging contact between the tongue and the said inner front portion and thus to prevent tongue tfarngting hibits. In otker wordi, when the braces are nied by the pitient, norm illy it night, there n t tendency for the pntient to thrnit the itid inner front portion agiinit the mciiors, with hii tongne, and nlthnately canie miialignment of nch teeth. With the pimples PI on the hiner front portion of the body, the patient is discounted from domg this beoanse the tongne coming into contact with the said phnples resnlts m an abrasive action, nncomfortable to the patient The body hu a phirality of throogh-holes H commencing on the inner front portion of the body and emerging on the onter front portion of the body for enabling passive of air from atmosphere to the interior of the month and from the interior of the month to atmosphere, dnring breathing. The purpose of the through-holes is to assist the patient m breathing properly and thereby prevent or at least considerably minimise open mouth brerafting or snoring dnring sleep, since snoring is usually caused by insufikient or obstructed air- flow into the windpipe. The outer portion of the body B is tbo provided widi a pfatrality of pimples P2(for holding the bddy in position and improving muscle tone. The body B is made of a soft and flexible plaatic maleriAl preventing breakage and eliniaatei soft tisane tranaia, such as, ulcers, dirasions and so on. The orthodontic braces proposed herein are to be prescribed by orthodontists for the pnrpose stated above. The terms and expressions herein are of description and not of limitation, since it will be appreciated that variona other embodiments of the orthodontic braces proposed herein are possible without deoartmg from the scope and ambit of this invention. We Claim: ' 1. Orthodontic braces htviag • flexible U-fhq>ed body for beiog locnted in between the npper ad lower JMri k the month, the body being provided with adjicent top mid bottom chmineli in which the teedi of the npper mid lower jaws are snugly reoeiyd>lep characterised m that the ends of each channel are provided with tooth receiving slots and with ridges engageable with the corresponding teeth of the jaws, for firmly fixmg tto body in position with respect to the jaws; a phirality of .pimples provided on the inner front portion of the body/for discouraging contact between the tongue and the said mner front portion; a phirality of through-holes commencing on the inner front portion of the body and emerging on the outer front portion of the body for ensblmg passage of air fii>m atmosphere to the interior of the mouth and from the Ulterior of the mouth to atmosphere. 2. Orthodontic braces as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the outer portion of the body is provided with a phirality of pimples for - ::-;=j --- ?: 3. Orthodontic braces as clahned in any one of the preceding Claims wherem the body is made of a soft, flexible plastic m ateriaL i. Orthodontic braces robitatttiaUy as herein described with reference to, and as ilhistrated in» the accompaaymg drawmgs

Documents:

877-che-2003-abstract.pdf

877-che-2003-assignement.pdf

877-che-2003-claims duplicate.pdf

877-che-2003-claims original.pdf

877-che-2003-correspondence others.pdf

877-che-2003-correspondence po.pdf

877-che-2003-description complete duplicate.pdf

877-che-2003-description complete original.pdf

877-che-2003-drawings.pdf

877-che-2003-form 1.pdf

877-che-2003-form 19.pdf

877-che-2003-form 26.pdf