Orthodontic hand tools for use with a self-ligating orthodontic bracket, methods for using such orthodontic hand tools, self-ligating orthodontic brackets, and orthodontic bracket systems

摘要

Orthodontic hand tools and methods for using the orthodontic hand tools in conjunction with self-ligating orthodontic brackets, as well as self-ligating orthodontic brackets and bracket systems. The orthodontic bracket (20, 20a, 102) includes a contact point (40, 40a, 126) on its bracket body (21) and a contact point (27, 27a, 124) on a movable member (25) used to self-ligate an archwire (24) in an archwire slot (23) defined in the bracket body (21). The contact points are arranged such that different portions of a tip (12a, 12b, 76, 108, 138) on the hand tool (10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 70, 100, 130) can be placed in a contacting relationship with the contact points and used to place the movable member (25) in an open position. When the tip (12a, 12b, 76, 108, 138) is used, the tip (12a, 12b, 76, 108, 138) applies a force to the first and second contact points effective to move the movable member (25) relative to the bracket body (21) with negligible force transferred from the tip (12a, 12b, 76, 108, 138) to the tooth.