BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to an orthodontic device mounted in a patient's oral cavity and straightening patient's crooked teeth.

Various orthodontic devices to straighten patient's crooked teeth have been conventionally designed. For example, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-177969 A discloses an orthodontic device comprising a first portion covering from a crown portion of a tooth to a periphery of a tooth neck, a second portion constituting a gripping member, and a force applying member that is disposed so as to connect the first portion to the second portion and move the tooth in a desired direction (seeFIG. 1etc.).

Further, Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2015-150179 A discloses an orthodontic device in which a shape memory alloy is embedded in an outer peripheral wall, an inner peripheral wall and an occlusal surface of each of the upper and lower jaws of a U-shaped mouthpiece made of an elastic material or a flexible material (seeFIG. 1etc.).

SUMMARY

However, the conventional orthodontic device corrects the entire teeth of the patient in a certain direction, and there is a problem that it is difficult to individually correct the teeth in different directions.

In addition, it is necessary to adjust not only the direction in which the force is applied to the tooth but also the force applied to each tooth in order to properly correct each tooth, which causes a problem that the orthodontic device itself becomes complicated.

Further, an orthodontic device having a complicated mechanism has a complicated usage method, which may be difficult to handle for a patient.

However, since an alignment of teeth is a very important factor in appearance, there is an increasing demand year after year to correct a dentition with high accuracy.

The present disclosure has been made in response to the above-described problems of the conventional art, and an exemplary aspect of the disclosure provides an orthodontic device that can be easily manufactured in accordance with different dentition conditions of each patient.

A first aspect of the present disclosure includes an inner housing that covers teeth, an outer housing that covers the inner housing, a bracket that is capable of pressing against the teeth and that penetrates the inner housing, and a pressing force adjuster that engages with the outer housing and the bracket and that is capable of adjusting a pressing force of the bracket on the teeth.

A second aspect of the present disclosure is the orthodontic device according to the first aspect, wherein the pressing force adjuster includes the outer housing, a screw screwed to the outer housing, and a compression spring fitted to the screw.

A third aspect of the present disclosure is the orthodontic device according to the second aspect, wherein the screw includes a bulge having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of a screw hole of the outer housing and an outer diameter of the compression spring in a middle of the screw.

A fourth aspect of the present disclosure is the orthodontic device according to the third aspect, wherein the bulge is attachable to and detachable from the screw.

A fifth aspect of the present disclosure is the orthodontic device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the bracket includes a plurality of brackets that are provided for each tooth, and at least one bracket of the plurality of brackets has a height different from that of other brackets of the plurality of brackets with respect to the tooth.

A sixth aspect of the present disclosure is the orthodontic device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein a region of the bracket that is in contact with a tooth has a higher surface roughness than other regions of the bracket.

A seventh aspect of the present disclosure is the orthodontic device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein zirconia is formed in a region of the bracket that is in contact with a tooth.

An eighth aspect of the present disclosure is the orthodontic device according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the bracket includes a restrictor that restricts a movement of the bracket.

A ninth aspect of the present disclosure is the orthodontic device according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, wherein the pressing force adjuster is capable of adjusting the pressing force of the bracket on the teeth by adjusting a length of a bottom of the bracket.

According to the orthodontic device of the first aspect of the present disclosure, since an orthodontic device includes an inner housing that covers teeth, an outer housing that covers the inner housing, a bracket that is capable of pressing against the teeth and that penetrates the inner housing, and a pressing force adjuster that engages with the outer housing and the bracket and that is capable of adjusting a pressing force of the bracket on the teeth, a dentist or a dental technician is capable of easily manufacturing the orthodontic device according to the different dentition conditions of each patient, patients are capable of easily adjusting their own teeth by the orthodontic device.

Further, according to a second aspect of the present disclosure, in the orthodontic device according to the first aspect, since the pressing force adjuster includes the outer housing, a screw screwed to the outer housing, and a compression spring fitted to the screw, in addition to the effects of the orthodontic device of the first aspect of the present disclosure, a dentist or a dental technician is capable of easily manufacturing the orthodontic device adjusting the pressing force of the bracket on each tooth of the patient, patients are capable of more easily adjusting their own teeth by the orthodontic device.

Further, according to a third aspect of the present disclosure, in the orthodontic device according to the second aspect, since the screw includes a bulge having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of a screw hole of the outer housing and an outer diameter of the compression spring in a middle of the screw, in addition to the effects of the orthodontic device of the second aspect of the present disclosure, the pressing force of the bracket against the tooth may be effectively applied.

Further, according to a fourth aspect of the present disclosure, in the orthodontic device according to the third aspect, since the bulge is attachable to and detachable from the screw, in addition to the effects of the orthodontic device of the third aspect of the present disclosure, the pressing force adjuster may be easily manufactured.

Further, according to a fifth aspect of the present disclosure, in the orthodontic device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, since the bracket includes a plurality of brackets that are provided for each tooth, and at least one bracket of the plurality of brackets has a height different from that of other brackets of the plurality of brackets with respect to the tooth, in addition to the effects of the orthodontic device of any one of the first to fourth aspects of the present disclosure, a dentist or a dental technician is capable of easily manufacturing the orthodontic device improving orthodontic effect of the patient's teeth by changing a pressing position of the bracket for each tooth of the patient, and patients are capable of more easily adjusting their own teeth by the orthodontic device.

Further, according to a sixth aspect of the present disclosure, in the orthodontic device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, since a region of the bracket that is in contact with a tooth has a higher surface roughness than other regions of the bracket, in addition to the effects of the orthodontic device of any one of the first to fifth aspects of the present disclosure, it is possible to reliably prevent the orthodontic device from slipping on the patient's teeth, and the patient may use the orthodontic device with confidence.

Further, according to a seventh aspect of the present disclosure, in the orthodontic device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, since zirconia is formed in a region of the bracket that is in contact with a tooth, in addition to the effects of the orthodontic device of any one of the first to sixth aspects of the present disclosure, it is possible to reliably prevent the orthodontic appliance from slipping on the patient's teeth, and the patient may use the orthodontic device with confidence.

Further, according to the eighth aspect of the present disclosure, in the orthodontic device according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, since the bracket includes a restrictor that restricts a movement of the bracket, in addition to the effects of the orthodontic device of any one of the first to seventh aspects of the present disclosure, it is possible to prevent the bracket from coming off the inner housing.

Furthermore, according to a ninth aspect of the present disclosure, in the orthodontic device according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, since the pressing force adjuster is capable of adjusting the pressing force of the bracket on the teeth by adjusting a length of a bottom of the bracket, in addition to the effects of the orthodontic device of any one of the first to eighth aspects of the present disclosure, the pressing force adjuster may be manufactured more easily.

