US Patent:
20070122764, May 31, 2007
Inventors:
Alan Balfour - Petaluma CA, US
William Machata - Kohler WI, US
Joseph Caruso - Redlands CA, US
Joseph Carchidi - West Bridgewater MA, US
International Classification:
A61C 3/00
A61C 8/00
Abstract:
A self-positioning and self-starting, tapered thread, orthodontic bone screw () for use in intra-oral corrections that serves as a craniomaxillofacial rigid post for orthodontic appliance fixation. The tip of the bone screw incorporates a defined sharp pin-point tack tip () to easily pierce the soft tissue and initially penetrate into the host bone for alignment and penetration. In series with the tack tip is a self-tapping, double, tapered thread () which allows an orthodontist to insert the bone screw post into the host bone in a single operation without the need for opening or flapping the surrounding soft tissue. As the bone screw penetrates the bone site, the tapered threads () allow for easy thread pick-up into the host bone while the increasing outer diameter of the thread () rigidly locks into the crestal bone. Once attached and fixated in the host bone, the distal cylindrical dome shaped driver head () acts as the fixation post for the anchorage of orthodontic appliances. Incorporated into the cylindrical dome shaped driver head are several attachment features including cross holes () and a snap-on undercut groove () for attaching orthodontic appliances either individually or simultaneously. The dome shaped head also incorporates a spline driver feature for easy pick-up, assembly and insertion of the screw with a corresponding spline driver tool () that allows the screw to be driven with either a standard square or cross slot driver feature.