ORAL ANCHORAGE

• US 20020068254A1
• Filed: 12/01/1999
• Published: 06/06/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synthes USA LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Zygomatics Limited
• Inventors: CAMPBELL, DUNCAN FRASER
• Granted Patent: US 6,575,741 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 433/18
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/05891 for the head, e.g. jaws, nose nose correcting A61F5/08
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1498 Plastic band

Abstract

The present invention provides an intra-oral anchorage which comprises a flexible belt that extends around and between the teeth of a patient. The belt has locking means fixed thereon to receive a free end portion of the belt and lock said portion against retraction therefrom. The locking means is in the form of a buckle. The intra-oral anchorage of the present invention can be used to hold a jaw in a fixed position, in the case of a broken jaw for example. It offers ease of application and therefore a reduction in the cost of surgery as well as eliminating the risk of “needle stick” injury inherent with cutting and bending multiple ends of wire. It causes less gum damage in placement and removal, which is similarly easier, faster and less uncomfortable for the patient.

Claims

1. An anchorage for use in treatment of oral fractures comprising a flexible and wholly or substantially plastic belt of a dimension able to fit between the intra-oral tooth spaces of a patient, and able to extend around a tooth to exert isotropic pressure thereon, the belt having integral locking means fixed thereon to receive a free end portion of the belt and lock said portion against retraction therefrom.

2. An anchorage as claimed in claim 1, whereby the locking means thereof is attached at one end of the belt and is in the form of a buckle.

3. An anchorage as claimed in claim 1 and 2, whereby the locking means thereof is in the form of a head having an aperture therethrough or therein for receiving the end portion of the belt.

4. An anchorage as claimed in claim 3, whereby the head of the locking means has a one-way lock mechanism to allow advancement, but resist retraction of the belt in the aperture.

5. An anchorage as claimed in any preceding claim having a belt which comprises two sections;

a first curved section including the free end of the belt and a second section between the first section and the locking means.

6. An anchorage as claimed in claim 5, whereby the second section of the belt thereof is profiled to co-operate and lockingly engage with the locking head.

7. An anchorage as claimed in any preceding claim, whereby the first section of the belt thereof has a smooth surface to facilitate passing the belt through inter-dental spaces.

8. An anchorage as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 7, whereby the locking head thereof has on its a outer face means for retaining a fixing member, for example an elastic band, a plastic tie, a wire or a bar, for inter-connecting and fixing to other locking heads.

9. An anchorage as claimed in any preceding claim, which has no sharp edges chat may be hazardous to the patient or the operator.

10. An anchorage as claimed in any preceding claim, whereby the locking means thereof comprises a plurality of inclined teeth on both the second section of the belt and an inner face of the locking head whereby the teeth co-operate such that the belt can only pass through the aperture in one direction.

11. An anchorage as claimed in any preceding claim, whereby the locking means thereof includes an external concave plate to ensure a coherent fitting of the anchorage to a tooth.

12. An anchorage as claimed in any preceding claim, the belt thereof is 10 to 14 centimetres in length and around 0.6 to 1.0 millimetres in width.

13. An anchorage as claimed in any preceding claim, the first section of the belt is 1.5 to 3 centimetres long.

14. An anchorage as claimed in any preceding claim, the locking head is between 7 to 11 millimetres long and between 3 to 5 millimetres in width.

15. An anchorage as claimed in any preceding claim, whereby the belt thereof is wholly made of plastics material.

16. An anchorage as claimed in any preceding claim whereby a portion of the belt thereof is made of steel, particularly the first section, having a tensile yield strength of 175 to 2000 MN/m² and a modulus of elasticity of 175 to 230 GN/m².

17. An anchorage as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 16, whereby the plastic buckle provided on the belt thereof faces outwards from the face of the tooth and incorporates a hook and location point for an arch bar.

19. A method of applying traction between two or more anchorages as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19 in use, wherein elastic bands or other suitable means are wrapped around the anchorages such that the teeth or fracture points may be drawn into proper alignment and held in place.

18. A method of treating an oral fracture, comprising extending a flexible belt around one or more of a patient'"'"'s teeth, passing one end portion of the belt through locking means carried on the belt and tensioning the belt around the teeth by drawing it through the locking means, said locking means preventing retraction of the belt therefrom.