abstract |
Coordinated orthodontic archwires are provided based on a method of designing custom orthodontic appliances based in individual patient anatomy and, based on a plurality of such custom designs, designing and manufacturing a standardized appliance for patients of average dental anatomy. From such method, a relationship is established for coordinating one archwire to another of any given design. The coordinated archwires so provided include an upper archwire that is an expansion of a lower archwire, and in addition, when the shapes of the archwires are superimposed, are spaced apart more in the vicinity of the cuspids and first bicuspids than in the vicinity of the incisors and, preferably, also the second bicuspids. The spacing difference is at least 0.005 inches, particularly for an appliance with low profile brackets, and is up to 0.025 or 0.035 inches for an appliance with the more conventional brackets. The spacings are determined as a function of the length of the wire from the midline of the wire. |