Orthodontic Appliances

Previously we used precision soldering techniques to fabricate orthodontic appliances, but this comes with a high price. The structural integrity of the metal is always damaged due to the high heat used. Even with heat shields there is always some degree of damage and this often leads to appliance failure. We compensated for this in using certain design features but this made the appliances bulky.

With a Laser welded appliance this is a thing of the past. The laser welded appliances can be up to 300% stronger than soldered appliances. There are also new major concerns on health issues to be considered when using solders in the mouth this has made our commitment to laser welding of Orthodontic appliances even more so decisive.
At LASERTEK we have gone back and redesigned every appliance we make from the ground up. In all cases we have found the new designs far superior to what we were previously producing. Also we can now produce hybrid appliances that we once only dreamed of and are super efficient. We have seen a trend toward fixed developmental appliances because the main advantage over the removable appliance is not needing to rely on patient co-operation. The results are also usually more rapid. However we have also applied laser welding technology to removable appliances and this has improved their reliability immensely. We can deal with the infrequent issue of wire breakages immediately.
Advantages of Laser Welded Orthodontic Appliances
  • No Solder used. More Hygenic, less toxicity.
  • Homogeneous structure with high mechanical strength.
  • Weld is with the parent metal without the introduction of additional metals or alloys thereby eliminating any galvanic effect.
  • Welding is done with little or no heat transfer providing consistent advantages and increasing the versatility of the technology.
  • Small heat affected area eliminates the risk of warping and the weld can be safely positioned close to acrylic work.
  • Accuracy of fit is significantly higher than with conventional soldering techniques.
  • Appliances welded to orthodontic bands are easer to fit and remove.
  • Titanium can be laser welded in an argon gas environment providing the ability for more efficient appliance designs incorporating Titanium and its alloys .
  • Laser beam micro-adjusts in width and power output enabling us to weld finer parts and attachments without risk.
  • A laser welded appliance will not warp under the influence of heat and is less likely to fracture.
  • More precise fit likely when welding directly on the master model.
  • Orthodontic appliances are perfectly suited to laser welding.