ST. PAUL‚ Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

As thousands of orthodontists and staff from around the world descend on the Annual Session of the American Association of Orthodontists in San Diego, CA this week, 3M is proud to announce a broad portfolio of issued patents and intellectual property rights, issued over the last few years, encompassing indirect bonding for orthodontic treatments. Claims covered by these patents intend to enable orthodontists to improve their bracket placement accuracy—and, ultimately, lead to better clinical outcomes.

The issued patents cover a wide selection of methods and articles used today for indirectly bonding brackets, including:

• Method of making an indirect bonding tray for orthodontic treatment
• Methods and assemblies for making an orthodontic bonding tray using rapid prototyping
• Apparatus for indirect bonding of orthodontic appliances and method of making the same
• Orthodontic indirect bonding apparatus with occlusal positioning stop members
• Orthodontic indirect bonding tray with moisture control
• Apparatus and methods for controlling moisture during orthodontic indirect bonding procedures
• Orthodontic methods and apparatus for applying a composition to a patient's teeth

In an ever-changing world, orthodontists can continue to rely on the trusted 3M name to deliver proven products and solutions for advanced performance, esthetics and efficiency.

“We feel that combining our indirect bonding intellectual property with our patented 3M™ APC™ Flash-Free Adhesive technology will prove to enhance office productivity and treatment outcomes,” says Sam Lintereur, Global Procedure Marketing Manager, 3M Oral Care.

3M currently partners with multiple digital treatment planning software providers, including 3Shape, Motion View and Image Instruments, to provide excellent treatment experiences with bracket libraries of its popular brands. 3M is also open to licensing some of its intellectual property rights to interested parties.

For more information about 3M’s protected patents, contact Maggie Hesby, using the contact information below. Visit www.3m.com/ortho to learn more about APC Flash-Free Adhesive.

About 3M Oral Care

3M Oral Care promotes lifelong oral wellness through inventive solutions that help oral care professionals achieve greater clinical, professional and personal success. Learn more at 3M.com/dental (dental) or 3M.com/ortho (orthodontics).

About 3M

At 3M, we apply science in collaborative ways to improve lives daily. With $32 billion in sales, our 90,000 employees connect with customers all around the world. Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Twitter @3M or @3MNewsroom.

3M and APC are trademarks of 3M. Used under license in Canada. © 3M 2017. All rights reserved.

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