3M Co. (NYSE:MMM) said its Unitek division sued Rocky Mountain Orthodontics in the U.S. and France, alleging that RMO infringes 3M patents covering braces that are mounted on the tongue side of the teeth.
The St. Paul-based conglomerate’s 3M Unitek and 3M Innovative Properties Co. filed a patent suit in a Los Angeles court, alleging infringement of 3 patents by RMO’s Lingual Jet braces for "Modular System for Customized Orthodontic Appliances" covering 3M’s Incognito line of lingual braces, according to a press release.
3M Unitek also sued RMO Europe and Lingual Jet in France over its European patent of the same
"3M continues to invest in extensive research and new laboratory methods to improve orthodontic solutions for patients and is committed to protecting its intellectual property and patent portfolio," the company said in prepared remarks.