Patent ID: 7063531
Filing Date: 2006-06-20
Classification: A61C

Abstract:
1. An orthodontic appliance, comprising: a base for bonding the appliance to a tooth; a body extending from the base; an archwire slot extending across the body in a generally mesial-distal direction and opening in a generally occlusal-gingival direction; and a resiliently deformable retention device associated with said slot to permit both entry and removal of an archwire from said slot, wherein said retention device comprises a spring for exerting force on a retained archwire having a predetermined minimum dimension, against both a lingual wall and a gingival wall of said archwire slot, wherein said spring is within said archwire slot, wherein a gingival portion of said spring is slidingly received in a recess formed in a buccal/labial wall of said archwire slot.