Patent ID: 8636507
Filing Date: 2014-01-28
Classification: A61C

Abstract:
1. A self-ligating orthodontic bracket comprising: a body having an archwire slot defined at least partially by an occlusal side surface and a lingual surface, wherein a mesio-gingival reference plane is tangent to a lingual-most point of the lingual surface, the body further having an occlusal-gingival opening, wherein the reference plane intersects the opening; and a locking shutter coupled to the body and movable between a closed position where access to the archwire slot is inhibited and an open position where access to the archwire slot is permitted, wherein the locking shutter includes a lingual end located in the opening at a closed lingual location when the locking shutter is in the closed position, and wherein the lingual end is located at an open lingual location when the locking shutter is in the open position, wherein the locking shutter further includes a labial end located at a closed labial location when the locking shutter is in the closed position and at an open labial location when the locking shutter is in the open position, wherein the side surface is closer to the open labial location than to the closed labial location, and wherein a first occlusal-gingival distance from the closed lingual location to the open lingual location is from 70% to 90% a second occlusal-gingival distance from the closed labial location to the side surface.