An orthodontic appliance comprising: a base; a body extending outwardly from the base, the body having an elongated archwire slot extending in a generally mesial-distal direction; a fast-dissolving and humidity-resistant coating extending over at least a portion of the body, the coating comprising: a colorant; and a binder selected from a polyamide, cellulose derivative, homopolymer/copolymer of poly(ethylene oxide), homopolymer/copolymer of 2-ethyloxazoline, homopolymer/ copolymer of acrylamide and dimethyl- or diethylacrylamide, as well as combinations thereof, wherein the polyamide is selected from the group consisting of (i) polylactams which comprise monomers having the following functional group: -N-C -R3, where R1, R2 and R3 each are independently aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon moieties optionally substituted with one or more of N, O, and S with the understanding that R1, R2 or both may form a ring with R3, and at least one of R1, R2, and R3 comprises a polymerizable group; (ii) polymers based on amides from primary amines which comprise monomers having the following functional group: H-N-C -R3 where R1 and R3 are each independently aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon moieties optionally substituted with one or more of N, O, and S with the understanding that R1 may form a ring with R3, and at least one of R1 and R3, comprises a polymerizable group; and (iii) acrylamides which comprise monomers having the following functional group: H 2 N-C -R3, where R3 is as defined above, and wherein the cellulose derivative is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, and hydroxyethylcellulose, and at least 60 percent of the coating is removed when the appliance is subjected to the Dissolution Test specified in the description. a base; a body extending outwardly from the base, the body having an elongated archwire slot extending in a generally mesial-distal direction; a fast-dissolving and humidity-resistant coating extending over at least a portion of the body, the coating comprising: a colorant; and a binder selected from a polyamide, cellulose derivative, homopolymer/copolymer of poly(ethylene oxide), homopolymer/copolymer of 2-ethyloxazoline, homopolymer/ copolymer of acrylamide and dimethyl- or diethylacrylamide, as well as combinations thereof, wherein the polyamide is selected from the group consisting of (i) polylactams which comprise monomers having the following functional group: -N-C -R3, where R1, R2 and R3 each are independently aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon moieties optionally substituted with one or more of N, O, and S with the understanding that R1, R2 or both may form a ring with R3, and at least one of R1, R2, and R3 comprises a polymerizable group; (ii) polymers based on amides from primary amines which comprise monomers having the following functional group: H-N-C -R3 where R1 and R3 are each independently aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon moieties optionally substituted with one or more of N, O, and S with the understanding that R1 may form a ring with R3, and at least one of R1 and R3, comprises a polymerizable group; and (iii) acrylamides which comprise monomers having the following functional group: H 2 N-C -R3, where R3 is as defined above, a colorant; and a binder selected from a polyamide, cellulose derivative, homopolymer/copolymer of poly(ethylene oxide), homopolymer/copolymer of 2-ethyloxazoline, homopolymer/ copolymer of acrylamide and dimethyl- or diethylacrylamide, as well as combinations thereof, wherein the polyamide is selected from the group consisting of (i) polylactams which comprise monomers having the following functional group: -N-C -R3, where R1, R2 and R3 each are independently aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon moieties optionally substituted with one or more of N, O, and S with the understanding that R1, R2 or both may form a ring with R3, and at least one of R1, R2, and R3 comprises a polymerizable group; (ii) polymers based on amides from primary amines which comprise monomers having the following functional group: H-N-C -R3 where R1 and R3 are each independently aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon moieties optionally substituted with one or more of N, O, and S with the understanding that R1 may form a ring with R3, and at least one of R1 and R3, comprises a polymerizable group; and (iii) acrylamides which comprise monomers having the following functional group: H 2 N-C -R3, where R3 is as defined above, (i) polylactams which comprise monomers having the following functional group: -N-C -R3, where R1, R2 and R3 each are independently aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon moieties optionally substituted with one or more of N, O, and S with the understanding that R1, R2 or both may form a ring with R3, and at least one of R1, R2, and R3 comprises a polymerizable group; (ii) polymers based on amides from primary amines which comprise monomers having the following functional group: H-N-C -R3 where R1 and R3 are each independently aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbon moieties optionally substituted with one or more of N, O, and S with the understanding that R1 may form a ring with R3, and at least one of R1 and R3, comprises a polymerizable group; and (iii) acrylamides which comprise monomers having the following functional group: H 2 N-C -R3, where R3 is as defined above, and wherein the cellulose derivative is selected from the group consisting of carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, and hydroxyethylcellulose, and at least 60 percent of the coating is removed when the appliance is subjected to the Dissolution Test specified in the description.