Patent ID: 8033824

Claim:
An orthodontic bracket for coupling an archwire with a tooth, comprising: a bracket body configured to be mounted to the tooth, the bracket body including an archwire slot adapted to receive the archwire therein; a movable member engaged with the bracket body and movable relative thereto between an opened position in which the archwire is insertable into the archwire slot, and a closed position in which the movable member retains the archwire in the archwire slot; and a securing mechanism configured to secure the movable member in at least the closed position, the securing mechanism including a tubular pin in one of the bracket body and the movable member, and a receiving portion in the other of the bracket body and the movable member, wherein the pin is capable of expanding and contracting in a generally radial direction relative to a central axis thereof and the pin cooperates with the receiving portion to secure the movable member in at least the closed position; and wherein the pin includes a sidewall, an interior space, and a slit formed in the sidewall along at least a portion of the length of the pin that communicates with the interior space, the slit facilitating the radial expansion and contraction of the pin.