Patent ID: 7578672

Claim:
A dental apparatus for use with a connecting member coupled to a jaw in a patient's mouth, comprising: an orthodontic device; and a connecting device carried by said orthodontic device, said connecting device having a receptacle and a blocking member, said receptacle adapted to partially receive the connecting member and said blocking member moveable relative to said receptacle between an opened position in which the connecting member may be disengaged from said receptacle and a closed position in which the blocking member captures the connecting member within said receptacle for pivotally engaging said orthodontic device with the connecting members, wherein said blocking member includes a spring clip having a first end portion fixed relative to said connecting device, a second end portion movable relative to said first end portion to define the opened and closed positions, and an intermediate portion, said intermediate portion extending about a narrow portion of the connecting member when said blocking member is in the closed position to secure a wide portion of the connecting member between said receptacle and said blocking member.