Patent ID: 8128400

Claim:
A method of debonding an orthodontic bracket having a base attached with an adhesive to a tooth using a tool comprising pliers having at least one tip for engaging the bracket, and a tooth contacting member attached to the pliers and moveable adjacent the exterior of the at least one tip, the method comprising: engaging at least a first side of the bracket with the at least one tip of the tool, positioning the tooth contacting member against the tooth adjacent the first side of the bracket; moving the tooth contacting member between the tooth and the at least one tip, thereby causing the at least one tip to pivot the bracket about an axis lying in a plane generally parallel to a plane defined by the base by applying a tensile force to a first side of the bracket in a direction away from the tooth to thereby fracture the adhesive between the bracket and the tooth to remove the bracket from the tooth, wherein the tensile force applied to the first side is substantially greater than any tensile force directed away from the tooth which may be applied to the side of the bracket located opposite to the first side.