Patent ID: 7878802

Claim:
A self-ligating orthodontic bracket having: a) a mounting base for attachment to a tooth surface; b) an archwire slot formed upon said base and sized for receiving an orthodontic archwire; and c) a rotary ligating cover selectively rotatable within a plane of rotation between an open position permitting access to said archwire slot and a closed position covering said archwire slot, said rotary ligating cover rotatable about an axis that is oriented perpendicular to said tooth surface and transverse to said plane of rotation; and (d) one or more locking tabs disposed on said rotary ligating cover for holding said rotary ligating cover in said closed position, said one or more locking tabs aligned in coplanar relation to said rotary ligating cover and said plane of rotation, said one or more locking tabs oriented across said archwire slot from said axis of rotation when said rotary ligating cover is in said closed position, (e) wherein said at least one locking tab comprises a resilient portion of said rotary ligating cover adapted to flex inwardly toward said axis of rotation and having a protruding surface engageable by a depression in said mounting base.