Patent ID: 7611352

Claim:
An orthodontic bracket kit that permits selective intraoral attachment of a desired ligation cover, from among a plurality of different ligation covers, to a bracket base, the kit comprising: a bracket base for attachment to a tooth, the bracket base including an arch wire slot formed therein adapted to receive an arch wire, the bracket base being configured so as to releasably receive one of a plurality of interchangeable ligation covers of the bracket system and so as to permit selective intraoral attachment to and removal from the bracket base of each of the plurality of different ligation covers of the bracket system as desired while the bracket base remains attached to a tooth; and at least two interchangeable ligation covers formed of different types of material selected from the group consisting of metal, glass, and polymeric resins, each being configured so as to be selectively attachable to and removable from the bracket base, a first interchangeable ligation cover releasably attachable to the bracket base and movable between an open, non-ligating position and a closed, ligating position relative to the arch wire slot, wherein the first interchangeable ligation cover is removable from the bracket base, thereby permitting removal and replacement of the first interchangeable ligation cover with another cover, the first interchangeable ligation cover being formed from a first material; and a second interchangeable ligation cover releasably attachable to the bracket base upon removal of the first interchangeable ligation cover from the bracket base and selectively movable relative to the bracket base between an open, non-ligating position and a closed, ligating position relative to the arch wire slot, the second interchangeable ligation cover being formed of a second material that is different from the first material from which the first interchangeable ligation cover is formed so that the second interchangeable ligation cover provides a different appearance than the first interchangeable ligation cover, wherein each of the first and second interchangeable ligation covers comprises a pair of inwardly oriented pins with a gap in between formed on each of the first and second interchangeable ligation covers and wherein the bracket base comprises a link guide formed on the bracket base, the link guide having a guide recess for captively retaining the inwardly oriented pins, the pins and link guide together forming a hinge such that once attached to the bracket base, the first or second interchangeable ligation cover can be selectively pivoted about the hinge relative to the bracket base between an open, non-ligating position and a closed, ligating position relative to the at least one arch wire slot.