Patent ID: 7377777

Claim:
An orthodontic appliance comprising: a base; a body extending outwardly from the base; an archwire slot extending across the appliance in a generally mesial-distal direction; a post extending outwardly from the body; and a latch for releasably retaining an archwire in the archwire slot, wherein the latch comprises a clip with a first section, a second section opposed to the first section and a third section interconnecting the first section and the second section, wherein the clip also includes a region between the first section and the second section for receiving an archwire when an archwire is placed in the archwire slot, wherein the third section has an outer edge facing away from the archwire-receiving region, wherein the base includes a wall portion in contact with the outer edge, wherein the outer edge includes a portion near the middle of the third section that is in contact with the wall portion, and wherein at least this portion of the outer edge has a convex shape.