Patent ID: 8029275

Claim:
A self-ligating orthodontic bracket having an archwire slot for receiving an archwire comprising: a base having a single pair of spaced apart and substantially parallel upstanding members having inner ends and outer ends, means interconnecting said members at said inner ends, said members having aligned outwardly projecting slots defining the archwire slot of the bracket and means at said outer ends adjacent said slots for hingedly receiving a pair of jaws, said pair of jaws extending between and hingedly connected to said means for hingedly receiving said jaws, said jaws coacting with the archwire slot and being movable between open and closed positions to selectively open the archwire slot for insertion of an archwire into the archwire slot or withdrawal of an archwire from the archwire slot, and a spring means engaging said jaws for selectively maintaining said jaws locked in an open or a closed position, wherein said spring means additionally defines a floor for said archwire slot between said members.