Patent ID: 7722353

Claim:
Orthodontic locking pliers for increasing the retention of an orthodontic thermoplastic appliance upon teeth comprising: a longitudinal first member having a first handle at one end and a first jaw with a first tip at the opposite end; a longitudinal second member having a second handle at one end and a second jaw with a second tip at the opposite end; a pivot pin connecting the first and second members pivotally wherein the first and second members cross so that the jaw portions are opposite each other and can be moved toward and away from each other into respective closed and open positions substantially along an imaginary plane by manipulating the handle about a longitudinal axis; and a single pyramidal projection on each of the first and second tips of the opposing first and second jaws, each pyramidal projection having three triangular sides comprised of a horizontal triangular base side and two connecting semi-vertical triangular sides wherein each triangular side shares a common apex facing the opposing jaw and each pyramidal projection having a semi-vertical ridge, formed by the junction of adjacent semi-vertical triangular sides, extending away from the horizontal triangular base side wherein the pyramidal projections are used to dent the thermoplastic appliance which contains vacuum-formed imprints of adjacent teeth with buccal and lingual interproximal embrasures extending from a gingival area to an occlusal area, the apexes of the pyramidal horizontal triangular bases sides are placed at the respective buccal and lingual interproximal gingival areas of the thermoplastic appliance and the semi-vertical ridges are placed in the buccal and lingual embrasures of the thermoplastic teeth wherein when closing the pliers the thermoplastic appliance is dented in a manner that retentive undercuts are formed in the buccal and lingual embrasure areas and the buccal and lingual interproximal gingival areas.