Self-ligating orthodontic bracket

Abstract

An orthodontic bracket for coupling an archwire with a tooth comprises a bracket body, a hinge pin, and a latch. The bracket body includes a first surface configured to be mounted to the tooth and an archwire slot in a second surface. The hinge pin includes a first shaft portion coupled with the bracket body. The latch is coupled to the bracket body by a second shaft portion of the hinge pin. The latch is movable between an opened position and a closed position. A cross-sectional profile of the first shaft portion and/or the second shaft portion of the hinge pin is configured to elastically deform to impart a spring bias to the latch that opposes movement of the latch relative to the bracket body.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An orthodontic bracket for coupling an archwire with a tooth, the orthodontic bracket comprising:
 a bracket body that includes an archwire slot having opposed slot sides extending from a base slot side, at least one of the opposed slot sides being arched.   
     
     
         2 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 1  wherein the opposed slot sides includes a gingival slot side and an occlusal slot side and the base slot side includes a labial slot side. 
     
     
         3 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 1  wherein the bracket body includes a labial side that is configured to be secured to the tooth and the base slot side is oriented at an angle such that an extension of the base slot side intersects the labial side. 
     
     
         4 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 1  wherein the archwire slot is gingivally biased. 
     
     
         5 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 1  further including a movable latch that is operatively coupled to the bracket body for movement relative to the archwire slot between an opened position and a closed position. 
     
     
         6 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 5  further including a hinge pin that is coupled to each of the bracket body and the movable latch and that defines an axis of rotation about which the movable latch rotates between the opened position and the closed position. 
     
     
         7 . An orthodontic bracket for coupling an archwire with a tooth, the orthodontic bracket comprising:
 a bracket body that has a mesial side, a distal side, and an archwire slot extending between the mesial side and the distal side, the archwire slot having two opposed slot sides extending from a base slot side, wherein a length of at least one of the opposed slot sides, as measured from the mesial side to the distal side, is greater than a cross-sectional width of the bracket body from the mesial side to the distal side.   
     
     
         8 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 7  wherein the two opposed slot sides includes a gingival slot side and an occlusal slot side and the base slot side includes a labial slot side. 
     
     
         9 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 7  wherein the bracket body includes a labial side that is configured to be secured to the tooth and the base slot side is oriented at an angle such that an extension of the base slot side intersects the labial side 
     
     
         10 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 7  wherein the archwire slot is gingivally biased. 
     
     
         11 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 7  further including a movable latch that is operatively coupled to the bracket body for movement relative to the archwire slot between an opened position and a closed position. 
     
     
         12 . The orthodontic bracket of  claim 11  further including a hinge pin that is coupled to each of the bracket body and the movable latch and that defines an axis of rotation about which the movable latch rotates between the opened and the closed position