Claims
- 1. An orthodontic bracket comprising:
a body having a lingual surface for attachment to a tooth, the body defining an arch wire slot extending mesiodistally across the body and dimensioned to receive an arch wire; a shutter coupled to the body and movable relative to the body between an open position, in which placement and removal of an arch wire in the arch wire slot is facilitated, and a closed position, in which placement and removal of an arch wire in the arch wire slot is inhibited; and a spring positioned in the recess and coupled to the body, the spring providing a force to bias the shutter.
- 2. An orthodontic bracket as claimed in claim 1 wherein the body includes a tie wing and wherein the recess is formed in the tie wing.
- 3. An orthodontic bracket as claimed in claim 2 wherein the tie wing is an occlusal tie wing.
- 4. An orthodontic bracket as claimed in claim 2 wherein the body includes a second tie wing having a second recess and a second spring positioned within the recess, wherein the second spring is coupled to the shutter.
- 5. An orthodontic bracket as claimed in claim 1, wherein the spring biases the shutter toward the closed position.
- 6. An orthodontic bracket as claimed in claim 5 wherein the body includes a recess adapted to engage and hold the shutter in the open position.
- 7. An orthodontic bracket as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the shutter slides within the passageway. 8. An orthodontic bracket as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring comprises a coil spring.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/625,944, filed on Apr. 1, 1996 which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/412,338 filed on Mar. 31, 1995 now abandoned which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/206,724 filed on Mar. 7, 1994 now issued and granted under U.S. Pat. No. 5,474,445.
Continuations (3)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09847505 |
May 2001 |
US |
Child |
10784313 |
Feb 2004 |
US |
Parent |
09327732 |
Jun 1999 |
US |
Child |
09847505 |
May 2001 |
US |
Parent |
08745512 |
Nov 1996 |
US |
Child |
09327732 |
Jun 1999 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (3)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
08625944 |
Apr 1996 |
US |
Child |
08745512 |
Nov 1996 |
US |
Parent |
08412338 |
Mar 1995 |
US |
Child |
08625944 |
Apr 1996 |
US |
Parent |
08206724 |
Mar 1994 |
US |
Child |
08412338 |
Mar 1995 |
US |