SELF-LIGATING ORTHODONTIC BRACKET
An orthodontic bracket having a bracket body configured to be mounted to a tooth includes an archwire slot having a base surface defining a base plane and a slide engagement track defining a translation plane. The translation plane is angled with respect to the base plane. A ligating slide is engaged with the slide engagement track of the bracket body and movable along the slide engagement track and parallel to the translation plane between an opened position, in which an archwire is insertable into the archwire slot, and a closed position, in which the archwire is retained within the archwire slot. The translation plane is angled with respect to the base plane so as to prevent the ligating slide from contacting the gingiva surrounding the tooth when the ligating slide is moved to the opened position.
1 . A self-ligating orthodontic bracket for coupling an archwire with a tooth, comprising:
a bracket body configured to be mounted to the tooth, the bracket body including a first outwardly-facing surface, a second outwardly-facing surface acutely angled with respect to the first outwardly-facing surface, and an archwire slot including a base surface and opposed slot surfaces extending outwardly from the base surface, the first outwardly-facing surface being spaced apart from the second outwardly-facing surface by the archwire slot;
a movable ligating slide coupled with the bracket body and movable between an opened position in which the archwire is insertable into the archwire slot and a closed position in which the movable ligating slide retains the archwire in the archwire slot, the movable ligating slide comprising a first portion and a second portion extending from the first portion and being acutely angled with respect to the first portion, the second portion engaging the second outwardly-facing surface of the bracket body when the movable ligating slide is in the closed position.
2 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first projecting portion on the bracket body; and
a first receiving portion on the movable ligating slide configured to engage the first projecting portion when the movable ligating slide is in the closed position.
3 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of claim 2 , wherein the first receiving portion is configured to resiliently engage the first projecting portion.
4 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of claim 1 , wherein the first outwardly-facing surface intersects and extends from one of the opposed slot surfaces and the second outwardly-facing surface intersects and extends from the other of the opposed slot surfaces.
5 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of claim 1 , wherein the movable ligating slide includes at least one tool engagement recess.
6 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of claim 1 , wherein the movable ligating slide comprises a mesial portion, a distal portion, and a central portion intermediate the mesial portion and the distal portion, the central portion being substantially flush with a labial side of the bracket body.
7 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of claim 6 , wherein the central portion includes a channel that tapers in an occlusal-gingival direction.
8 . The self-ligating orthodontic bracket of claim 6 , wherein the bracket body further includes a pair of opposed guides extending outwardly from the first outwardly-facing surface, each guide including a leg that partially overlies the first outwardly-facing surface so as to cooperate with the mesial portion and the distal portion of the movable ligating slide.