Method of manufacturing an orthodontic bracket having a laser shaped green body

A method of manufacturing an orthodontic appliance comprising:

• guiding a laser beam over a surface portion of a green body composed of particles held together by a binder in the shape of the orthodontic appliance to vaporize, melt, and/or decompose the binder at a point being hit by the laser beam;
• removing particles from the surface portion of the green body where the binder has been vaporized, melted, and/or decomposed to yield a laser-cut portion defined by the remaining particles of the green body, the laser-cut portion having a shape that is related to a negative shape of a lingual side or a buccal side of a tooth;
• and
• heating the green body to remove additional binder following removal of the binder during guiding of the laser beam over the surface portion.