Orthodontic bracket

A pre-engaging orthodontic bracket for attaching an archwire to a tooth comprising:

• a body having a lingual surface for attachment to a tooth, at least one gingival tie wing and at least one occlusal tie wing, said gingival and occlusal tie wings projecting from a labial surface of said body;
• an archwire slot extending mesiodistally across said body between said gingival and at least one occlusal tie wing to accommodate an archwire;
• and
• a locking shutter in the form of a spring element pivotally mounted on said body said spring element being pivotable between an open position in which placement and removal of said archwire in slot is facilitated and a closed position in which placement of said archwire in said archwire slot is inhibited, said spring element having turned distal ends, said distal ends being generally horizontal and vertically offset with respect to one another.

A pre-engaging orthodontic bracket for attaching an archwire to a tooth comprising:

• a body having a lingual surface for attachment to a tooth, a pair of laterally spaced gingival tie wings and a pair of laterally spaced occlusal tie wings, said gingival and occlusal tie wings projecting from a labial surface of said body, both said gingival tie wings and occlusal tie wings being separated by an interwing region of said body;
• an archwire slot extending mesiodistally across said body and between the gingival and occlusal tie wings to accommodate an archwire;
• a locking shutter pivotally mounted on said body and being pivotable between an open position in which placement and removal of an archwire and said archwire slot is facilitated and a closed position in which placement of said archwire and said archwire slot is inhibited;
• and
• a slot activator pivotably mounted on said body and accommodated by a passage therein, said slot activator being pivotable to extend labially into said archwire slot to urge an archwire in said archwire slot towards said locking shutter.