Self-ligating orthodontic bracket having undercuts and related methods

An orthodontic bracket, comprising:

• a bracket body configured to be mounted onto a tooth, the bracket body including an archwire slot having a base surface and opposed slot surfaces projecting substantially perpendicularly from the base surface and being adapted to receive an archwire therein, the bracket body further including a support surface intersecting one of the opposed slot surfaces, a pair of opposing projections extending outwardly from the support surface, the support surface and opposing projections defining a guiding track having a first portion and a second portion having a width between opposing projections greater than a width between opposing projections of the first portion;
• and
• a ligating member coupled to the bracket body and movable relative thereto in the guiding track between an opened position in which the archwire is received into the archwire slot, and a closed position in which the ligating member overlies the archwire slot and retains the archwire in the archwire slot, the ligating member having a relatively rigid main body portion and a resilient ligating portion, the resilient ligating portion overlying the archwire slot when in the closed position,
• wherein the resilient ligating portion is capable of flexing between an expanded position and a contracted position, the resilient ligating portion being in the expanded position when in the second portion of the guiding track and being in the contracted position when in the first portion of the guiding track, wherein moving the ligating member toward the opened position applies a force to the resilient ligating portion causing the resilient ligating portion to deform to the contracted position so as to fit within the first portion of the guiding track,
• wherein the first portion of the guiding track has a generally constant width, and the second portion of the guiding track has a variable width,
• wherein the variable width of the second portion is narrowest at an intersection of the first portion and the second portion and the variable width is greatest at an intersection of the second portion with the archwire slot.

An orthodontic bracket, comprising:

• a bracket body configured to be mounted onto a tooth, the bracket body including an archwire slot having a base surface and opposed slot surfaces projecting substantially perpendicularly from the base surface and being adapted to receive an archwire therein, the bracket body further including a support surface intersecting one of the opposed slot surfaces, a pair of opposing projections extending outwardly from the support surface, the support surface and opposing projections defining a guiding track having a first portion and a second portion having a width between opposing projections greater than a width between opposing projections of the first portion;
• and
• a ligating member coupled to the bracket body and movable relative thereto in the guiding track between an opened position in which the archwire is received into the archwire slot, and a closed position in which the ligating member overlies the archwire slot and retains the archwire in the archwire slot, the ligating member having a relatively rigid main body portion and a resilient ligating portion, the resilient ligating portion overlying the archwire slot when in the closed position,
• wherein the resilient ligating portion is capable of flexing between an expanded position and a contracted position, the resilient ligating portion being in the expanded position when in the second portion of the guiding track and being in the contracted position when in the first portion of the guiding track, wherein moving the ligating member toward the opened position applies a force to the resilient ligating portion causing the resilient ligating portion to deform to the contracted position so as to fit within the first portion of the guiding track,
• wherein the second portion has an arcuate shape such that the width of the second portion is greatest at the intersection of the guiding track with the archwire slot.