Orthodontic flosser

A method for retying broken floss on a flosser including a pair of projections for suspending the floss, the method comprising:

• rotating a take-up bobbin including a retie channel disposed in an upper flange to align the retie channel with a retie slot disposed in a take-up chamber, the retie channel adjacent a retie flange extending upward from and above the upper flange;
• wrapping an end of the broken floss around a grip of a take-up bobbin, wherein the grip includes a horn on either end of the grip, the horns configured for holding the floss on the grip while wrapping the end of the broken floss around the grip;
• pressing a button to release source spool to rotate freely;
• rotating the take-up bobbin to position a portion of the retie flange above the floss after wrapping the end of the broken floss around the grip;
• further rotating the take-up bobbin to urge the floss against a guide edge of the retie slot;
• further rotating the take-up bobbin to close a top of the retie slot using the upper flange;
• further rotating the take-up bobbin at least two complete turns to wrap the floss around a spindle of the take-up bobbin until the floss is secured to the spindle;
• releasing the button;
• and
• rotating the take-up bobbin to apply tension to the floss suspended between the pair of projections.

A retiable flosser comprising:

• a head including a pair of projections configured to support floss suspended therebetween;
• a source chamber supporting the head;
• a handle coupled to the source chamber;
• a take-up chamber coupled to the handle;
• a bobbin rotatably disposed in the take-up chamber, the bobbin including an upper flange, a lower flange, a spindle for winding floss between the upper and lower flanges, and a grip for rotating the bobbin, wherein the grip includes an undercut forming a horn configured for holding floss on the grip while wrapping floss around the grip;
• a retie slot disposed in the take-up chamber proximate the handle;
• a capture fence extending above a rim of the take-up chamber, the capture fence configured to constrain floss above the retie slot while wrapping floss around the grip;
• a guide edge disposed along one side of the retie slot, the guide edge forming an angle configured for forcing floss into the take-up chamber while rotating the bobbin;
• a retie channel disposed in the upper flange;
• and
• a retie flange forming one edge of the retie channel, the retie flange extending above a plane of the upper flange and above a rim of the take-up chamber, the retie flange configured for forcing floss against the guide edge and into the retie slot while rotating the bobbin using the grip, the grip further configured for receiving at least two wraps of floss around the grip and holding wraps of floss adjacent the upper flange while rotating the bobbin.