Abstract: An elastic orthodontic appliance for use with an edgewise-type bracket having an archwire slot with tipping and uprighting surfaces. The elastic appliance functions as a ligature to provide the usual function of retaining an archwire in the archwire slot of the bracket and additionally functions as a force transmitting device to provide supplementary tipping or uprighting forces between the bracket and the archwire. The appliance includes a ring portion having a transverse web or cross member and in some embodiments enlargements that are forced between the archwire and either the tipping or uprighting surfaces or the lateral sides of the bracket and sized to be compressed so that a force is generated between the archwire and the bracket.

Abstract: Lock pin for a bracket having a body with an occlusogingivally extending opening, attaching flanges on the lingual side of the body for attaching the bracket to a tooth, and an archwire slot at the gingivolingual corner of the body for receiving one or more archwires, wherein the lock pin includes a tail or shank extending lingual of an archwire or archwires in the archwire slot and with a part having a mesiodistal width that fits snugly between the attaching flanges to prevent relative rotation between the pin and the bracket and a head fitting in the archwire slot having an archwire engaging face of a length at least equal to half the mesiodistal width of the bracket such that a part of the head extends beyond one side of the bracket body so that precise mesiodistal control between the bracket and the archwire can be achieved. In an alternate form the tail is disposed buccal to the head and the archwire.