Orthodontic appliance

Claim 1

AN ORTHODONTIC LOCK PIN AND BRACKET APPLIANCE COMPRISING A BRACKET SECURED TO A TOOTH BAND HAVING A BODY EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREOF, AN OCCLUSAL-GINGIVALLY EXTENDING OPENING IN SAID BODY AND A MESIAL-DISTALLY EXTENDING NOTCH AT THE GINGIVAL-LINGUAL CORNER OF SAID BODY, A MESIAL-DISTALLY EXTENDING ARCH WIRE RECEIVED IN SAID NOTCH, AND A LOCK PIN RECEIVED IN SAID OPENING AND COACTING WITH SAID NOTCH TO SECURE THE ARCH WIRE TO SAID BRACKET, SAID LOCK PIN HAVING AN ELONGATED BODY AND A HEAD, SAID BODY HAVING A BUCCAL-LINGUAL THICKNESS SUCH AS TO BE RECEIVED IN SAID OPENING AND NOT TO EXTEND INTO SAID NOTCH, SAID HEAD BEING DIMENSIONED TO PREVENT IT FROM ENTERING THE OPENING AND THEREBY DEFINING IT AS A STOP FOR ENGAGING THE GINGIVAL END OF THE BRACKET, SAID HEAD EXTENDING LINGUALLY TO SPAN THE BUCCAL-LINGUAL DEPTH OF THE NOTCH TO LOCK THE ARCH WIRE THEREIN, AND A PIVOT PIN HAVING A STEM EXTENDING THROUGH SAID OPENING AND A HEAD ENGAGING THE BOTTOM OF THE NOTCH, THE GINGIVAL END OF SAID HEAD COACTING WITH THE LOCK PIN HEAD TO DEFINE A PIVOTAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE BRACKET AND ARCH WIRE.