Orthodontic tool for removing epoxy secured brackets and epoxy residue

Claim 1

A plier-type orthodontic tool for the removal of a wire-retaining bracket and the residue of the attaching cement such as epoxy cement by which the bracket is secured to the side of a tooth, said tool including: (a) a pair of substantially plier-like jaws arranged in a mirror image relationship and conventionally maintained in a pivoted relationship by a hinge means; (b) a pair of handle means each operatively connected to a jaw member and adapted to move the connected jaw when these handle means are manipulated; (c) a hardened distal end portion formed on each jaw, each end portion having a short outer surface which terminates with a sharp chisel-like pry and scraping edge, this outer surface so formed that when cut by a theoretical plane parallel to the pry edge a line is defined on the outer surface which is at least substantially parallel to the cutting edge; (d) a relief portion formed on the inner portion of the jaw and with said outer surface forming this chisel edge with an acute angle of less than 90°, and when the pry and scraping edges of the opposed jaws are brought to a closed condition that outer surface adjacent the pry edge defines an acute angle such as five to fifteen degrees to a tangent line normal to a plane passing midway of the jaws and through the common engagement of the sharpened pry edges of the jaws, the cross section through a distal jaw portion being of increasing thickness beginning at the sharp chisel edge and moving away therefrom, the combined relief portions formed in the jaw portions sufficient for the jaws to be brought substantially together in a pry and scraping action with the removed bracket in the relief portions, and (e) a partially resilient cap member having an interior portion so formed as to be tightly although removably mountable on the distal and sharpened chisel end of the jaw, this cap member adapted to cover this distal hardened chisel jaw end and to be intimately supported by the inner relief configuration, the supported cap member when and while in this mounted condition is adapted to be placed on the upper surface of a tooth, said cap when so positioned providing a support enabling the chisel edge of the uncapped jaw to be manipulated to pry an adhesively attached bracket and/or the residue cement from the face of the tooth to which the bracket was attached.