Importance

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Abstract

A placement jig for locating an orthodontic appliance on a tooth is provided with a cavity formed in a jig body and conforming to the contour of an occlusal portion a tooth crown, which cavity is coated with a releasable adhesive to hold the jig to the tooth as the appliance is bonded to the tooth. Connecting structure is fixed to the jig body and has a spring metal tip that frictionally fits into a hole in the appliance. The peg is oriented in the occlusal-gingival direction so that its tip slides out of the hole in the bracket when the jig is moved occlusally from the tooth to remove the jig after the appliance has been bonded. A handle is formed into or extends from the jig body at a generally balanced position opposite the cavity, and a specially configured handling tool is provided to grip the jig and appliance combination to place it on a tooth or to remove the jig from the appliance and the tooth. The peg may be formed by from a strip of spring metal in one layer or folded with a bowed portion that is spring biased to expand and removably fit snugly in a hole in the appliance with its other end securely fixed to the jig body. For featureless teeth, registration structure can be added to the tooth or the jig can be fashioned with removeable extensions to register with an adjacent tooth.

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First Claim