Orthodontic plier-type tool

Claim 1

A plier-type tool for orthodontists for manipulating O-ring type elastic ligatures comprising: a. a pair of plier members, each having a handle portion and a jaw portion; b. said plier members being retained in a pivotal relationship by a pivot pin; c. said plier members being movable between an open position and a closed position by manipulation of the handle portions of the plier members; d. each of said jaw portions including a pivot portion, an intermediate portion and an outer end portion; e. each of said outer end portions comprising a beak member having an inner face, with each of said beak members having a transverse groove formed along the inner face thereof, whereby an elastic ligature may be positioned lengthwise in said grooves and grasped between said beak members for manipulating said elastic ligature when the jaw portions are moved to the closed position; f. each of said beak members having an identical pointed outer end configuration adjacent the transverse groove formed thereon and forming one-half of a total pointed tip formed by the beak members when in the closed position, which when in the closed position facilitates the sliding thereon of an elastic ligature for expanding the same preparatory to grasping the ligature by the beak members for manipulation and placement of the same in an operative position in a patient's mouth; g. each of said grooves in said beak members having a concave transverse configuration that extends perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of each beak member and which coact together to form a transversely closed circular groove when the jaw portions are moved to the closed position to completely surround said ligature; h. each of said beak members being disposed at an acute angle from a plane passing through the longitudinal axes of the handle portions; and, i. said acute angle being an acute angle in a range up to and including 90°.