An orthodontic bracket or convertible buccal tube for use with arch wires (34) has the usual mesial distal extending slot (26) having one side open to receive the wire. The open side is closed by a shutter (36) pivoting on a pivot pin (40), or coaxial pins (40), about a mesial distal axis (42), the shutter (36) being latched in slot closed position to retain the arch wire by a latch (64, 66) having one latch member (64 or 66) on the pivot pin/s (40) and a cooperating member (66 or 64 respectively) on an annular part (50) of the shutter surrounding the pin/s. Preferably the latch members (64, 66) are a mesial distal extending cam shaped recess (64) in the pivot pints (64) and a projection (66) protruding from the annular shutter part (50), or vice versa. The part of the annular shutter part carrying the latch member is made flexible by a mesial distal extending through slot (62) dividing it to form a movable segment of about 200 DEG to 270 DEG of the total circumference a tool (73) can be inserted into the slot to assist in disengaging the latch. The shutter member can have parts (84, 86) thereof that with the shutter in slot closed position are an interference fit against the device body providing an additional retaining force against opening movement. Preferably the device includes an attitude controlling spring member (74, 76) consisting of a thin sheet metal spring within the body having a free end (74) extending into the arch wire slot (26) to engage an arch wire therein, or alternatively consisting of a flexible extension (104, 106) of the part of the shutter member (36) that closes the slot.
