Disclosed is a method for producing an orthodontic appliance for securing to a user's teeth in order to carry out an orthodontic treatment, the appliance having an element. The method includes a) gathering information relating to the user's set of teeth； b) using the information to determine at least first and second stable shapes of the element towards which the element should tend to deform during the first and second periods of treatment, respectively； and c) producing and programming the element in such a way that the application of a stimulus during the first period of the treatment renders the second stable shape operational. In certain aspects in step c), a retractable or expansible material is incorporated into the element.
