A dental apparatus for use with a connecting member coupled to a jaw in a patients mouth. The apparatus includes an orthodontic device (10) and a connecting device (22, 24, 140, 180) carried by the orthodontic device (10). The connecting device (22, 24, 140, 180) includes a receptacle (48) adapted to partially receive the connecting member (50) and a blocking member (88, 146, 196). The blocking member (88, 146, 196) is moveable relative to the receptacle (48) between an opened position in which the connecting member (50) may be disengaged from the receptacle (48) and a closed position in which the connecting member (50) is captured within the receptacle (48) for pivotally engaging the orthodontic device (10) with the connecting member (50). The orthodontic device (10) may further include a biasing member (112) selectively activated to provide a spring-biased force to the jaw. A method of using the dental apparatus includes moving the blocking member (88, 146, 196) to capture/release the connecting member (50) in the receptacle (48) and activating/deactivating the biasing member (112) to operate the apparatus in a different mode.L’invention concerne un appareil dentaire pour utilisation avec un élément de connexion couplé à une mâchoire dans la bouche d’un patient. L’appareil comporte un dispositif orthodontique (10) et un dispositif de connexion (22, 24, 140, 180) supporté par le dispositif orthodontique (10). Le dispositif de connexion (22, 24, 140, 180) contient un réceptacle (48) adapté pour recevoir partiellement l’élément de connexion (50) et un organe de blocage (88, 146, 196). L’organe de blocage (88, 146, 196) est mobile par rapport au réceptacle (48) entre une position ouverte, dans laquelle l’élément de connexion (50) peut être dégagé du réceptacle (48), et une position fermée dans laquelle l’élément de connexion (50) est capturé dans le réceptacle (48) pour engager de manière pivotante le dispositif orthodontique (10) avec l’élément de connexion (50). Le
