A dental apparatus for use with a connecting member coupled to a jaw in a patients mouth. The apparatus includes an orthodontic device and a connecting device carried by the orthodontic device. The connecting device includes a receptacle adapted to partially receive the connecting member and a blocking member. The blocking member is moveable relative to the receptacle between an opened position in which the connecting member may be disengaged from the receptacle and a closed position in which the connecting member is captured within the receptacle for pivotally engaging the orthodontic device with the connecting member. The orthodontic device may further include a biasing member selectively activated to provide a spring-biased force to the jaw. A method of using the dental apparatus includes moving the blocking member to capture/release the connecting member in the receptacle and activating/deactivating the biasing member to operate the apparatus in a different mode.
