received by the International Bureau on 23 July 2016 (23.07.16)

What is claimed is:

1. An orthodontic appliance, comprising:

a body;

at least one ring-shaped member connected to the body via at least one connecting portion;

wherein the body and the at least one ring-shaped member are oriented adjacent to one another,

wherein the body and the at least one ring-shaped member are parallel; and wherein the at least one connecting portion extends orthogonally to both of the at least one ring-shaped member and the body.

2. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the body ply includes a surface.

3. The appliance of claim 2, wherein the surface includes at least one of: a number, a letter, a symbol, a logo, a printed image, a pattern, an indicia, a raised element; and a three-dimensional shape.

4. The appliance of claim 3, wherein the raised element has a color that is different from the color of the remainder of the surface.

5. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein the at least one ring-shaped member is resilient.

6. The appliance of claim 1 , wherein a series of appliances are connected adjacent to one another in a chain, wherein a first appliance is connected to an adjacent second appliance via a link connecting the at least one ring-shaped member of the first appliance and the at least one ring-shaped member of the second appliance,

7. An orthodontic appliance, comprising:

a body;

at least one ring-shaped member connected to the body via at least one connecting portion;

wherein the body and the at least one ring-shaped member are oriented adjacent to one another;

wherein the body and the at least one ring-shaped member are not coplanar when in an unloaded state; and

wherein the at least one connecting portion is oriented on an axis that intersects an archwire when the orthodontic appliance is connected to a bracket

8. (Cancelled)

9. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the body includes a surface.

10. The appliance of claim 9, wherein the surface includes at least one of: a number, a letter, a symbol, a logo, a printed image, a pattern, an indicia, a raised element; and a three-dimensional shape.

11. The appliance of claim 10, wherein the raised element has a color that is different from the color of the remainder of the surface.

12. The appliance of claim 7, wherein the at least one ring-shaped member is resilient

13. The appliance of claim 7, wherein a series of appliances are connected adjacent to one another in a chain, wherein a first appliance is connected to an adjacent second appliance via a link connecting the at least one ring-shaped member of the first appliance and the at least one ring-shaped member of the second appliance.

14. An orthodontic appliance, comprising:

a body;

at least one ring-shaped member connected to the body via at least one connecting portion;

wherein the body and the at least one ring-shaped member are oriented adjacent to one another;

wherein the body and the at least one ring-shaped member are not coplanar when in an unloaded state; and

wherein the at least one connecting portion attaches to the at least one ring- shaped member at a point mat is directly opposite an archwire when the orthodontic appliance is connected to a bracket

15. The appliance of claim 14, wherein the body includes a surface.

16. The appliance of claim 15, wherein the surface includes at least one of. a number, a letter, a symbol, a logo, a printed image, a pattern, an indicia, a raised element; and a three-dimensional shape.

17. The appliance of claim 16, wherein the raised element has a color that is different from the color of the remainder of the surface,

18. The appliance of claim 14, wherein the at least one ring-shaped member is resilient.

19. The appliance of claim 14, wherein a series of appliances are connected adjacent to one another in a chain, wherein a first appliance is connected to an adjacent second appliance via a link connecting the at least one ring-shaped member of the first appliance and the at least one ring-shaped member of the second appliance.

20. The appliance of claim 14, wherein the body has a width and length greater than the width and length of the at least one ring-shaped member and at least one connecting portion.