3M Unitek Lingual Ball Hooks, Flattened Shank

Unitek Lingual Ball Hooks are small attachments finished with a rounded ball shape at the working end and a shank flattened at the opposite end, a detail specifically intended to facilitate a secure weld attachment to either an orthodontic band or a lingual bonding pad. The flattened shank gives the welding process more surface area to bond to than a round shank would, resulting in a more reliable weld that is less likely to come loose under the stresses of normal elastic wear and everyday oral function.

Once attached, the ball shape at the hook end gives the patient's elastic a smooth, defined point to loop onto, reducing the chance of the elastic slipping or catching awkwardly compared with a sharper or less defined hook shape. This attachment can be used on either a traditional banded tooth or in conjunction with a bonded lingual pad, giving the treating orthodontist flexibility depending on whether the case is being banded or bonded at that particular tooth.

This product line is transitioning from the Unitek Lingual Ball Hooks name to the Solventum Lingual Ball Hooks line, and it remains a routine attachment stocked by practices using lingual elastic mechanics.