Craven Kurz

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Craven Kurz
Born
Central Butte, Saskatchewan, Canada.
EducationMcGill University
Known forInventor of lingual braces and founding president of the American Lingual Orthodontic Association
Medical career
ProfessionDentist
Sub-specialtiesorthodontics

Craven Kurz was an American orthodontist who is known to be the inventor of the lingual braces in 1975. He was also the founding president of the American Lingual Orthodontic Association.[1][2]

Life

Kurz was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada. He attended

Westwood, Los Angeles, California, and practiced there for five years while teaching orthodontics at UCLA School of Dentistry. Working with celebrities and TV personalities, Kurz was faced with dilemma of his patients wanting orthodontic care but without showing that they have braces. Therefore, Kurz invented lingual braces for his patients.[3] He also published a textbook called Contemporary Lingual Orthodontics.[4]

Kurz was the founding president of the American Lingual Orthodontic Association.

He died on April 6, 1998, in Marina del Rey.[5]

Lingual braces

First generation of lingual brackets were launched in 1976. These brackets had a larger profile at first. Orthodontic company Ormcro manufactured the first Kurz Lingual Appliance. The slot size for the first bracket was 0.018 inches.[6]

References