A hand-held dental instrument intended to be used in orthodontics to accurately measure forces (in grams or ounces) applied by the elastics or springs used when setting up orthodontic appliances within the patient's mouth. The device is typically of cylindrical or tubular design (but can be dial-shaped with circular read out) and is made of metal (some partly plastic); it contains a spring-loaded mechanism which indicates the force exerted to pull the appliance elastic or spring to the desired length. This is a reusable device.