Ortho Dictionary
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» Parts of Braces
» Orthodontic Procedures
Parts of Braces
Appliance (fixed)
Anything your orthodontist attaches to your teeth which moves your teeth or changes
the shape of your jaw.
Appliance (removable)
Any plastic and/or metal, "retainer-type" of appliance given by the
orthodontist to wear on your teeth to move or maintain tooth positions.
Archwire
The metal wire that acts as a track to guide your teeth along as they move.
It is changed periodically throughout treatment as your teeth move to their
new positions.
Band
A metal ring that is cemented usually to molar tooth and goes completely
around the tooth. Bands provide a way to attach brackets to your teeth, especially
in heavy force areas like the back teeth.
Bond
The seal created by orthodontic cement that holds your appliances in place.
Bracket
A square-shaped metal or ceramic piece cemented (“bonded”) to your
tooth that holds your archwire in place.
Coil Spring
A spring that fits between your brackets and over your archwire to open space
between your teeth.
Elastic (Rubber Band)
A small rubber band that is hooked between different points on your appliance
to provide pressure to move your teeth to their new positions.
Elastic Tie
The tiny rubber band or "o-tie" that fits around your bracket to
hold the archwire in place. These come in a variety of colors.
Headgear
Headgear uses an external wire apparatus to gently guide the growth of your
face and jaw by moving your teeth into proper position. The force is applied
to the facebow by elastics, or by a spring-loaded neck, head or chin strap.
Headgear Tube
A round, hollow attachment on your back bands. The inner bow of your headgear
fits into it.
Hook
A welded or removable arm to which elastics are attached.
Ligature
A thin wire that holds your archwire into your bracket.
Lip Bumper
An archwire attached to a molded piece of plastic. The lip
bumper holds back the molars on your lower jaw to provide more space for your
other teeth.
Mouthguard
A device that protects your mouth from injury when you participate in sports
or rigorous activities.
Palatal Expander
A device that makes your upper jaw wider, usually by turning a small key that
gently pushes the two sides of the upper jaw apart. This process mimics a normal,
safe, un-felt expansion for some children who need a "nudge"!
Retainer (See Appliance, removable)
An appliance that is worn after your braces are removed, the retainer attaches
to your upper and/or lower teeth to hold them in place. Some retainers are
removable and others are bonded to the tongue-side of several teeth.
Separator (or Spacer)
A small rubber ring that creates space between your teeth before the bands
are attached.
Tie Wire (Kobi-Tie)
A fine wire that is twisted around your bracket to hold the archwire in place;
sometimes a tie wire has a small loop connected to it for elastic wear.
Wax
Wax is used to stop your braces from irritating your lips.
Orthodontic Procedures
Banding
The process of fitting and cementing orthodontic bands to your teeth.
Bonding
The process of attaching brackets to your teeth using special orthodontic cement.
Cephalometric X-ray
An x-ray of your head that shows the relative positions and growth of the face,
jaws, and teeth.
Consultation
A meeting with your orthodontist to discuss a treatment plan.
Debanding
The process of removing cemented orthodontic bands from your teeth.
Debonding
The process of removing cemented orthodontic brackets from your teeth.
Impressions
The process of making a model of your teeth by biting into a soft material that
hardens into a mold of your teeth. Your orthodontist will use these impressions
to prepare your treatment plan.
Invisalign®
An alternative to traditional braces, Invisalign straightens your teeth with
a series of clear custom-molded aligners. Invisalign can correct some, but not
all, orthodontic problems.
Ligation
The process of attaching an archwire to the brackets on your teeth.
Panoramic X-ray
An x-ray that rotates around your head to take pictures of your teeth, jaw and
other facial areas.