Glossary of Terms
Parts of Braces
Appliance: Anything your orthodontist attaches to your teeth which moves your teeth or changes the shape of your jaw.
Archwire: The metal wire that is attached to the brackets to move the teeth.
Band: A metal ring that is cemented to the tooth, which provides a way to attach brackets to the teeth.
Bond: The seal created by orthodontic cement that holds orthodontic appliances in place.
Bracket: A metal or ceramic part that is glued onto a tooth and serves as a means of fastening the archwire.
Coil Spring: A spring that fits over the archwire and between the brackets to create space between the teeth.
Elastic (Rubber Band): A small rubber band that is hooked between different points on appliances, which provides pressure to move teeth into the appropriate position.
Elastic Tie: The tiny rubber band that fits around a bracket to hold the archwire in place. Elastic ties come in a wide range of colors.
Headgear: An appliance worn outside of the mouth to provide traction for growth modification and tooth movement.
Headgear Tube: A round, hollow attachment on the back bands. The inner bow of headgear fits into it.
Hook: An orthodontic device that creates an anchor for an elastic, ligature or spring to be attached to.
Ligature: A thin wire that holds the archwire into a bracket.
Lip Bumper: Used to push the molars on the lower jaw back to create more space for other teeth. It consists of an archwire which is attached to a molded piece of plastic. The archwire is mounted in the buccal tubes on the lower jaw, and a plastic piece rests against the patient’s lips. When the patients eats or talks, the plastic piece is pushed back, which pushes on the molars.
Mouthguard: A device used to protect the mouth from injury while participating in sports. The use of a mouthguard is especially important for orthodontic patients to prevent injuries.
Palatal Expander: A device used to widen the upper jaw.
Retainer: A device worn by a patient after the orthodontist has removed the braces. The retainer attaches to the upper teeth and holds them in the correct position. It is worn to ensure that none of the teeth move while the jaw hardens and the teeth get strongly attached to the jaw.
Separator or Spacer: A metal or plastic part an orthodontist uses to create space between the teeth so that bands eventually can be affixed to the teeth.
Tie Wire: A fine wire twisted around a bracket to hold an archwire in place.
Wax: Wax is used to prevent braces from irritating a patient’s lips.
Orthodontic Procedures
Banding: The process of fitting and cementing orthodontic bands to the teeth.
Bonding: The process of attaching brackets to the teeth using special orthodontic cement.
Cephalometic X-ray: An X-ray of the head that shows whether the teeth are aligned properly and whether they are growing properly.
Consultation: A meeting with an orthodontist to discuss a treatment plan.
Debanding: The removal of cemented orthodontic bands from the teeth.
Debonding: The process of removing cemented orthodontic brackets from the teeth.
Impressions: The first step in making a model of the teeth. The patient bites into a container filled with algenate and the algenate hardens to produce a mold of the teeth. These impressions are used to prepare the patient’s treatment plan.
Invisalign®: An alternative to traditional braces whereby teeth are straightened using a series of clear, custom-molded aligners. Not every orthodontic patient is a good candidate for Invisalign, as this treatment cannot correct all orthodontic problems.
Ligation: A process where an archwire is attached to the brackets on the teeth.
Panoramic X-ray: An X-ray taken by a machine that rotates around the head to give the orthodontist a complete picture of the teeth, jaws and other important information.
