03/10/2020
It's that time of the week, Tooth Talk Tuesday!
This week we are going back to the basics. Maybe you, as the parent, have never had braces, maybe you have questions about how things have changed? Your questions answered every week right here!
Appliance: This is a general term that refers to any part involved in the orthodontic procedures.
Archwire: On traditional braces, this is the metal wire that ties into all of the brackets. It forces the teeth to move into the desired alignments.
Bands: This band, typically made of metal, is wrapped and cemented around the tooth. These are used to attach brackets to your teeth.
Bond: The seal your orthodontist creates to hold your appliances in place.
Bracket: This is the metal (or ceramic, in some cases) piece that is either connected to the bands or directly bonded to your teeth. The brackets hold the archwire in place.
Coil spring: This is a small spring that is intended to open space between your teeth when necessary. It fits between your brackets and over your archwire.
Elastic bands: These are essentially tiny rubber bands that are attached to the hooks around the bracket. These help the teeth make their way towards their permanent, straightened position.
Hook: These can be elastic or welded to your brackets. The elastics are attached to them in order to coax the teeth into place.
Ligature: This is the wire that holds your archwire to your brackets. It is typically in the form of a small elastic or a twisted wire.
Retainer: This appliance will be a huge part of life once your braces are removed. It is used to hold the permanent position of your newly straightened teeth in the desired place.
Spacer or Separator: This is a small rubber ring that is used to create necessary spaces between your teeth prior to the bands being attached.
Wax: Wax is not an appliance, but rather a soothing treatment that is applied to the braces to stop them from irritating your lips
