Glossary of Orthodontic Appliances
Archwire
ArchwireA metal wire which is attached to your brackets to move your teeth.
Bands
A metal ring that is usually placed on your teeth to hold on parts of your braces.
Brackets
Brackets are the small metal or ceramic modules attached to each tooth. They serve as guides to move the teeth and hold the archwire in place.
Braces
A word commonly used to describe a fixed orthodontic appliance, usually comprised of brackets, bands and wires.
Buccal Tube
A small metal part that is welded on the outside of a molar band. The molar band contains slots to hold archwires, lip bumpers, facebows and other things your orthodontist uses to move your teeth.
Chain
A stretchable plastic chain used to hold archwires into brackets and to move teeth.
Elastics
Elastics or rubber bands for braces help move the upper and lower teeth relative to each other, ultimately achieving a better bite. The orthodontic rubber bands are typically effective for correcting overbites, underbites, or other types of alignments of the jaw. They are also useful for moving a tooth out of alignment or to close a space in the mouth.
Fixed Retainers
Fixed RetainersFixed retainers consist of a metal wire bonded to the back of the teeth. Fixed retainers can stay in place indefinitely.
Hawley
A Hawley retainer is made of clear pink acrylic plastic that is molded to your mouth and contains a wire to hold your teeth in position. The Hawley design permits desirable “settling” of the bite to occur by allowing slight incremental vertical movement of the posterior teeth which may enhance stability.
Invisalign
Invisalign® is a series of clear, removable teeth aligners that both orthodontists and dentists use as an alternative to traditional metal dental braces.
Mouth Guards
A device that is used to protect your mouth from injury when you are participating in sports. The use of a mouthguard is especially important for orthodontic patients, to prevent injuries.
Nance
The Nance button is utilized to hold teeth in position to allow for the movement of other teeth. The impact of the button on the lower palate creates force on the back molars.
Palatal Expander
A palatal expander, also known as a rapid palatal expander, rapid maxillary expansion appliance, palate expander or orthodontic expander, is used to widen the upper jaw so that the bottom and upper teeth will fit together better.
Separators
Separators are tiny rubber bands or springs that your orthodontist places between your back teeth. These separators prepare your mouth for braces by creating a small gap between these teeth. This space allows for the placement of a metal band around your molar, which anchors your braces in your mouth.