Ortho Dictionary

Choose a glossary:

» Parts of Braces
» Orthodontic Procedures

Parts of Braces

Appliance: Anything your orthodontist attaches to your teeth which can move your teeth or change the shape of your jaw. Appliances can be fixed (glued-in) or removable.

Archwire: The metal wire that acts as a track or guide for your teeth as they move. It is changed periodically throughout treatment as your teeth move to their new positions.

Band: A metal ring that is cemented to your tooth and goes completely around your tooth. Bands provide a way to attach brackets to your teeth. Bands are often used on the back teeth (molars).

Bond: The seal created by orthodontic cement that holds your appliances in place on your tooth.

Bracket: A metal or ceramic part 'bonded' to your tooth that attaches to your archwire. Brackets can be used on your front or back teeth depending on the orthodontists preference.

Coil Spring: A spring that fits on your archwire, between your brackets to open space between your teeth.

Elastic (Rubber Band): A small rubber band that is hooked between different points on your braces to provide pressure to move your teeth to a new position. The patient places rubber bands as he or she is directed by the orthodontist. It is important that instructions are followed exactly as the orthodontist prescribes.

Elastic Tie: The rubber band that fits around your bracket to hold the archwire in place. They come in a variety of colors. Braces that are 'self-ligating' do not use elastic ties usually because they have miniature sliding 'doors' to hold the archwire in place.

Headgear: Headgear uses an external wire apparatus known as a facebow 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 a spring-loaded neck strap or head strap. The straps have a safety release that disconnects if the facebow is pulled or snagged.

Headgear Tube: A round, hollow attachment on your back bands that the inner bow of your headgear fits into.

Hook: A permanent arm attached to your archwire, bracket or band to which elastics are attached.

Ligature Tie: A thin wire that holds your archwire into your bracket.

Lip Bumper: A lip bumper is a larger wire that is partially covered in a molded piece of plastic that is attached to a band. Using the natural pressures exerted by your lips and cheeks, the lip bumper holds the molars back on your lower jaw while the natural forces of your tongue help to create 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.

Retainer: 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. Removable retainers can be clear and cover all of your teeth or they can be a variety of colors and have wires that attach to specific teeth. It is extremely important to wear your retainers as directed and have them checked periodically by your orthodontist.

Separator or Spacer: A small rubber ring that creates space between your teeth before the bands are attached.

Steel Tie Lace: A longer thin ligature tie wire that is twisted around two or more brackets and your archwire to hold your teeth together in groups as the orthodontist is directing the movement of specific teeth.

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 which 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 quickly hardens into a mold of your teeth. Your orthodontist will use these impressions to prepare plaster models to study your teeth. The patient will also be asked to bite into a material to create a 'bite registration'. The bite registration is used to set the models of your teeth into an accurate representation of how your teeth fit together.

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.

Panoramic X-ray: An X-ray that rotates around your head to take a picture of your teeth, jaw and other facial areas.