Ortho Dictionary
Choose a glossary:
Parts of Braces
Appliance Anything that attaches to your teeth and moves your teeth or changes the shape of your jaw.
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 to your back tooth and goes completely around it.
Bracket A metal or ceramic part cemented ("bonded") to your tooth to hold
your archwire in place.
Coil Spring A spring that fits between your brackets and over your archwire to open space between your teeth.
Rubber Band A small rubber band that is hooked between different points on your braces to provide pressure to move your teeth to their new positions.
Elastic Tie The tiny, often colored rubber band that fits around your bracket to hold the archwire in place.
Hook A welded or removable arm to which rubber bands are attached.
Mouthguard A device that protects your mouth from injury when you participate in sports or rigorous activities.
Expander A device that slowly widens your jaw.
Retainer An appliance that is worn after braces/Invisalign to maintain teeth alignment.
Separator (or Spacer) A small rubber ring that creates space between your teeth before the bands are attached.
Wax Wax is used to cover your braces to prevent irritation of your lips and cheeks (if needed).
Orthodontic Procedures
Banding The process of fitting and cementing orthodontic bands to your back teeth (if needed).
Bonding The process of attaching brackets to your teeth using special orthodontic cement.
Cephalometic Imaging Our office is equipped with a state-of-the-art digital imaging system that uses virtually no radiation, for patient safety. This special image is taken only by orthodontists and shows the relative positions of the facial profile, jaws, and teeth.
Consultation A meeting to discuss your 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 (Molds) Imprinting of your teeth using soft putty material, which is later used to create a replica (model) of your teeth.
Invisalign® An alternative to traditional braces, Invisalign straightens your teeth with a series of clear, custom-molded, removable aligners.
Panoramic Imaging Our office is equipped with a state-of-the-art digital imaging system that uses virtually no radiation, for patient safety. This special image allows the orthodontist to view all of the teeth, bone, and surrounding areas on one picture.