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| 1. BAND: a thin ring of metal fitted around a tooth and cemented in place. The band provides a way to attach the bracket wires to the tooth. |
| 2. BRACKETS: small attachments that hold the archwire in place. Most often brackets are cemented directly onto the tooth's surface. This eliminates the need for a band. |
| 3. ARCHWIRE: mainwire that acts like a track to guide the teeth along. It's changed periodically throughout the treatment as teeth move to their new positions. |
| 4. TIE WIRES (LIGATURES): fine wires that are twisted around each bracket to hold the archwire in place. |
| 5. ELASTIC LIGATURES: tiny rubber bands used like wires to hold the archwires in the brackets. |
| 6. ELASTICS: small rubber bands of various sizes that are hooked between different points on the appliance to provide pressure to move the teeth. |
| 7. HEADGEAR TUBES: round,
hollow attachments on the back bands.
The inner bow of the headgear fits into them. |
| 8. BUCCAL TUBES: hollow attachments, also on back bands, which hold the archwires in place |
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| Appliance - Anything that causes changes in the position of the teeth or jaws. Fixed appliances stay in the mouth and are only removed by the orthodontist (brackets, bands, some expanders). Removable appliances can be taken out of the mouth (bionators, headgear). |
| Bionator - a type of functional appliance |
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| Colors - see Ties |
| Expander - an appliance which widens the jaw. See Fixed Expander vs. Removable Expander. |
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| Fixed Expander - an appliance which is bonded or cemented to the teeth (usually the upper). This is better at making permanent changes to the width of the jaw than a removable expander. |
| Frankel Appliance - a type of functional appliance |
| Functional Appliance - an appliance used to help position the jaw into a more ideal position |
| Headgear - a strap worn around the back of the head which is used to help pull the teeth back or influence the jaw growth |
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| Impacted Tooth - a tooth that has not erupted into the mouth when expected. It's stuck! |
| Impression - a soft material is put in a small tray that fits over your teeth. In a few minutes your teeth leave a print in the material like a hand print in soft sand at the beach. |
| Mandible - the lower jaw |
| Maxilla - the upper jaw |
| Model - a white plaster record of your teeth made from the impression |
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| Oral Hygiene - the act of removing plaque from the teeth by brushing and flossing |
| Over Bite (Class II) - Term that describes upper teeth biting over the lower teeth. Some overbite is normal, but too much over bite can cause severe problems and facial changes. |
| Plaque - bacteria and their by-products which stick to the teeth. Plaque produces acid which can make permanent white marks or cavities on the teeth. |
| Power Chain - a special elastic tie used to close the spaces between teeth |
| Records - X-rays - (2) one of the face from the side (lateral cephalogram) and one of the jaws (panoramic), photographs of the face and teeth, and impressions (molds) of the teeth |
| Removable expander - an expander that may be taken in and out of the mouth. This type of expander usually winds up only tipping the teeth; it's usually better to use a fixed expander. |
| Retainer - an appliance used to keep the teeth in position after the braces are removed. Every orthodontic patient wears a retainer following treatment. |
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| Separator (Spacer) - the elastic ring used to open space between the teeth before bands are placed |
| Spacer - see Separator |
| TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint) - the joint where the lower jaw meets the base of the skull |
| Underbite (Class III) - a term that describes lower teeth biting over the upper teeth |
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