Orthodontic Dictionary

Parts of Braces

Appliance

Anything your orthodontist attaches to your teeth which 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 tooth and goes completely around your tooth. Bands provide a way to attach brackets to your teeth.

Bite Turbos

Acrylic build-up behind top front teeth to prevent lower braces from becoming loose when biting down. Learn More »

Bond

The seal created by orthodontic cement that holds your appliances in place.

Bracket

A metal or ceramic part cemented ("bonded") to your tooth that holds your archwire in place.

Coil Spring

A spring that fits between your brackets and over your archwire to open space between your teeth.

Elastic (Rubber Band)

A small rubber band that is hooked between different points on your appliance or braces to provide pressure to move your teeth to a new position.

Elastic Tie

The rubber band that fits around your bracket to hold the archwire in place. These come in a variety of colors.

Forsus (Bite Fixer)

A spring attached to one or both sides of the braces to correct mild to moderate overbites.

Herbst Appliance

An appliance aimed at stimulating lower jaw growth and correcting moderate to severe overbites. Many times a Herbst appliance can be used to idealize overbite and prevent jaw surgery.

Hook

A welded or removable arm to which elastics are attached.

iBraces™

Sophisticated braces placed on the lingual (inside) side of the teeth. iBraces uses advanced computer technology to provide customized braces and wires providing faster treatment and maximized esthetics and comfort compared to traditional lingual braces. Learn More »

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. Dr. Spillane and Dr. Reynolds are certified Invisalign Premier Providers, giving them the expertise to determine if Invisalign is right for you. Learn More »

Ligature (Tie Wire)

A thin wire that holds your archwire into your bracket.

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. Learn More »

Retainer

An appliance that is worn after your braces are removed, the retainers are removable. (see separate page for instructions) Learn More »

Separator (Spacer)

A small rubber ring that creates space between your teeth before bands are attached.

Wax

Wax is used to stop your braces from irritating your lips.

Orthodontic Procedures

Banding

The process of fitting and cementing bands to your teeth.

Bonding

The process of attaching brackets to your teeth using special orthodontic cement.

Cephalometric X-ray (ceph)

An x-ray of your head that shows the relative positions and growth of the face, jaws and teeth.

Consultation

A meeting with your orthodontist to discuss a treatment plan.

Debanding / Debonding

The process of removing cemented orthodontic bands and brackets from your teeth.

Impressions

The process of making a model of your teeth by biting into a soft material that solidifies into a mold of your teeth. Your orthodontist will use these impressions to prepare your treatment plan.

Panoramic X-Ray (pan)

An x-ray that rotates around your head to take pictures of your teeth, jaw and other facial areas.