Orthodontic Appliances

Archwire

A 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.

Buccal Tube

A small metal part that is welded on the outside of a molar band. The buccal tube is a slot 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 help move the upper and lower teeth relative to each other, ultimately achieving a better bite. These 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 retainers consist of a metal wire bonded to the back of the teeth. Fixed retainers can stay in place indefinitely.

Headgear

A removable appliance worn to restrict growth of the upper jaw and improve overjet problems. It normally consists of a facebow that attaches to the teeth and a strap that fits around the neck or head.

Invisalign

Invisalign® is a series of clear, removable teeth aligners that are used as an alternative to traditional metal dental braces.

Lingual Arch

A lingual arch is an orthodontic device which connects two molars in the upper or lower dental arch

Ligating Module

A small plastic piece, shaped like a donut, which is used to hold the archwires in the brackets on your teeth.

Nance

The Nance button is utilized to hold the upper molar teeth in position while allowing for the movement of other teeth. The impact of the button on the lower palate creates a 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 upper and lower teeth will fit together better.

Quad Helix

A Quad Helix (or quadhelix) is an orthodontic appliance for the upper teeth that is cemented in the mouth. It is attached to the molars by 2 bands and has two or four active helix springs that widen the arch of the mouth to make room for crowded teeth, or correct a posterior cross-bite, where lower teeth are buccal (outer) to the upper teeth.

Removable Retainer

An appliance that the orthodontist gives you to wear after your braces are removed. The retainer fits over your upper and / or lower teeth and holds them in the correct position while the bone around your teeth stabilizes. At first, you wear the retainer 24 hours a day, and then only at night.

Schwartz

A functional appliance used to expand the upper or lower dental arches. It is adjusted daily as instructed until the arch has been widened enough, and is then left in place for a period of time to allow for stabilization of the widened arch.

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.

Spring Aligner

An appliance that can be used on both arches for minor rotation and correction of anterior alignment.

Transpalatal Bar

The Transpalatal Bar (TPA) is a fixed appliance that is attached to bands on the upper molar teeth. The bar sits across the roof of the palate and fits into a soldered clip located on the bands.