Ortho Glossary
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Parts of Braces
Appliance: Anything Dr. Pearson attaches to your teeth to move them or to change the shape of your jaw.
Arch Wire: The metal wire attached to your brackets.
Bond: The seal created by orthodontic cement to hold appliances in place.
Bracket: A metal or ceramic part cemented to your tooth, and to which the arch wire is attached.
Buccal Tube: A small metal tube welded on the outside of a molar band. Buccal tubes can hold arch wires and other things Dr. Pearson uses to move your teeth.
Chain: A stretchable plastic chain used to hold arch wires into brackets and to move teeth.
Elastics: Small rubber bands that are hooked from one tooth to another which activate force to move teeth.
Elastic Tie: Small rubber "doughnut" which holds the wire into the bracket and comes in a variety of colors.
Ligature: A thin wire used to hold the arch wire into the bracket.
Lip Bumper: A lip bumper is used to hold the molars on your lower jaw back to create more space for other teeth. The lip bumper consists of an arch wire, which is attached to a molded piece of plastic. The arch wire is mounted in the buccal tubes on your lower jaw and the plastic piece rests against your lips.
Models: The white plaster records of your teeth, which come from the impressions we take when you first come to our office and after your braces have been removed.
Palatal Expander: A device used to make your jaw wider.
Retainer: Usually an acrylic appliance that is worn after the braces are removed. The retainer attaches to your upper and/or lower teeth and holds them in the correct position.
Separator: A little rubber ring used to create space between your teeth before we affix the bands.
Wax: Used to prevent your braces from irritating your lips and cheeks.
Orthodontic Terms
Bonding: The process of attaching brackets to your teeth using special orthodontic cement.
Cephalometric X-ray: Sometimes known as a “ceph.” An x-ray of the head that shows the alignment of your teeth.
Consultation: A meeting with Dr. Pearson to discuss your treatment plan.
Crossbite: When a lower tooth slips to the outside of an upper tooth.
Debonding: Removal of cemented orthodontic appliances.
Extra-oral Photographs: Facial photos.
Impressions: Soft clay like material, which is placed in a small tray that fits over the teeth. This creates the mold we use to make models.
Ligating: An adjective used to describe components used to attach arch wires to brackets. For example, a ligating module is a small plastic piece that goes over the brackets to hold in your arch wires.
Panoramic X-ray: Sometimes known as a “pano.” An x-ray taken by a machine that rotates around your head to allow the orthodontist to view the upper and lower jaw of all the teeth, supporting bone, sinuses and non-detailed look at the jaw joint.
Wax Bite: A piece of wax that the patient bites into so that the orthodontist can measure how the teeth come together.