| Braces are the most efficient and accurate way of moving teeth. They are fixed to the teeth for the duration of active orthodontic treatment. Braces consist of the following components: Brackets are "handles" which are bonded to the outside surface of teeth. Silver brackets are the most common type, but gold brackets, clear brackets and glow-in-the-dark brackets are also available. Self-ligating brackets have a mechanism which locks the bracket to the arch wire without the need for modules or tie-wires. Arch wires deliver the force to move teeth. Ligatures are tiny rubber rings or fine twisted wires used to tie the arch wire to each bracket. The rubber rings are usually grey, but coloured ligatures have become popular. Bands are flat metal rings cemented around a tooth to provide a stronger means of attaching a bracket (or any other type of fitting). |
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Lingual Braces
Lingual braces are attached to the inside of the teeth and are sometimes requested by patients because they cannot be seen. However, lingual braces are more difficult to manage than conventional braces and, although they are growing in popularity, few orthodontists choose to use them.
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Removable appliances
Removable appliances are used to move teeth with wire springs. These springs do not move teeth as accurately as braces do, so the use of removable appliances is limited to simple tooth movements, usually in children who are yet to lose all of their deciduous teeth. |
| The wire springs are attached to a smooth, pink, plastic supporting plate which is held securely in the mouth by wire clasps. The removable appliance pictured on the right was used to push the two front teeth forwards. Removable appliances are also used to maintain tooth position (see retainers), as functional appliances (see functional appliances) and as bite plates. |
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Retainers
At the completion of active orthodontic treatment, the braces are removed and retaining appliances (retainers) are fitted to hold the teeth steady in their new position. These appliances may be removable plates or wires fitted behind the teeth. Retainers play an important role in orthodontic treatment for, if they are not worn according to instructions, the teeth may move back towards their original position. The retaining appliances are usually worn: Full-time for up to one year. Just at night for a further year. Phased out altogether over one more years. Sequential plastic aligners a series of clear removable plastic aligners can be used to straighten your teeth without metal wires or brackets. As you replace each aligner with the next in the series, your teeth will move, little by little, week by week, until they have straightened to the final position your orthodontist has prescribed. Sequential plastic aligners can align teeth but, as yet, they cannot correct significant bite discrepancies. Sequential plastic aligners are considerably more expensive than fixed appliances (braces) which remain the most effective and controlled way of moving teeth. |
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