What are the parts of the braces?
• A band is a wrap-around ring on a back tooth, usually a molar, cemented into position with dental bonding cement. • A bracket is a small rectangular or square shaped piece bonded onto the surface of any tooth. • A wire extends from tooth to tooth, held into position by small elastics (or colors) or metal ligatures. These guide the movement of the teeth. • Spacers, or separators, are rubber pieces that are sometimes placed between teeth to create room to place an orthodontic band. • Springs, or coils, are sometimes placed on an archwire between brackets to open or close space between teeth. • Hooks on some brackets and bands allow attachment of rubber bands. • Elastics, or rubber bands, are worn in various ways between the upper and lower teeth, and sometimes within the same arch, to apply pressure to achieve a perfect fit of the upper to lower teeth.
