A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Alastic: A tiny rubber band that fits around your bracket to hold the archwire in place. They come in a variety of colors.
Appliance: Anything Dr. Brown designs for your teeth, either fixed to your teeth or removable, which holds your tooth positions, 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.
B
Band: A metal ring that is cemented to your tooth, going completely around it. Bands provide a way to attach brackets to your teeth, and provide a greater degree of strength and stability.
Banding: The process of fitting and cementing orthodontic bands to your teeth.
Bicuspids: Side teeth used for chewing.
Bond: The seal created by composite or orthodontic cement that holds your appliances in place.
Bracket: A metal or ceramic attachment to the tooth that holds the archwire and allows pressure to be applied to the tooth.
C
Cephalometric X-ray: An image of your head which shows the relative positions and growth of your jaws, teeth, and cranial features.
Coil Spring: A spring attaching to the brackets or hooks, usually over the archwire, to open, close, or maintain spaces between the teeth.
D
Debonding: The process of removing the orthodontic brackets and bands from your teeth.
E
Elastic: A small rubber band that is hooked between different points on our appliances to provide pressure to move your teeth to their new positions.
Elastic tie: the tiny rubber band that fits around your bracket to hold the archwire in place. They come in a variety of colors.
F
Fluoride - A naturally occurring substance added to water, toothpastes and some rinses and used for strengthening the tooth's enamel.
G
Gingiva - Another word for gum tissue.
Gingivitis - A minor disease of the gums caused by plaque, usually from a lack of tooth brushing
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H
Headgear: An appliance that attaches an external wire (facebow) to the teeth, that in concert with an external spring force delivered by a neck strap or head strap will gently guide the growth of your face and jaw by moving your teeth and jaws in the proper direction and position.
Headgear Tube: An attacment on the molar brackets that the facebow inner bow fits into.
Hook: A welded or removable arm to which elastics or springs are attached.
I
Impacted tooth: A condition in which a tooth fails to erupt or only partially erupts.
Implant: A permanent appliance used to replace a missing tooth.
Impression: The process of making a mold of your teeth by using soft material that stiffens quickly into that mold.
L
Ligation: The process of attaching an archwire to the bracket via a small wire.
Ligature: The thin wire that holds the archwire to the bracket.
Lingual: Meaning the "tongue side" when referring to the teeth.
M
Malocclusion: Bad bite relationship.
Mandible: The lower jaw.
Maxilla: The upper jaw.
Molar: Usually the largest teeth, near the rear of the mouth. Molars have large chewing surfaces.
Mouthguard: A device that protects your teeth and lips when you participate in sports or rigorous activities.
N
Neuromuscular Dentistry: Are more than the aches and pains felt in and around the neck and head that are associated with your teeth and jaw.
O
Orthodontics: A field of dentistry that deals with tooth and jaw alignment.
P
Palate: Roof of the mouth.
Palatal Expander: An appliance that is activated to make your upper jaw wider.
Panoramic X-ray: An x-ray that rotates around your head to take pictures of your teeth, jaw, and other facial areas.
Primary teeth: A person's first set of teeth. Also called baby teeth or temporary teeth.
R
Retainer: An appliance worn to retain the results of your orthodontic treatment most frequently, attaching to both the upper and/or lower teeth to maintian their positions. Some are removable, others fixed to several teeth.
S
Separator or Spacer: A small rubber ring that creates space between your teeth before the bands are attached.
T
Tie Wire: A fine wire (ligature) that is twisted around the bracket to hold the archwire in place.
TMJ: Temporomandibular joint disorder. Health problems related to the jaw joint just in front of the ear.
V
Veneer: A laminate applied or bonded to the tooth.
W
Wax: Was is used to stop your braces from irritating your lips.
Whitening: A process that employs special bleaching agents for changing or restoring the color of teeth.