Orthodontic Appliances

• Archwire
• Bands
• Bracket
• Chain
• Elastics
• Expander
• Fixed Retainer
• Forsus
• Hawley Retainer
• Invisalign®
• Lingual Arch
• Nance
• Separators
• Thumb Crib

• 

  Archwire

  A metal wire which is attached to your brackets to move your teeth.

• 

  Thumb Crib

  This simple device given to address severe thumb/finger sucking habit. It involves using a wire crib attached to two back braces and fixed.

• 

  Invisalign

  Invisalign® is a series of clear, removable teeth aligners that both orthodontists and dentists use 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.

• 

  Nance

  The Nance button is utilized to hold teeth in position to allow for the movement of other teeth. The impact of the button on the lower palate creates force on the back molars.

• 

  Fixed Retainer

  Fixed retainers consist of a metal wire bonded to the back of the teeth. Fixed retainers can stay in place indefinitely.

• 

  Hawley Retainer

  Hawley retainer includes a metal wire that surrounds the teeth and keeps them in place. Named for its inventor, Dr. Charles Hawley, the labial wire, or Hawley bow, incorporates 2 omega loops for adjustment. It is anchored in an acrylic arch that sits in the palate (roof of the mouth).

• 

  Chain

  A stretchable plastic chain used to hold archwires into brackets and to move teeth.

• 

  Bands

  A metal ring that is usually placed on your teeth to hold on parts of your braces.

• 

  Bracket

  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.

• 

  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 bottom and upper teeth will fit together better.

• 

  Elastics

  Elastics or rubber bands for braces help move the upper and lower teeth relative to each other, ultimately achieving a better bite. The 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.

• 

  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.

• 

  Forsus

  The Forcus appliance is an orthodontic appliance that is affixed to the teeth. Springs mounted on the side of the appliance force the lower jaw forward upon closure of the jaws retraining the bite and correcting a Class II problem.