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Archwire
A metal wire which is attached to your brackets to move your teeth.
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Invisalign
Invisalign® is a series of clear, removable teeth aligners that your orthodontist uses as an alternative to traditional metal dental braces.
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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.
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Fixed Retainer
Fixed retainers consist of a metal wire bonded to the back of the teeth. Fixed retainers can stay in place indefinitely.
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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).
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Bands
A metal ring that is usually placed on your teeth to hold on parts of your braces.
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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.
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Palatal 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.
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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.
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Braces
A device used in orthodontics to align teeth and their position with regard to a person's bite. They are often used to correct malocclusions such as underbites, overbites, cross bites, open bites, deep bites, or crooked teeth and various other flaws of teeth and jaws, whether cosmetic or structural.
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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.
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Headgear
A removable appliance worn to restrict growth of the upper jaw and improve overjet problems. It normally consists of a facebow that attaches to the teeth and a strap that fits around the neck or head.
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Removable Retainer
A gadget that the orthodontist gives you to wear after your braces are removed. The retainer attaches to your upper and / or lower teeth and holds them in the correct position while your jaw hardens and your teeth get strongly attached to your jaw. At first, you wear the retainer 24 hours a day, and then only at night.
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Wax
A clear wax used to prevent your braces from irritating your lips or cheeks when your braces are first put on, or at other times.
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Chain
A stretchable plastic chain used to hold archwires into brackets and to move teeth.
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Buccal Tube
A small metal part that is welded on the outside of a molar band. The Buccal Tube contains slots to hold archwires, lip bumpers, facebows and other things your orthodontist uses to move your teeth.
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Night Guard
The Night Guard is a moldable, custom-fit dental protector that fits over your top teeth with a firm lower layer to prevent grinding while you sleep.
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Mouth Guard
A Mouth Guard is protective device for the mouth that covers the teeth and gums to prevent and reduce injury to the teeth, arches, lips and gums. Mouth guards are most often used to prevent injury in contact sports.
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Splint
Splints help to prevent tooth and joint damage from grinding, clenching and TMD disorders. A Splint allows the lower jaw to assume its most correct and least traumatic position decreasing both muscular activity and damaging forces to the joint.