GLOSSARY OF ORTHODONTIC TERMS

	ADJUSTMENT An evaluation of your progress where your wires maybe changed to keep your treatment on track and moving forward.
	APPLIANCE Anything the orthodontist attaches to your teeth to move yourteeth orto change the shape of your jaw.
	ARCHWIRE A metal wire that is attached to your brackets to move your teeth.
	BAND Bands are metal bands that are sometimes placed on the back molars and are used to anchor other orthodontic appliance-s to.
	BANDING The process of cementing orthodontic bands to yourteeth.
	BONDING The process of attaching brackets to your teeth using a special safe adhesive.
	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. The brackets used in orthodontics today are much smaller and lighter than ever.
	BUCCALTUBE A small metal part that is welded on the outside of a molar band. The molar band contains slots to hold archwires, lip bumpers, facebows and other things your orthodontist uses to move your teeth.
	CEPHALOMETRIC X-RAY An x-ray of the head that shows if your teeth are aligned and growing properly.
	CHAIN A stretchable plastic chain used to hold archwires into brackets and to move teeth.
	CONSULTATION A meeting with your orthodontist where he/she discusses, your treatment plan.
	DEBONDING The removal of cemented orthodontic brackets.
	ELASTICS During various phases of treatment, small elastics or rubber bands are used as a gentle but continuous force to help individual tooth movement or the aligning of jaws.
	IMPRESSIONS The first step in making a model of your teeth. You bite into a container filled with a rubber-type material. That material hardens to produce a mold of your teeth.
	INTERCEPTIVE CARE Orthodontic treatment that is usually done between the ages of 6 and 10. The objective of interceptive orthodontic treatment is to provide orthopedic intervention, so that later orthodontic treatment goes quicker and is less painful.
	UGATION A procedure to measure how well your teeth come together. You bite a sheet of wax and leave bitemarks in the wax. This helps the orthodontist relate the upper and lower models of your teeth together.
	MOUTHGUARD A device that is used to protect your mouth from injury when you are participating in sports. The use of a mouthguard is especially important for orthodontic patients, to prevent injuries.
	PALATAL EXPANDER An appliance used to help widen your upper jaw or palate.
	PANORAMIC X-RAY An x-ray taken by a machine that rotates around your head to give your orthodontist a picture of your teeth, jaws and other important information.
	PHOTOGRAPHS Facial and intraoral photographs will be taken throughout treatment.
	RECORDS These records., which includecephalometric and panoramic x-rays, digital photos and study models, help your orthodontist determine what treatment needs to be done.
	RETAINER An appliance you to wear after your braces are Temoved. Hie retainer attaches to your u pper and/or lower teeth and hoi ds them in the correct po sition wh ile the teeth adj ust to their new position.
	SEPARATORS A plastic or metal part that the orthodontist uses to create space between yourteeth for bands.
	WAX BITE A procedure to measure how well your teeth come together. You bite a sheet of wax and leave bitemarks in the wax. This helps the orthodontist relate the upper and lower models of your teeth together.