FAQ

Can I play sports while wearing braces?
Yes, but make sure you wear a protective mouth guard.
Can I play musical instruments while wearing braces?
With practice and a period of adjustment, braces typically do not interfere with the playing of wind or brass instruments.
If my teeth have been crooked for years, why do I need orthodontic treatment now?
It’s never too late! Healthy teeth can be moved at any age. Orthodontic treatment can restore good function, and teeth that work better usually look better, too. A healthy, beautiful smile can improve self-esteem, no matter your age.
Can I afford orthodontic treatment?
Most orthodontists have a variety of convenient payment plans. Many dental insurance plans now include orthodontic benefits.
I am pregnant and want to begin orthodontic treatment. Is this OK?
Discuss this question with your medical practitioner/physician and orthodontist before you start any orthodontic treatment, as pregnancy brings on bodily changes that may affect the mouth. Soft tissues such as gums become much more susceptible to infection.
Do teeth with braces need special care?
Yes, clean, healthy teeth move more quickly. Patients with braces must be careful to avoid hard, sticky, chewy and crunchy foods, or hard objects, such as pens, pencils and fingernails. Keeping your teeth and braces clean requires more time, precision and must be done every day if the teeth and gums are to be healthy during and after orthodontic treatment.
I see ads for perfect teeth in only one or two visits to the dentist. Will that give me straight teeth?
Quick-fix veneers temporarily cover crooked teeth. Teeth straightened by an orthodontist are good for life. That’s because only orthodontists receive an extra 2-3 years of education beyond dental school to learn the proper way to align and straighten teeth.
What are my options if I don't want braces that show?
Should your case warrant it, you might want to consider lingual braces, which feature brackets that are bonded behind the teeth. Ceramic braces are another option to lessen the visibility of braces; they blend in with the teeth for a more natural effect. Additionally, the use of a series of invisible aligner trays (invisible braces) instead of traditional braces may be used to correct some problems.
Will a stud in my tongue interfere with orthodontic treatment?
Exercise caution with tongue-piercing jewelry. It can contribute to breakage of braces appliances and to tooth and gum damage from contact with the stud.
How may I distinguish an orthodontist from a general dentist?
Visit our Find an Orthodontist section to find AAO-member orthodontists near you. AAO membership is the best way to confirm a doctor's status as an orthodontist because the AAO only accepts orthodontists for membership. Additionally, visit the Questions for Your Orthodontist section for questions that you can ask to help determine if you’re getting your tooth-alignment procedure from an expert.
© American Association of Orthodontists and Braces.org, 01/17/2012

Myths and Facts

MYTH: Orthodontists are appropriate only for the most challenging and complex orthodontic cases.
FACT: Orthodontists have the education, experience and expertise to recognize the difference between a simple case and a complex one. And when a case is challenging, orthodontists know what to do.

MYTH: My family dentist says he can straighten my teeth.
FACT: Orthodontists receive more formal education than dentists to specialize in straightening teeth. Like dentists, orthodontists graduate from dental school. Then, to be an orthodontist, it takes an additional two to three academic years of education in an accredited orthodontic residency program. Orthodontists are dentistry’s specialists in straightening teeth and aligning jaws to create optimal function and form. Orthodontists only practice orthodontics. They treat hundreds of patients a year, drawing on tried-and-true and new orthodontic appliance technologies to get patients to the best results. Orthodontists have knowledge of the full range of orthodontic appliance “tools”—including braces, clear aligners and other orthodontic devices. They know what to use and when because they work with these tools every day. Orthodontists build on their knowledge of orthodontics through on-going continuing education in orthodontic technology and practice.

MYTH: Braces are for kids.
FACT: One in five orthodontic patients is an adult.

MYTH: If there was a giant, overhead magnet and someone flipped a switch, people wearing braces would fly out of their chairs and stick to the ceiling.
FACT: Unlikely, as braces are made from non-magnetic materials.

MYTH: Braces are painful and take two years or more for the desired result.
FACT: After the adjustment period, like breaking in a new pair of shoes, braces are comfortable. Some may be worn for months, not years.

MYTH: Signals from braces link to the Internet to download songs onto an iPod.
FACT: This is not possible right now.

MYTH: Braces are ugly, call attention to themselves and would be embarrassing in business settings.
FACT: Today's braces may be nearly invisible, made from clear plastic, or unseen, mounted on the back (lingual) side of the teeth.

MYTH: Orthodontists have a low profile
FACT: Orthodontists give back to the community by offering free, discounted, services to patients in need.

MYTH: Any dentist may join the American Association of Orthodontists
FACT: Only orthodontists may become members of the American Association of Orthodontists.

Glossary

Additional Information

Anterior
Front.

Appliances
Any device, attached to the teeth or removable, designed to move the teeth, change the position of the jaw, or hold the teeth in their finished positions after braces are removed.

Arch
Upper or lower jaw.

Archwire
The metal wire that is attached to the brackets and used to move the teeth.

Band
The metal ring that is cemented to a tooth for strength and anchorage.

Braces
A word commonly used to describe a fixed orthodontic appliance, usually comprised of brackets, bands and wires. The diagram below illustrates and names each part of a typical set of braces.

Ligature - The archwire is held to each bracket with a ligature, which can be either a tiny elastic or a twisted wire.
Archwire - The archwire is tied to all of the brackets and creates force to move teeth into proper alignment.
Brackets - Brackets are connected to the bands, or directly bonded on the teeth, and hold the archwire in place.
Metal Band - The band is the cemented ring of metal which wraps around the tooth.E. Bracket HooksThe bracket or band extensions that are used for the attachment of rubber bands.

Bracket
The small metal, ceramic, or plastic attachment bonded to each tooth with a tooth-colored adhesive. The bracket has a slot that the archwire fits into.

Brushing
Brushing the teeth is part of an individual's daily home dental care. Patients with braces should follow the orthodontist's instruction on how often to brush.

Bruxism
Grinding the teeth, usually during sleeping. Bruxism can cause abnormal tooth wear and may lead to pain in the jaw joints.

Buccal
The cheek side of the back teeth in both arches or jaws.

Buccal Tube
A small metal part of the bracket welded to the cheek side of the molar band. The tube may hold an archwire, lip bumper, headgear facebow or other appliances an orthodontist may use to move the teeth.

Cephalometric Radiograph
A lateral (side view) x-ray of the head.

Chain
A stretchable series of elastic o-rings connected together and placed around each bracket to hold the archwire in place and move the teeth.

Class I Malocclusion
A malocclusion with the proper molar relationship and teeth that are crowded together, spaced apart, an overbite, an openbite, a posterior crossbite or an anterior crossbite.

Class II Malocclusion
A malocclusion with the upper front teeth protruding or due to the lower teeth and/or jaw positioned back relative to the upper teeth and/or jaw.

Class III Malocclusion
A malocclusion with the lower front teeth protruding or due to the lower teeth and/or jaw positioned ahead relative to the upper teeth and/or jaw.

Closed Bite/Deep Bite
Also known as deep overbite, this occurs when the upper front teeth overlap the bottom front teeth an excessive amount.

Comprehensive Treatment
Complete orthodontic treatment performed to correct a malocclusion.

Congenitally Missing Teeth
A genetic occurrence in which the expected number of permanent teeth do not develop.

Crossbite
Upper posterior (back) teeth are in crossbite if they erupt and function inside or outside of the arch in the lower posterior teeth. Lower anterior (front) teeth are I crossbite if they erupt and function in front of the upper anterior teeth. A crossbite can be individual teeth or groups of teeth.

DDS or DMD
DDS (Doctor of Dental Surgery) and DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine) are equivalent degrees, according to The American Dental Association. All orthodontists educated in the U.S. or Canada will have either a DDS or DMD after their names. Orthodontists have an additional two to three years of specialty education in an accredited orthodontic residency program after dental school to become orthodontists.

Diagnostic Records
The material and information that the orthodontist needs to properly diagnose and plan a patient's treatment. Diagnostic records may include a thorough patient health history, a visual examination of the teeth and supporting structures, plaster models of the teeth, a wax bite registration, extraoral and intraoral photographs, a panoramic and a cephalometric radiograph.

Ectopic Eruption
Term used to describe a tooth or teeth that erupt in an abnormal position.

Eruption
The process by which teeth enter into the mouth.

Extraction
The removal of a tooth.

Elastics
Rubber bands. During certain stages of treatment, small elastics or rubber bands are worn to provide individual tooth movement or jaw alignment.

Facebow
A wire appliance used with a nightbrace, or headgear. Primarily used to move the upper first molars back, creating room for crowded or protrusive front teeth. The facebow has an internal wire bow and an external wire bow. The internal bow attaches to the buccal tube on the upper molar bands inside the mouth and the outer bow attaches to the breakaway safety strap of the nightbrace.

Fiberotomy
A surgical procedure designed to sever fibers of attachment around the tooth, usually performed to reduce the potential for relapse or post-orthodontic treatment tooth movement.

Fixed Appliances
An orthodontic appliance that is bonded or cemented to the teeth and cannot be or should not be removed by the patient.

Flossing
An important part of daily home dental care. Flossing removes plaque and food debris from between the teeth, brackets and wires. Flossing keeps teeth and gums clean and healthy during orthodontic treatment.

Frenectomy
The surgical removal or repositioning of the frenum, the lip and tongue attachment located between the upper and lower front teeth. A large frenum attachment can cause spacing between top front teeth or cause the tongue to be tied.

Functional Appliances
Appliances that utilize the muscle action produced when speaking, eating and swallowing to produce force to move the teeth and align the jaws. They are also known as orthopedic appliances with names such as orthopedic corrector, activator, bionator, Frankel, Herbst or twin block appliances.

Gingiva
Soft tissue around the teeth, also known as the gums.

Gummy Smile
Showing an excessive amount of gingival (gum) tissue above the front teeth when smiling.

Headgear
An appliance worn outside of the mouth to provide traction for growth modification and tooth movement.

Herbst Appliance
This appliance is used to move the lower jaw forward. It can be fixed or removable. When it is fixed, it is cemented to teeth in one or both arches using stainless steel crowns. An expansion screw may be used simultaneously to widen the upper jaw.

Impaction
A tooth that does not erupt into the mouth or only erupts partially is considered impacted.

Interceptive Treatment
Orthodontic treatment performed to intercept a developing problem. Usually performed on younger patients that have a mixture of primary (baby) teeth and permanent teeth.

Interproximal Reduction
Removal of a small amount of enamel from between the teeth to reduce their width. Also known as reproximation, slenderizing, stripping, enamel reduction or selective reduction.

Labial
The surface of the teeth in both arches that faces the lips.

Ligating Modules
A small elastic o-ring, shaped like a donut, used to hold the archwire in the bracket.

Lingual
The tongue side of the teeth in both arches.

Lip Bumper
A wire appliance used to move the lower molars back and the lower front teeth forward, creating room for crowded front teeth. The lip bumper is an internal wire bow that attaches to the buccal tubes on the cheek side of the lower molar bands inside the mouth. The front portion of the bow has an acrylic pad or bumper that rests against the inside of the lower lip. The lower lip muscles apply pressure to the bumper creating a force that moves the molars back.

Lip Incompetence
The inability to close the lips together at rest, usually due to protrusive front teeth or excessively long faces.

Malocclusion
The term used in orthodontics to describe teeth that do not fit together properly. From Latin, the term means "bad bite."

Mandible
Lower jaw.

Maxilla
Upper jaw.

Mixed Dentition
The dental developmental stage in children (approximately ages 6-12) when they have a mix of primary (baby) and permanent teeth.

Mouthguard
A removable device used to protect the teeth and mouth from injury caused by sporting activities. The use of a mouthguard is especially important for orthodontic patients.

Nightguard
A removable appliance worn at night to help an individual minimize the damage or wear while clenching or grinding teeth during sleep.

Open Bite
A malocclusion in which teeth do not make contact with each other. With an anterior open bite, the front teeth do not touch when the back teeth are closed together. With a posterior open bite, the back teeth do not touch when the front teeth are closed together.

Orthodontics
The specialty area of dentistry concerned with the diagnosis, supervision, guidance and correction of malocclusions. The formal name of the specialty is orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics.

Orthodontist
A specialist in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. Orthodontists are required to complete college requirements, graduate from an accredited dental school and successfully complete a minimum of two academic years of full-time, university-based study at an accredited orthodontic residency program. Only those who have completed this education may call themselves "orthodontists." Orthodontists limit their practice to orthodontic treatment only unless they have training in another dental specialty. Only residency-certified orthodontists may be members of the American Association of Orthodontists.

Orthopedic Appliance
A removable functional appliance designed to guide the growth of the jaws and face.

Panoramic Radiograph
An x-ray that shows all the teeth and both jaws on one film.

Palatal Expander
A fixed or removable device used to make the upper jaw wider.

Periodontal
Refers to the hard and soft tissue, or supporting structures, around the teeth.

Plaque
Plaque is a colorless, sticky film of bacteria, food particles and saliva that constantly forms in the mouth. Plaque combines with sugars to form an acid that endangers teeth and gums. Plaque causes tooth decay and gum disease.

Posterior
Back.

Preventive Treatment
Orthodontic treatment to prevent or reduce the severity of a developing malocclusion (bad bite).

Removable Appliance
An orthodontic appliance that can be removed from the mouth by the patient. Removable appliances are used to move teeth, align jaws and to keep teeth in their new positions when the braces are removed (retainers).

Retainer
A fixed or removable appliance worn after the braces are removed. A removable retainer attaches to your upper and/or lower teeth and holds them in their finished positions.

Rubber Bands
During certain stages of treatment, small elastics or rubber bands are worn to provide individual tooth movement or jaw alignment.

Safety Strap
The safety strap prevents the facebow of the headgear from coming loose and causing injury.

Separators
An elastic o-ring or small wire loop placed between the teeth to create space for placement of bands. Separators are usually placed between the teeth a week before bands are scheduled to be cemented to the teeth.

Serial Extraction
Selective or guided removal of certain primary (baby) teeth and/or permanent teeth over a period of time to create room for permanent teeth.

Space Maintainer
A fixed appliance used to hold space for an unerupted permanent tooth after a primary (baby) tooth has been lost prematurely, due to accident or decay.

Supernumerary Teeth
A genetic occurrence in which there are more teeth than the usual number. These teeth can be malformed or erupt in abnormally.

Tongue Crib
A fixed appliance used to help a patient stop habits or undesirable tongue forces exerted on the teeth and bone that supports the teeth.

Tongue Thrust
An individual's tongue pushes against the teeth when swallowing. Forces generated by the tongue can move the teeth and bone and may lead to an anterior or posterior open bite.

Wax
Wax is placed on the brackets or archwires to prevent them from irritating the lips or cheeks.

Wires
Also known as archwires, they are held in the brackets using small elastic o-rings or stainless steel wire ligatures. Wires are used to move the teeth.

FAQ

Myths and Facts

Glossary

Additional Information

This website uses cookies.