| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Anterior teeth | The six upper and six lower front teeth |
| Appliance | Any orthodontic device that moves or holds teeth, or changes jaw position |
| Arch | The entire upper or lower jaw |
| Archwire | The wire connecting the brackets that guides teeth into their new positions |
| Band with bracket | A metal ring usually cemented around a back tooth |
| Braces | Fixed appliances that align teeth |
| Brackets | Small metal, ceramic or clear attachments fixed to each tooth |
| Brushing | Crucial with braces: brush after every meal and snack |
| Buccal | The cheek side of the back teeth |
| Cephalometric radiograph | A side x-ray of the head showing growth and development |
| Chain | Linked elastics around the brackets that stabilize the wire and close spaces |
| Class I malocclusion | Molars line up, but there’s a crossbite, open bite or crowding |
| Class II malocclusion | Overbite: upper front teeth sit further forward than the lower teeth |
| Class III malocclusion | Underbite: lower front teeth sit further forward than the upper teeth |
| Closed bite | A deep overbite where the upper front teeth fully cover the lower ones |
| Congenitally missing teeth | Permanent teeth that never develop, for genetic reasons |
| Crossbite | Upper back teeth bite inside or outside the lower ones, or lower front teeth bite in front of the upper ones |
| De-banding / de-bonding | Removing bands / removing brackets |
| Diagnostic records | History, x-rays, bite molds and photos used to plan treatment |
| Digital radiograph | X-rays viewed, stored and shared by computer |
| Elastics | Rubber bands that add pressure to move certain teeth |
| Eruption | Teeth coming through the gums |
| Fixed appliance | An appliance the orthodontist attaches that you can’t remove |
| Flossing | Removing plaque and debris above and below the gum line |
| Functional appliance | An appliance that uses swallowing, eating and speaking movements to align teeth and jaws |
| Gingiva | The gums |
| Headgear | A removable appliance with an external wire that guides growth and tooth movement |
| Impressions | Molds showing exactly how your teeth fit together |
| Interceptive treatment | Early treatment for children with a mix of baby and adult teeth, to reduce later treatment |
| Invisalign® | Clear, removable aligners. Not everyone is a candidate |
| Ligating module / ligation | The elastic ring that holds the wire to a bracket / attaching the wire |
| Lingual side | The tongue side of the teeth |
| Malocclusion | Latin for “bad bite”: teeth that don’t fit together correctly |
| Mandible / maxilla | Lower jaw / upper jaw |
| Mouthguard | A removable device protecting teeth and braces during sports |
| Open bite | Upper and lower teeth don’t meet, at the front or the back |
| Orthodontist | A specialist with two to three extra years of training after dental school |
| Palatal expander | A fixed or removable device that widens the palate to make room |
| Panoramic radiograph | An x-ray taken from outside the mouth showing all teeth and jaws |
| Plaque | A sticky film of saliva, food and bacteria that causes decay and gum disease |
| Posterior teeth | Back teeth |
| Removable appliance | A device you can take out, which must be worn as directed to work |
| Separators | Wire loops or elastic rings that make space for bands |
| Space maintainer | Holds space for an adult tooth when a baby tooth is lost early |
| Wax | Relief wax that eases irritation from braces |
| Wires | Attached to brackets to gently move teeth |
Orthodontic Dictionary
Plain-English definitions of the terms you’ll hear during orthodontic treatment.
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