Appliances: Anything the orthodontist attaches to your teeth to move your teeth or to change the shape of your jaw. Appliances can be fixed or removable, or retainers
Archwire: A metal wire attached to the brackets of your braces to move your teeth.
Bands: A metal ring that is usually placed on your teeth to hold parts of your braces.
Banding: The process of cementing orthodontic bands to your teeth.
Bonding: The process of attaching brackets to your teeth using a special, safe adhesive.
Brackets: A metal or ceramic part that is glued onto a tooth and serves as a means of fastening/anchoring the archwire.
Buccal Tube: A small metal part that is welded to 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.
Chain: A stretchable plastic chain used to hold archwires into brackets and to move teeth.
Headgear/Facebow: A facebow is a wire apparatus used to move your upper molars back in your mouth, which creates room for crowded or protrusive anterior (front) teeth. Generally, the facebow consists of two metal parts which have been attached together. The inner part is shaped like a horseshoe. This part goes in your mouth and is connected to your buccal tubes. The outer part has two curves that go around your face and connect to the pad. Completing the apparatus is a plastic safety strap that is placed over the neck band and onto the outer bow of the headgear.
Neck Pad: A neck pad is a cloth covered cushion which you wear around your neck when you put on your facebow. Generally, the breakaways are attached to the neck pad to provide force for the facebow.
Retainers: An appliance that the orthodontist gives you to wear after he removes your braces. The retainer attaches to your upper and/or lower teeth and holds them in the correct position. You wear the retainer 24 hours a day to make sure that none of your teeth move while your jaw hardens and your teeth get strongly attached.
Separators: A plastic or metal part that the orthodontist uses to create space between your teeth for orthodontic bands.
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.