Braces fix your teeth by gently and gradually moving them into better alignment over time.
Braces, specifically metal braces as described in the reference, are a common orthodontic treatment designed to correct misaligned teeth and bite issues. They work through a carefully controlled process that applies consistent pressure to the teeth, encouraging them to shift into their desired positions within the jawbone.
The Core Mechanism: Gentle Shifting Over Time
The fundamental principle behind how braces fix your teeth is the application of steady, gentle force. This force stimulates the bone tissue surrounding the tooth roots to remodel, allowing the tooth to move through the bone. The process is gradual, ensuring that the movement is controlled and healthy for the teeth and gums.
Components of Metal Braces
Based on the provided reference, metal braces utilize several key components:
- Stainless Steel Bands: These might be used to anchor the braces, often placed around molars.
- Brackets: A dentist or orthodontist will bond (glue) a bracket on each tooth. These small pieces, typically made of metal, act as handles that grip the tooth and connect it to the archwire.
- Wires: A thin, flexible archwire is placed over the brackets. This wire is the primary source of the gentle force needed to move the teeth. It's adjusted periodically to continue guiding the teeth.
- Ligatures: Tiny elastic bands called ligatures keep the wire firmly in place within the slots of the brackets. Sometimes, metal ties are used instead of elastic ligatures.
How the Components Work Together
- Brackets are attached: Each tooth gets a bracket bonded to its surface.
- Wire is threaded: The archwire is carefully threaded through the slots in the brackets on all teeth.
- Ligatures secure the wire: The elastic ligatures (or metal ties) are placed around the bracket wings to hold the archwire securely in the bracket slot.
- Pressure is applied: The archwire naturally wants to return to its original shape (which is designed for ideal tooth alignment). As it tries to do so, it exerts continuous, gentle pressure on the teeth via the brackets.
- Teeth move: This sustained pressure causes the ligaments holding the tooth in its socket to stretch on one side and compress on the other. This signals the body to remodel the bone around the tooth root, allowing the tooth to move in the direction of the force.
- Adjustments are made: During regular appointments, the orthodontist adjusts the archwire or replaces it with a new one to continue guiding the teeth towards their final positions.
This detailed interplay of bands, brackets, wires, and ligatures allows metal braces to effectively shift teeth into proper alignment, correcting spacing issues, overcrowding, and bite problems over the treatment period.
