In case one has crooked teeth or there is misalignment, treatment options are available for correcting the alignment by use of braces or retainers. The ortho-dentist, who specializes on examination of the condition, recommends suitable braces. The orthodontist proceeds with enquiring about dental health and clinical examination including photographs X-Ray of mouth and head necessary to plan the required treatment.

In few cases the use of removable retainer is enough to correct the condition; some rare cases may require a surgical procedure. Of course most of the conditions can be treated with the help of braces.

Variety of Braces Available:

Considering that the orthodontist after preliminary investigation has advised use of very specific brace required by the patient. The braces advised usually comprised of bands, wires along with correction devices fixed or ability to remove.

In practice there are three different kinds of braces:

Brackets:

They are made of either stainless steel or transparent or match tooth color made of ceramic or plastic material. The brackets are attached to the anterior surface of the tooth. The selection of Ceramic or plastic brackets is made keeping in mind the cosmetic considerations. There is a possibility that Plastic brackets may get stained or discolored when the treatment is about to end. The drawback in use of ceramic or plastic brackets is increased friction of the wire and brackets, thus the treatment may prolong.

Lingual-type brackets:

They are brackets, which are attached to the posterior surface of teeth and remain hidden at back.

Traditional bands:

These have become out of use because the entire mouth looks metallic due to metallic brackets fastened with metallic bands wrapping around each other.

Some patients may require new variety of ‘mini-braces', which are actually significantly of reduced size in comparison to traditional braces. The orthodontist explains different types; braces available and decide which one to use considering suitability.

The Function of Braces:

Braces exert pressure on teeth through out of period of their use, making teeth gradually move in the desired direction. With the movement of teeth the tooth socket as an effect of pressure on the tooth adjusts to the gradually moving tooth thus reshaping itself making the direction change of the tooth secure and permanent.

Brace Components:

1. Brackets: They are small squares fixed directly to each tooth with the help of either dental bonding material or by attaching them to orthodontic bands. The function of brackets is for holding arch wires, responsible for exerting their pressure to move tooth to desired direction.

1. Orthodontic bands: They are made of stainless steel or transparent or tooth color material and are cemented with the help of dental bonding agent or cemented to teeth. They cause wrapping of each tooth acting as an anchor to the brackets. The transparent or tooth color bands have great cosmetic appeal, which is reason of their use even in spite of increased cost of treatment. Some patients need only brackets without bands.
2. Spacers do the function of separation from each bracket before the bands are fixed.

1. Arch wires are attachment for the brackets acting as tracks for guiding direction of movement of the teeth. Arch wires are either metallic or cosmetically acceptable material.

1. Ties are minute rubberized rings or fine wires, which do fastening of the arch wire to the brackets. They can be transparent, metallic or tooth colored.

1. The buccal tube on fixed on the band of the last molar is used for holding the end of the arch wire at its proper in place.
2. Small elastic rubber bands, known as ligatures, fix the arch wires and brackets.

1. Springs are placed at the arch wires between brackets for making a pushing, pulling, opening or closing spaces function between teeth.

1. Two bands fixed on the upper teeth may be attached with headgear tubes on them for holding the face bow of headgear in its position.

10.Elastics or rubber bands make an attachment to hooks on brackets and are used between the upper and lower teeth for exerting pressure adjusting the movement of upper teeth in alignment with the lower teeth affecting perfection.

11. Face bow headgear is wired gadget, which is used to change direction of upper molars for correcting bite discrepancy besides creating place for jam packed anterior teeth. Face bow is comprised of an inner horseshoe shaped structure which is placed securely in the mouth having attachment with buccal tubes. The outer portion is connected to a headgear strap.

These all complete the brace set up fixed with each other as explained above to bring the wrongly directed teeth in the right direction.