Metal Braces
Metal braces are the tried and tested method for teeth straightening, correcting the alignment of teeth and facial asymmetries. They consist of metal brackets which are bonded on the outer/front surface of the teeth. Metallic braces were among the first orthodontic appliances that were introduced for orthodontic treatment of misaligned or crooked teeth. Still, they are being commonly used in orthodontics, besides other types of braces such as ceramic braces and lingual braces. Conventional metal braces are made of high-quality stainless steel or titanium alloys.
Metallic braces consist of the following components:
a. Metallic brackets
They are attached to the teeth with the help of special dental cements that are polymerized with the help of visible light, and become visible whenever you open your mouth for speech or smiling.
Orthodontic braces contain slots through which an arch-wire passes.
b. Metallic arch-wires
An arch-wire is simply a metallic wire that passes through specially designed slots within the brackets.
The thickness and rigidity of the arch-wires determines the force that is generated onto the teeth. Usually, flexible wires are used initially to gradually align the teeth followed by using rigid wires (like stainless steel) to bring about major orthodontic movements of teeth.
c. Orthodontic ligatures
They are simply elastics that are used for holding arch-wires into their places in the brackets. Ligatures come in a variety of colors and patients can choose the color of their ligatures at every appointment, when they are replaced with fresh ones.
Difference between traditional braces and self-ligating braces
