TL;DR
A short glossary of orthodontic terms, grouped by what they describe: the appliances, the bite problems, the steps of treatment and the parts of the mouth. If you hear a word at your Invisalign consultation at Stone Falls Dental that isn’t here, ask; we’re happy to explain it.
What are the parts of aligners and braces called?
The parts of aligners and braces are the pieces of hardware, removable and fixed, that do the moving and the holding. Clear aligners are the system we use, and our Invisalign page walks through how a case is planned and worn.
- Aligner: a clear, removable plastic tray made to fit your teeth, each one shaped to move them a little further along the plan.
- Attachment: a small, tooth-colored bump of bonding material that gives an aligner a better grip on a tooth.
- Archwire: the metal wire running through braces that applies the force to move teeth.
- Bracket: the small square bonded to the front of each tooth in braces, holding the archwire in place.
- Band: a metal ring cemented around a back tooth to anchor braces or an appliance.
- Button: a tiny hook bonded to a tooth so an elastic can be attached.
- Elastics: small rubber bands stretched between upper and lower teeth to correct how the jaws meet.
- Palatal expander: an appliance fitted to the roof of a child’s mouth that widens the upper jaw while it’s still growing.
- Retainer: a removable tray or a thin bonded wire that holds teeth in place once they’ve been moved.
What are the names for common bite problems?
Malocclusion is the umbrella term for any bite where the teeth or jaws don’t meet as they should. These are its most common forms, and our page on who benefits from orthodontic care explains when each is worth treating.
- Crowding: teeth twist, overlap or are pushed out of line because the arch is short on room.
- Diastema: a gap between two teeth, most often between the upper front pair.
- Overbite: the vertical overlap of the upper front teeth over the lower ones; a deep bite is an excessive one.
- Overjet: how far the upper front teeth sit ahead of the lower front teeth, measured front to back.
- Underbite: the lower front teeth close in front of the upper front teeth.
- Crossbite: one or more upper teeth close on the tongue side of the lower teeth instead of the cheek side.
- Open bite: a space between the upper and lower front teeth when the back teeth are together.
- Class I, II and III: the standard way of grading how the upper and lower molars line up, from a normal relationship (I) to lower molars that sit too far back (II) or too far forward (III).
What words describe the steps of orthodontic treatment?
These terms come up as a case is planned, carried out and finished.
- Intraoral scan: a 3D digital record of the teeth taken with a small handheld camera instead of impression putty.
- ClinCheck: the Invisalign software that turns a scan into a planned, stage-by-stage movement of each tooth you can preview.
- Panoramic X-ray: a single wide image showing all the teeth, roots and jaws, including teeth still developing.
- Cephalometric X-ray: a side view of the head used to measure how the jaws and teeth relate.
- IPR (interproximal reduction): polishing away a sliver of enamel between teeth to make a little room.
- Refinement: an extra set of aligners near the end of treatment to fine-tune teeth that didn’t fully track.
- Debonding: removing braces or attachments once the teeth are in position.
- Retention: the phase after active treatment, when a retainer holds the result.
- Relapse: teeth drifting back toward their original position, usually because a retainer wasn’t worn.
Which parts of the mouth do orthodontists talk about?
A few anatomy words make every explanation easier to follow.
- Arch: the curved row of teeth in the upper or lower jaw.
- Maxilla and mandible: the upper jaw and the lower jaw.
- Incisors: the eight flat front teeth used for cutting.
- Canines: the pointed teeth at the corners of the arch, sometimes called cuspids or eye teeth.
- Premolars: the two-cusped teeth between the canines and molars, also called bicuspids.
- Molars: the broad back teeth that do most of the grinding.
- Occlusion: the way the upper and lower teeth come together.
- Periodontal ligament: the thin web of fibers holding each tooth in its socket, which lets teeth move under gentle pressure.
- TMJ (temporomandibular joint): the hinge joint in front of each ear where the lower jaw meets the skull.