No two smiles are alike.
There are many reasons why you may seek out orthodontic treatment – your reason is as unique as your smile. But no matter your reason, there is a range of benefits awaiting. Common orthodontic appliances include:
Orthodontic Appliances:
Archwire
If you opt for traditional braces, the archwire is the wire that runs along your teeth and connects to each bracket. This is the piece that does the bulk of the work, placing the force necessary to move your teeth. We change out and upgrade your archwires during the course of treatment.
Bracket
These are the individual pieces that we bond to each tooth to hold the archwire in its place.
Coil spring
A coil spring fits over your archwire between your brackets. It works to open or close spaces in your smile, as needed.
Elastics
These are the small rubber bands that you may need to help coordinate your bite and jaws during your treatment. They will attach from an anchor point on a top tooth to another anchor point on a lower tooth.
Elastic (Ligature) Ties
These are also tiny rubber bands, but these bands go around each bracket to hold the archwire in its place. These can be customized to your favorite colors to personalize your treatment.
Carriere Motion Appliance
This appliance helps misaligned teeth prior to braces or Invisalign treatment. It moves the upper and lower teeth as needed to create a more aligned bite. By accomplishing this first, the straightening phase of treatment can be greatly reduced.
Forsus
or a forsus spring, is a device used to help correct your bite by moving the upper dentition back and the lower dentition forward. It is used while the patient is currently wearing braces. The forsus appliance is a spring coil rod that connects the upper and lower braces.
Palatal Expanders
This is a common appliance used in children whose jawbones are still developing. It consists of a metal center that expands upon activation. The patient will have a special key that inserts into the center to activate it as directed by Dr. Feinstein. Every time it is activated, it slowly widens the upper palate. Little by little, the expander will create an ideal environment for the permanent teeth to erupt.
Mouthguard
Mouthguards protect your mouth from injury. We recommend patients who wear braces always wear a mouthguard when playing contact sports or if they are involved in any activity where a blow to the mouth could occur.
Retainers
Retainers are an important component of your treatment as they ensure your teeth remain in their new positions. Retainers can be fixed or removable.
Separators or Spacers
These are tiny rubber donuts that are sometimes placed between teeth to push them apart.
