3. What do braces look like?

Braces consist of a system of precision designed brackets, bands and wires. Brackets can be made of metal or ceramic. All brackets are designed to function equally, however, the ceramic brackets offer an esthetic alternative to traditional braces. The brackets are attached to the surface of the teeth with special dental adhesive. Bands, used mainly on the back teeth, have brackets welded to a band that fits around the entire tooth. The archwire connects all of the braces and is the active part of the system. The archwires are made of different blends of metals and come in different sizes. There are small 'ties' that hold the archwire into the bracket. These ties can be made of colored elastic material or ultra-thin stainless steel wire.

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