Hey there, this could be a VERY stupid question. I watched a lot videos on YouTube which shows how braces work. But I never understood how the braces pull and move the teeth instead of just staying there in the same shape it is put on. I can understand how it works when the brackets of an upper tooth and a lower tooth are connected using a rubber band. But how can the braces exert force on its on when put only on the upper or lower set of teeth? I mean, it’s metal which bends, and it is put on teeth which are bigger and probably stronger. Or is this any different type of metal which tend to come to it’s original state even if it gets bend?
Sorry for the bad English. Thank you!
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The wires in braces are usually anchored to the rear molar which have a loop of metal around them with an anchoring point attached to them. It looks like [this] (https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:1200/1*Vh2-tyrplUUi_pxli57pKw.jpeg). The Orthodontist then can then tighten the wires to exert pressure on the teeth to move them in the intended direction based on the placement of the braces on the teeth. Sometimes the teeth need to be moved in a way that isn’t possible for just the wire, so springs or elastics are used. Sometimes the rear molar needs to be moved as well so a head strap, known as head gear, is used that gets attached to the rear molars and pushes them towards the back of the head.
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