Orthodontic Glossary of Terms

Bonding
Bonding is the process of using biocompatible dental adhesives to adhere orthodontic appliances (braces and other appliances) onto the teeth for orthodontic and orthopedic treatment.

Banding
Banding of teeth refers to the custom fitting of stainless steel bands (“rings”) around the posterior teeth (molars) to create strong anchors for braces, wires, and other appliances. Bands are adhered to teeth using a fluoride-based cement, providing a durable base for significant tooth movement and bite correction.

Crowding
Crowding is one of the most common reasons people seek out orthodontic care. Crowding is caused by the existence of insufficient space in the dental arch for all teeth to align correctly, causing them to overlap, twist, erupt at angles, or push forward/backward. 

Crossbite
A crossbite is a type of malocclusion (bite problem) where the upper teeth fit inside the lower teeth instead of outside, affecting either the front teeth (anterior crossbite) or the posterior teeth (posterior crossbite). Left untreated, crossbites can cause uneven tooth wear, jaw pain, gum recession, or other gum (periodontal) issues. A crossbite can be either skeletal or dental in nature - sometimes both.

Debonding
Debonding is the process of removing bonded brackets, cemented bands, and any attached orthodontic hardware at the end of treatment. This is when the dental adhesive is removed safely, leaving your newly straightened teeth smooth and photo-ready! 

Impression
An impression is a negative mold or imprint of a patient’s teeth, gums, and bite. This is captured using a soft, putty-like material (alginate) or a digital scanner, to create an exact 3D replica (a dental cast or model). These replicas are used for diagnostic purposes, treatment planning, and fabrication of custom appliances, such as retainers, aligners, and braces. These days our office uses mostly digital impressions that are more comfortable and create more accurate models. A digital light scan is a fast, non-invasive process using a handheld wand to capture high-resolution 3D images and measurements of a patient’s teeth and gingiva (gums) to create a precise digital impression.

Malocclusion
Malocclusion is simply another word for a misaligned, or improper bite. This includes any bite issue, including overbite, underbite, crossbite, and open bite. A malocclusion is a condition such that the upper (maxillary) and lower (mandibular) jaws/teeth do not fit correctly when the mouth closes, leading to issues such as overbites, underbites, crossbites, open bites, crowding, and spacing. Malocclusions can affect chewing, speaking, and appearance of the teeth.

Mandible
The mandible is the “lower jaw.” The largest and strongest bone in the face, the mandible holds the bottom teeth and serves as the only movable bone in the skull. The mandible is crucial for chewing, speaking, and forming facial structure, with its position and relationship to the upper jaw (maxilla) defining the bite and occlusion. 

Maxilla
The upper jaw is also known as the maxilla. It is a stationary bone that houses the upper teeth, forms the palate (roof of the mouth), supports the midface, and provides the foundation for bite alignment, facial structure, speech, and chewing.

Open Bite
An open bite is a malocclusion where the upper and lower teeth are unable to touch, leaving a vertical gap when the mouth is closed, affecting both the anterior (front) teeth and the posterior (back) teeth.  Open bites can impact speech, eating, overall function, and appearance. 

Overbite (Deep Bite)
A deep overbite is when the upper front teeth vertically overlap the lower front teeth, sometimes completely covering them, which can interfere with chewing and speaking. While some overlap is normal, excessive deep bite can also be a causative factor in jaw pain (TMJ), wearing down of teeth, and damage to the gum tissues including traumatic impingement of the lower teeth onto the soft tissues of the palate.

Overjet
Overjet is the horizontal distance between where the upper front teeth are positioned in front of the lower front teeth. Both skeletal positioning of the jaw bones and tooth position within each jaw contribute to overjet.  When overjet is excessive, it creates an issue that is commonly referred to by people as “teeth sticking out” or “buck teeth.” Excessive overjet can contribute to difficulties in chewing, speech production, or increase risk of trauma. The term overjet is commonly confused with the term “overbite” (defined above). 

Radiograph
A dental X-ray is also called a radiograph. Radiographs are used to evaluate, diagnose, and plan orthodontic treatment. They give us a look at teeth, jaw structure, roots and the health of the bone. The radiographs most commonly utilized in orthodontics are the panoramic radiograph (commonly referred to as the “pan”), and the cephalometric radiograph (commonly referred to as the “ceph”).

Underbite
An underbite is a malocclusion that is commonly characterized by a protrusion of the lower jaw (mandible) and teeth relative to the upper jaw (maxilla) and teeth. A skeletal underbite is manifested when either the lower jaw has grown excessively or a combination of underdevelopment of the upper jaw (maxillary deficiency) and overdevelopment of the lower jaw (mandibular excess). A dental underbite involves only the positions of the teeth when biting.

If you are ever unsure what something is, please never hesitate to ask. We make it a priority at Bronsky Orthodontics to make sure our patients are informed and at ease every step of the way.