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Braces and other orthodontic
appliances work by putting pressure against the teeth, moving them
gradually over time. Most of the time, pressure is applied by a metal
wire, called an archwire, that runs on the outside of the teeth.
"Rubber" bands, actually made from surgical latex, put additional
pressure on the teeth. The appliances require periodic adjustments or
replacement by the orthodontist to apply continuous pressure.
Tooth movement is a really
normal physiological process that allows your orthodontic correction
to occur. The pressure applied by the orthodontic appliances or
archwire pushes the tooth in a particular direction which leads to
bone remodeling. A tooth will usually move about a millimeter per
month during orthodontic movement, but there is high individual
variability.
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