Ligature wire helps in place.
Braces consist of three or four main hardware pieces. The brackets, archwire, ligature wire--if used--and in many cases bands that fit over molars for added wire support. In recent years, ligature wire has been replaced in many orthodontic practices.
Traditional Ligature Wire
Ligature wire was used traditionally to hold the archwire in place. Ligature wire would consist of thin, bendable, steel wire that would wrap around the brackets attached to the teeth surfaces, then be twisted to tighten and secure the archwire in place. The archwire is a slightly thicker steel wire that runs through the brackets and helps position the teeth throughout the orthodontic procedure.
Ligature Wire Vs. Bands
More and more orthodontists are replacing traditional ligature wire with small bands. The bands cab be clear or a variety of colors and are faster to attach, which reduces the time a patient spends in the office. Comfort is also improved as the bands do not leave potential sharp wire ends that could poke, scratch and irritate the insides of the patient's mouth.
Self-Ligating Brackets
An even newer system for orthodontic treatment includes self-ligating braces, which remove the need for ligature wire or bands completely. These self-ligating brackets are smaller, covering less of the tooth surface, and the archwire is simply locked in place by the structure of each bracket. The use of self-ligating brackets may reduce treatment time in many orthodontic cases as well, making them very popular among adult patients who cannot use the more fashionably-invisible orthodontic treatment methods.
Tags: , hold archwire, hold archwire place, Ligature Wire, many orthodontic, , self-ligating brackets