Types of orthodontic devices
Orthodontic devices include fixed braces, clear aligners, retainers, expanders, and functional appliances.
The short answer
Orthodontic devices include fixed braces, clear aligners, retainers, expanders, and functional appliances, each chosen for a different movement or growth goal.
How do braces and aligners move your teeth?
Brackets and archwires apply controlled forces to teeth, while clear aligners use a sequence of removable plastic trays. Palatal expanders widen a developing upper jaw, functional appliances influence jaw posture during growth, and retainers hold teeth after active movement.
What happens during an orthodontic assessment?
An orthodontic assessment normally includes photographs, an examination of the bite, digital scans or impressions, and radiographs when indicated. The clinician then maps tooth roots, jaw relationships, space, and eruption before selecting an appliance and activation schedule.
When should you arrange an orthodontic assessment?
Seek an orthodontic assessment for crowding, crossbite, open bite, prominent teeth, difficulty cleaning, or teeth that are not erupting normally. Contact the treating clinic promptly for a loose bracket, broken wire, cracked aligner, or appliance that injures the cheek or gum.
What should you ask before choosing an appliance?
Ask which problem the proposed appliance is correcting, whether it is removable, how it will be cleaned, and what happens if it is not worn as instructed. Ask how retention will maintain the final tooth positions and how growth affects the plan.
Frequently asked questions
Are clear aligners suitable for every bite?
They can treat many alignment problems, but severe rotations, jaw discrepancies, impacted teeth, or complex movements may require fixed appliances or combined treatment.
What is the purpose of a retainer?
A retainer limits unwanted tooth movement after active orthodontic forces are removed while the surrounding tissues adapt.
Who wrote this page
This library is published by Dental Nation, a licensed dental group practising in the United Arab Emirates. Pages are written and overseen by the same clinical team that treats patients in our clinics, and are held to a fixed editorial standard for safety and accuracy.
This page is patient education, not medical advice, and cannot replace an examination. Anything urgent — facial swelling, trauma, uncontrolled bleeding or severe pain — needs a dentist or emergency care now.