Glossary of Orthodontic Terms
BandingThe process of cementing orthodontic bands to your teeth
Bonding
The process of attaching brackets to your teeth using a special safe adhesive.
Cephalomentric X-Ray
An x-ray of the head that shows if your teeth are aligned and growing properly.
Consultation
A meeting with your treatment coordinator and your orthodontist where they discuss your treatment plan.
Debonding
The removal of cemented orthodontic brackets.
Extractions
The removal of impacted or problematic wisdom teeth to make space for orthodontic treatment.
Impressions
The first step in making a model of your teeth. You bite into a container filled with a rubber-type material. That material hardens to produce a mold of your teeth.
Interceptive Treatment
Orthodontic treatment that is usually done between the ages of 7 and 10. The objective of interceptive orthodontic treatment is to provide orthopedic intervention, so that later orthodontic treatment is less complex.
Interproximal Reduction (IPR)
Interproximal Reduction (IPR) is the removal of small amounts of outer enamel tooth surface between two adjacent teeth. It is a means to acquire additional space to create ideal tooth alignment. Alternative names include: slenderizing, stripping, enamel reduction, and reproximation.
