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1. The impressions that
the orthodontist took of your teeth are made into plaster models
on which the appliance is made.
The model technician pours plaster into the moulds and once
set, the models are trimmed ready for the dental technician to
make the brace. |
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2. Here the patient's teeth
have been cast as a plaster model and set ready for the appliance
wires to be shaped to the various position around the teeth. |
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3. The dental technician
starts to bend the wire.
For this example we'll look at a Quad-helix appliance. This
is used to gently widen the upper arch.
Here you can see the coils which act as springs, gently moving
the teeth. |
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4. Before being placed
in the mouth, the quad-helix is attached to bands on the teeth.
These bands were chosen at your previous appointment ready for
this stage. |
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5. To hold the wire to
the band, a spot-welding machine is used.
Using a strong spark, it melts the metals and fuses them together. |
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6. The connection is then
soldered to provide strength.
The green heat-protecting material stops part of the brace
from getting too hot, while the join is strengthened using
traditional flux and gold solder.
Once soldered, the appliance is trimmed using various burs
and rubber points. |
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7. The appliance is polished
and thoroughly cleaned and sterilised before being returned for
fitting. |
