Orthodontic Bonding

Table of Contents
  1. Orthodontic Bonding

Fixed Orthodontic Treatments

Before moving on to the question of how braces are bonded, I would like to give you brief information about braces. Fixed orthodontic treatments, also known as braces, involve the use of non-removable appliances such as braces to correct misalignments and bite problems in teeth. These appliances, which consist of metal or ceramic brackets bonded to the teeth and connected with wires, are designed to apply constant pressure over time to gradually move the teeth into the desired positions. Fixed orthodontic treatment is effective in correcting a wide range of dental problems, from mild crowding to complex malocclusions. Since braces remain in place throughout treatment, they provide consistent results and provide precise control over tooth movement, leading to a well-aligned and healthy smile.

how braces are bonded

To learn more about orthodontic treatments, you can read my Orthodontic Treatment article.

How Braces Are Bonded?

You have decided to have orthodontic treatment. You are probably wondering how braces are bonded from the first session. I will try to answer the question of how braces are bonded step by step. I will try to write what will be done as descriptively as possible. First, all the caries in your mouth will be treated and if necessary, tartar will be cleaned. Then your orthodontist will take your photographs and measurements if necessary. If permanent teeth are to be extracted for treatment purposes, the extraction will be done before the braces are put on. And you are ready to put on braces. This process takes about 30-45 minutes.

Ethcing of Teeth (Enamel)

First, your teeth are cleaned with a dry brush. Then, a special mouth opener called a ‘retractor’ is placed and the process begins. The doctor will first apply a special etching agent to the teeth (Figure 1).

Blue acid was applied to the teeth. how braces are bonded
Figure 1. Etching of teeth

After the etching agent stays on your teeth for 15-20 seconds, your teeth will be washed with plenty of water and dried (Figure 2). After the drying process is complete, a special material called ‘bond’ will be applied to the conditioned tooth surfaces and hardened with a light device. Then, your doctor will place the brackets on the teeth one by one, adjust their positions and polimerize the adhesive material with the light device (Figure 3).

Asitlenmiş dişlerin üzerinden asit yıkandıktan sonra oluşan tebeşirimsi görüntü
Figure 2. Image after teeth are dried

Installing the Brackets

After the tooth is prepared, the orthodontist applies a composite adhesive (an adhesive material consisting of organic synthetic polymer matrices, inorganic fillers, and silane that bonds the reinforcing fillers to the polymer matrix) behind the brackets and bonds them to the teeth one by one. The composite adhesive used to bond the braces creates a mechanical lock that holds the braces in place. The adhesive is polymerized with LED blue light and takes about 5-15 seconds per tooth.

The brackets are bonded to the upper jaw teeth.
Figure 3. Brackets are bonded onto the teeth

After the bracket bonding process is completed, the wire will be placed over the brackets (Figure 4). Your doctor can attach the wires to the brackets with metal or elastic ligatures. While elastic ligatures can be in a variety of colors, metal ligatures are only one color (gray). If the brackets are self-ligating, elastic or metal ligatures are not used.

After the bracket bonding process is completed, the wires are attached.
Figure 4. After the wires are ligatured

I hope I have explained the bracket bonding process in a sufficiently descriptive manner. If you have any questions, you can ask them via the contact section. I will be happy to answer your questions.

Band Application

If small ring-shaped appliances called ‘bands’ are to be placed on your back molars, your doctor will place small rubber bands called ‘separation rubbers’ between your back teeth 1 week before (Figure 6). These rubber bands create small spaces between the teeth and make it easier to fit the ‘band’ onto the tooth. When your doctor calls you to have the bands attached, small spaces have been created between your teeth (Figure 7) and the ‘bands’ are easily attached to your teeth (Figure 8).

Band application is not performed on every patient. It is only performed in special cases.

Blue colored separator rubbers are used to create space between the rear molars in the upper jaw.
Figure 6. ‘Separation rubbers’ fitted to create space between the posterior molars
After the separation rubbers attached to the molars in the upper jaw are removed, it is seen that there is a gap between the teeth.
Figure 7. Gaps between teeth are visible after one week of separation rubbers
A ring-shaped band was applied to the molars in the upper jaw.
Figure 8. Attaching the bands to the teeth

Different Types of Braces

Different types of braces are used for orthodontic treatment. These are metal braces, clear braces and lingual braces. After reading the article how braces are bonded, I recommend you to read our article Types of Braces

If you are wondering how braces are bonded in different types of treatments, you can take a look at the comparison below:

  • The Basic Logic Is the Same: Whether you choose traditional metal braces, clear ceramic braces, or hidden lingual braces, the way we attach braces to your teeth is very similar.
  • Minor Variations: The only real difference is the type of brackets we use. Clear brackets use ceramic brackets that blend in with your teeth, while lingual brackets are bonded to the back of your teeth, making them completely invisible.
  • The biggest difference: When you choose orthodontic treatment with only clear aligners, the process is completely different. You can get information about this from your orthodontist.
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