Braces are very neat pieces of orthodontic equipment made up of various pieces. They have also been around for a very long time. For example, did you know Egyptians wore braces?
- Braces are not magnetic.Today, traditional metal braces and the wires used to move the teeth are made with stainless steel. The wires are sometimes mixed with nickel titanium or copper titanium, a technology that was actually developed by NASA! That’s why braces are not magnetic.
- Braces have been found on Egyptians!The first evidence of appliances being used for orthodontics dates back to 1000 BC! Mummies have been found with crude metal bands around their teeth and in ancient Greece, appliances were used to maintain space and prevent collapse of the teeth. However orthodontics did not become a dental specialty until the early 1930’s, but even at that orthodontics is dentistry’s oldest specialty!
- The first braces were made of gold.In the early 1900’s, orthodontists used 18-karat gold for wires, bands and other orthodontic parts. Used for its ability to be moulded, patients had to keep coming back for frequent adjustments because the gold would get too soft and move.
- Before glue was used to place brackets on the teeth, braces used to wrap all the way around each tooth!The adhesive used to attach modern day brackets to the teeth wasn’t developed until the 1970’s. The way it adheres to the teeth is actually more like Velcro than a chemical glue.
- Wear your retainer!About 25% of orthodontic patients compromise their end of treatment result because they don’t wear their retainers as instructed!