How do braces work?
How do braces work? Braces work by a slow and controlled process using force and constant pressure. For traditional braces, the wire that is attached to the brackets works to put pressure on the teeth to move to a specified direction. Teeth move through a biomechanical process called “bone remodeling.” When braces put pressure on a tooth, the “periodontal membrane” and bone surrounding this tooth are affected. The periodontal membrane completely surrounds a tooth in its socket and it essentially helps anchor the tooth to bone. With pressure from braces, the periodontal membrane of a tooth is stretched on one side and compressed on the other side. This effectively loosens the tooth out of its socket. The compressed side (the direction of pressure) is where bone is broken down to accommodate the new position of the tooth while the stretched side is where new bone is made. This process needs to be done very slowly and explains why wearing braces can take some time to achieve the desired results.