Image of a smiling mouth with braces

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STANDARDS

NGSS: Core Idea: ETS1.B, PS1.A, LS1.A

CCSS: Speaking and Listening: 1

TEKS: 6.2D, 6.6C, 7.2D, 8.2D

Something to Smile About

Find out how braces help keep your teeth healthy

AS YOU READ, THINK ABOUT why it’s important for a person’s teeth to be correctly aligned.

If you have braces, you’re not alone. About 5 million Americans wear these dental devices—and about 70 percent of them are kids or teens. Braces correct problems that occur when teeth are out of place. The idea isn’t new: Dentists have been using braces to straighten teeth for the past 200 years!

The most common type of braces consists of metal brackets glued to teeth. These brackets are connected by a curved wire often made of nickel titanium. This alloy, or metal mixture, is flexible, so the wire can be bent to attach to each bracket. The alloy also reacts to the heat of a person’s mouth, causing the wire to slowly return to its original shape. This movement puts pressure on the teeth, gradually changing their position and that of the underlying jawbones they’re attached to. “The teeth are like a house and the bones are the foundation,” explains Dr. Brent Larson. He’s an orthodontist—a dentist who specializes in aligning teeth—and professor at the University of Minnesota. “To have a nice straight house, you need a good foundation underneath.”

When a person’s top and bottom sets of teeth don’t fit together, the teeth can wear down and lose enamel. Without this hard, protective outer layer, a person can develop tooth decay. Crooked or overlapping teeth can also be hard to brush and floss, which can lead to cavities and gum disease. That’s why braces aren’t just cosmetic. “The goal of having braces is to end up with a beautiful, healthy smile,” says Larson.

If you have braces, you’re not alone. About 5 million Americans wear these dental devices. And about 70 percent of them are kids or teens. When teeth are out of place, problems occur. Braces correct these problems. The idea isn’t new. Dentists have used braces to straighten teeth for 200 years!

Dentists can glue metal brackets to teeth. That’s the most common type of braces. A curved wire connects these brackets. The wire is often made of an alloy of nickel titanium. This metal mixture is flexible, so the wire can be bent to attach to each bracket. The alloy also reacts to the heat of a person’s mouth. That makes the wire slowly return to its original shape. This movement puts pressure on the teeth. Over time, it changes their position. It also changes the position of the jawbones connected to the teeth. “The teeth are like a house and the bones are the foundation,” explains Dr. Brent Larson, a professor at the University of Minnesota. He’s an orthodontist—a dentist who corrects the position of teeth. “To have a nice straight house, you need a good foundation underneath.”

Sometimes, a person’s top and bottom teeth don’t fit together. Then the teeth can wear down and lose enamel. This hard outer layer protects teeth. Without it, a person can develop tooth decay. Crooked or overlapping teeth can also be hard to brush and floss. That can lead to cavities and gum disease. So braces don’t just improve looks. “The goal of having braces is to end up with a beautiful, healthy smile,” says Larson. 

CONSTRUCTING EXPLANATIONS: Explain in your own words how metal braces work.

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