Below you will find Flash video animations, that are helpful in demonstrating certain principles in orthodontics.
Impacted Teeth
Impacted canines/teeth are fairly common in orthodontic treatment. This video is a must see for anyone wondering how far teeth can be moved. It is also important to note that left untreated, an impacted tooth can damage adjacent teeth and lead to tooth loss. "Guidance of Eruption" at an early age, can help modify the path/direction of tooth development and possibly eliminate an otherwise difficult problem. That is why it is best to see an orthodontist by age 7 (as recommended by the American Association of Orthodontists), and have a proper orthodontic evaluation.
Impacted Canine Teeth Movie
Super-Elastic Memory Archwires
Today, some of the wires used in orthodontic treatment are super-elastic. This means that a wire doesn't easily accept permanent bends and will usually return to its original curved shape. These wires are very, very flexible. Heat-activated wires have the added unusual property of the shape being "programmed" into their memory. This return to its original memorized shape can occur by slight changes in temperature. The video below demonstrates how a change in temperature (from warm water) has an immediate affect on the shape of the wire causing it to return to its original curved shape. So what does all this mean for you? Well, with the proper sequence of arch wires, you will hardly feel a thing while your teeth are moving because the forces used are so light!
Heat-Activated Arch Wire Movie