Dental braces can be used for either cosmetic or structural purposes. Braces are often used in conjunction with other orthodontic appliances to help widen the palate or jaws, and to otherwise assist in shaping the teeth and jaws.

Braces are attached directly to the crowns of the teeth, resulting in stresses along the tooth roots and within the rope-like periodontal ligaments that tether teeth to bone.

That’s where the biology kicks in. The periodontal ligament which is being strained by the pressure of the braces alters its normal blood flow, allowing specialized cells to dissolve the bone in the tooth sockets, gradually moving each tooth in the direction the pressure is being exerted. As the each tooth moves over time, bone-forming cells fill in behind them to permanently reposition them into a straighter, more desirable position.