Orthodontics Practice Glossary
105 terms total — 24 showing — Last updated 15 Sep 2026
Dental Attachments
Small composite resin shapes bonded to tooth surfaces to improve the grip and directional force of clear aligners during tooth movement.
Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need
A validated two-component index used in the UK to assess and prioritise patients' need for orthodontic treatment on the...
Indirect Bonding
A bracket placement technique in which brackets are positioned on a laboratory model and then transferred to the patient...
Interceptive Treatment
Early orthodontic intervention aimed at correcting or reducing a developing malocclusion in the mixed dentition before f...
Intraoral Scanner
A handheld optical device used chairside to capture a digital three-dimensional impression of the teeth and soft tissues...
IOTN
Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need; a validated scoring system used in the UK to assess and prioritise the clinical and...
IPR
Interproximal Reduction; the controlled removal of small amounts of enamel from the contact surfaces between adjacent te...
Labial Bow
A wire component of a removable orthodontic appliance that passes across the labial surface of the anterior teeth to pro...
Lateral Cephalogram
A standardised lateral skull radiograph taken at a fixed distance with the patient in the natural head position, used as...
Levelling
The orthodontic phase of treatment aimed at aligning the occlusal plane by eliminating vertical discrepancies such as a...
Lip Competence
The ability of the lips to achieve a comfortable, unstrained seal at rest, an important aesthetic and functional outcome...
Malocclusion
Any deviation from the ideal alignment and occlusal relationship of the upper and lower dental arches. Classified by Ang...
Mandibular Advancement Device
A removable oral appliance that repositions the mandible anteriorly to manage obstructive sleep apnoea or temporomandibu...
Mesial Drift
The natural tendency of teeth to migrate toward the midline (mesially) over time, driven by interproximal wear and occlu...
Mesiodens
A supernumerary (extra) tooth located in the midline of the maxilla, between the upper central incisors, which may cause...
Molar Band
A thin metal ring cemented circumferentially around a molar tooth to provide anchorage and attachment points for orthodo...
Molar Distalization
The controlled orthodontic movement of upper or lower molar teeth in a posterior (distal) direction to create space or c...
Molar Relationship
The antero-posterior relationship of the upper and lower first permanent molars, classified as Class I, II, or III accor...
Nance Appliance
A fixed palatal arch appliance with an acrylic button resting against the anterior hard palate, used to maintain upper m...
Occlusal Plane
The imaginary flat surface that contacts or most nearly contacts the incisal edges of the anterior teeth and the cusps o...
Occlusal Radiograph
A type of intraoral dental X-ray in which the film or sensor is held between the occlusal surfaces of the teeth, used to...
Open Bite
A malocclusion in which opposing upper and lower teeth fail to make contact when the jaws are closed, most commonly occu...
OPG
Abbreviation for orthopantomogram, a panoramic dental radiograph showing the full dentition and surrounding structures i...
Orthognathic Surgery
Corrective jaw surgery performed to address severe skeletal discrepancies that cannot be resolved by orthodontic treatme...
Overbite
The vertical overlap of the upper incisors over the lower incisors when the teeth are in occlusion, measured in millimet...