A Bracket is a metal or ceramic part that is attached to a tooth with a Band or bonded with adhesive. Brackets provide a place to fasten the Arch Wire onto each tooth. This is what enables the force necessary to move the teeth. Brackets come in different types and can be made from a variety of different materials. They can be mounted on the outside-facing (Labial) surfaces of the teeth, or on the inside-facing (Lingual) surfaces of the teeth. There are many different shapes and types of Brackets, used for different purposes in orthodontic treatment. For example, some brackets are made with a little hook for attaching Elastics.
Most Brackets require an Elastic Ligature or metal Tie Wire Ligature to secure the Arch Wire. Self-Ligating Brackets hold the Arch Wire in place by themselves with special built-in mechanisms — they don’t require Ligatures or Tie Wires.
Brackets can be made from stainless steel, titanium, gold, ceramic, polycarbonate, cobalt chromium, and other materials. Most Brackets are silver color, but Brackets made from ceramic or other advanced materials are tooth-colored or almost translucent so that they blend in with the teeth and are less noticeable to others.