Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that focuses on correcting improper positioning of teeth particularly if it causes problems including aesthetic issues or unsightly appearance and unbalanced facial structure or it makes proper dental hygiene and maintenance more challenging. Meanwhile, severe positioning issues can make it difficult for a patient to chew properly, necessitating more effort from the jaw muscles which increases the risk of developing temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).

Dental braces now come in many different types, such as fixed braces and removable ones. Although traditional braces are made of metal, advances in orthodontic technology allow patients to use simpler structures that can be easily clipped on to the affected teeth or more aesthetic options made of transparent plastic materials and dubbed as “invisible braces” or “aligners”. However, these alternatives tend to come with certain limitations, and most severe orthodontic problems still benefit the most from traditional fixed metal braces.