Braces are worn to straighten the teeth. Braces that are fixed to teeth, and only removed when the teeth reach the correct position are called ‘fixed braces’, and other braces that can be taken out of the mouth to be cleaned are called ‘removable braces’.

Dentists usually wait till all the baby teeth have been lost, and most of the adult or permanent teeth have come through before starting treatment with braces, so from around age 10 or 11 years. A lot of jaw growth has already taken place by this age, and it is easier to see whether teeth have enough room to come through.