Braces are Coming Off, but Teeth are Still Crooked?
Typically, braces must be worn from anywhere between 12 and 24 months. Depending on the kinds of orthodontist problem you have, your dentist will set an estimated time frame by which time your teeth should have straightened. However, if your braces are to be removed soon, but your teeth still don’t look as straight as you would like them to be, it’s a good idea to raise your doubts with your orthodontist.It’s also very important to remember that your orthodontist is a specialist with several years of straitening teeth behind him. He most likely knows what he is doing, and if he has decided that now is the time for you to have your braces off, then he’s most probably right. It’s also possible that you’re noticing flaws in your teeth that aren’t really there. Sometimes, it’s natural to be overly critical of the end result, and see issues or flaws that are not visible to others. It takes some time to get used to seeing your teeth without braces after months of barely being able to see them.
Most of the time, an orthodontist will prescribe a retainer to be worn for several weeks after the braces come off. These retainers must be worn exactly as your orthodontist recommends. Many people fail to wear these retainers after the braces come off because of negligence or laziness. They may soon find that their teeth, that had moved to the right position, are now slowly going back to their former crooked appearance. Retainers are meant to hold the teeth in their desired place, so that the effects of the orthodontic treatment permanent.
If you don’t wear your retainers even for a couple of weeks after you get your braces removed, then you will begin to see your teeth becoming crooked again. In rare cases, it may be possible that you need to wear braces for a little while longer, so if you have doubts about your teeth looking crooked, inform your dentist, so he can see if the braces need to be left on for a few more days.
A clear plastic retainer (also called an Essix Retainer) is sometimes placed on the upper teeth one or two days after the braces are removed. It resembles the Invisalign appliance. It is normally worn only at night and lasts an average of 24 months. After it wears out the orthodontist may replace it with a traditional wire retainer. Some people have commented that this type of retainer can be uncomfortable.
A bonded retainer is normally placed behind the lower teeth after the braces are removed. It is a wire "permanently" bonded to the teeth with composite material. Sometimes this type of retainer is used for the upper teeth, but usually this is not possible because it would interfere with your bite. A bonded retainer will remain in place for several years. 
A wire retainer (also called a Hawley Retainer) is normally placed after discontinuing use of either the clear retainer or bonded retainer. This type of retainer has the added benefit of being adjustable so that minor tooth movement is possible. Sometimes a wire retainer can be worn full time instead of braces to correct mild crowding. As you can see, the plastic part of the retainer can be made in a variety of colors and patterns.
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with your fingers a bit to mold it, then place it directly on the bracket that is causing the irritation, as shown in this photo. Dental wax is non-toxic, so it's ok if you swallow it. Wax tends to break down over time, so you'll probably have to apply more after eating a meal. Take off the wax before you brush your teeth, or it will gunk up your toothbrush.
It's a little tricky at first. You must thread the floss under the arch wire between each tooth, floss under the gumline, then remove it. Repeat for each tooth. At first it will take about 15 minutes to floss all of your teeth, but with practice you will get faster and more efficient at doing it. It is important to floss EVERY NIGHT. Even if you use a Waterpik device, you should still floss. Braces are notorious for hiding tiny pieces of food you could have sworn were rinsed away!
The tubes (often called "buccal tubes") on your molar brackets may be used for attaching an appliance like headgear or a facebow. Don't be alarmed -- just because you have them, it doesn't mean that you are going to get headgear or a facebow! Some molar brackets have the tubes "by default." My molar brackets had tubes but they were never used for anything in the three years I had my braces! (picture from 
Class I malocclusion involves crowding, spacing, or overlapping of the teeth. In this classification the upper jaw is in a normal relationship to the lower jaw; that is, neither jaw protrudes.
Class III malocclusion occurs when the lower jaw is in a more anterior (forward) position than normal. The lower teeth protrude out beyond the upper teeth. This is often the most difficult type of malocclusion to correct.
now done by today's orthodontic wire! Later, in 400-500 BC, Hippocrates and Aristotle both ruminated about ways to straighten teeth and fix various dental conditions. Straight teeth have been on our minds a very long time!
Even before George Washington wore his famous wooden teeth, dentists were thinking about ways to correct bad bites. In 1728, French Dentist Pierre Fauchard published a book called the "The Surgeon Dentist" with an entire chapter on ways to straighten teeth. Fauchard used a device called a "Bandeau," a horseshoe-shaped piece of precious metal which helped expand the arch. French Dentist Ettienne Bourdet followed Fauchard in 1757 with his book "The Dentist's Art", also devoting a chapter to tooth alignment and appliances. Bourdet was the dentist to the King of France. He further perfected the Bandeau, and is also the first dentist (on record) who recommended extraction of premolars to alleviate crowding. He was also the first to scientifically prove jaw growth. Here's a 
In America in the early 1900s, Edward H. Angle devised the first simple classification system for malocclusions, which is still used today (Class I, Class II, and so on). His classification system was a way for dentists to describe how crooked teeth are, what way teeth are pointing, and how teeth fit together. Angle contributed significantly to the design of orthodontic appliances, incorporating many simplifications. He founded the first school and college of orthodontics, organized the American Society of Orthodontia in 1901 (which became the AAO in the 1930s), and founded the first orthodontic journal in 1907. A journal and website bearing his name still thrive today. His highly praised reference book, "Malocclusion of the Teeth" went through seven editions. In the wake of all these advancements, the field of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics eventually became a respected dental specialty in its own right.
What did braces look like a century ago? In the early 1900s, orthodontists used gold, platinum, silver, steel, gum rubber, vulcanite (and occasionally, wood, ivory, zinc, copper, and brass) to form loops, hooks, spurs, and ligatures. Fourteen- to 18-karat gold was routinely used for wires, bands, clasps, ligatures, and spurs, as were iridium-platinum bands and arch wires, and platinized gold for brackets. Why gold? It is malleable and easy to shape. Gold had its drawbacks, however -- because of its softness it required frequent adjustments, and it was expensive! Anyway, you guessed it -- these bands wrapped entirely around the each tooth -- the original "metal mouth" was real gold or silver! How's that for bling?
Self-ligating brackets don't need tie wires or elastic ligatures to hold the arch wire onto the bracket -- they are held on by a "trap door" built into each bracket. As early as 1935, the idea of a self-ligating brackets began to take shape. Over the years many designs were patented, but few were commercially available until Ormco created the Edgelock system in 1972. As the 1980s and 1990s progressed, many companies created their own versions of self-ligating brackets and improved upon the idea by offering both passive and active resistance on the arch wire. Nowadays, we have a number of self-ligating choices, such as Orec's Speed Braces, Ormco's Damon System, GAC's In-Ovation, and Adenta's Evolution.
Japan and the United States started developing their own systems to place braces on the inside surfaces of the teeth -- lingual braces. These "invisible braces" offered people the results of bonded brackets with one big advantage -- they were on the inside of the teeth, so nobody else could see them! In America, the late Dr. Craven Kurz of Beverly Hills California developed the Kurz/Ormco lingual system. In Japan, Professor Kinya Fujita, of Kanagawa Dental University invented his own lingual system, and continues to make great advances in the lingual method. 
companies are utilizing digital computer imaging to make orthodontic treatment more precise. The SureSmile system by OraMetrix, for example, takes a detailed 3-D model of a patient’s teeth and helps the orthodontist develop a precise treatment plan for tooth movement. The orthodontist's treatment plan then drives a highly accurate robotic process to customize the arch wires needed for treatment. This often shortens treatment time and gives highly accurate results.