The archwire is then removed, and may be replaced or modified.

The ties on this type of brace are used to hold the archwire in place.

An archwire can also be used to maintain existing dental positions; in this case it has a retentive purpose.

These are connected to the archwire.

When cold, the archwire is limp and flexible, easily threaded between brackets of any configuration.

Once heated to body temperature, the archwire will stiffen and seek to retain its shape, creating constant light force on the teeth.

When they get adjusted, the orthodontist removes the colored or metal ligatures keeping the archwire in place.

Self ligation is a bracket that has a sliding or rotating mechanism to ligate an archwire.

An archwire will be threaded between the brackets and affixed with elastic or metal ligatures.

The self-ligating braces uses a slide mechanism to hold the archwire, thus reducing the amount of pressure exerted on the teeth.

In orthodontics, a ligature is the small elastic band that is used to affix the archwire to the bracket.

In this way it is possible to reshape the whole dental arch if molars are connected to the other teeth by means of a buccal archwire.

Brackets with hooks can be placed, or hooks can be created and affixed to the archwire to affix rubber bands to.

The lower lingual arch (LLA) has an archwire adapted to the lingual side of the lower teeth.

Self-ligating braces are defined as "a [dental] brace, which utilizes a permanently installed, moveable component to entrap the archwire".

When the archwire has been placed back into the mouth, the patient may choose a color for the new elastic ligatures, which are then affixed to the metal brackets.

In the upper arch the archwire is usually connecting the two molars passing through the palatal vault, and is commonly referred as "Transpalatal Arch" (TPA).

One example is the prevalence of dental braces using SMA technology to exert constant tooth-moving forces on the teeth; the nitinol archwire was developed in 1972 by orthodontist George Andreasen.

An orthodontic archwire is a wire conforming to the alveolar or dental arch that can be used with dental braces as a source of force in correcting irregularities in the position of the teeth.