● Free Educational Tool · 3D

Two-Bracket Archwire Simulator

Two teeth, two 0.022 slots, one wire. Change interbracket distance, wire size and material, and each tooth’s inclination — and watch the wire deflect and the force system (moments, force, slot play) update live in 3D.

No install · No signup · Runs in your browser. Educational and research tool — not a medical device.

Two-Bracket Simulator
Brackets
Loop
Movement
Materials
Two-couple system
Wire deflection
Live in 3D
Δ mm
Force at each bracket
Equal & opposite
F
Couple / moment
From slot engagement
M
Slot play
Wire vs 0.022 slot
Play
Illustrative — live values update as you change the inputs

What you can explore

The two-bracket, one-wire system is the atom of fixed appliance mechanics.

Live 3D wire

Watch the archwire bend in real time as you change the teeth and the wire.

Interbracket distance

See how span sets the wire stiffness — closer brackets mean a stiffer, higher-force span.

Couples & moments

Inclining a tooth engages the slot and generates a couple — the basis of torque.

Slot play

See the play between wire and 0.022 slot, and when the wire finally engages.

How it works

Build a two-tooth force system and read it directly.

1

Set the teeth

Choose each tooth’s inclination and the interbracket distance.

2

Choose the wire

Pick wire size and material; the beam model deflects it through both slots.

3

Read the system

See the force at each bracket, the couples, and the remaining slot play in 3D.

A real finite wire, not a cartoon

The wire is solved as a beam engaged in two bracket slots — so the forces and couples obey equilibrium (equal-and-opposite forces, balancing moments) exactly as a two-couple orthodontic system must.

Who it's for

For seeing torque, play, and couples instead of imagining them.

🎓

Dental & ortho students

Build real intuition before the clinic — change a parameter and watch the mechanics respond, instead of memorizing rules.

🦷

Residents & clinicians

A fast sandbox to reason from first principles — concept-level understanding, never patient-specific advice.

🔬

Educators & researchers

A transparent, citable model for teaching and study. Every value traces to a published equation.

Frequently asked questions

What is slot play?

It is the angular slack between a rectangular wire and the 0.022 bracket slot before the wire engages the slot walls. Until play is taken up, no torque (couple) is expressed. The simulator shows when engagement happens.

Why does interbracket distance matter?

A wire spanning a shorter distance is stiffer and delivers more force for the same deflection. Increasing the span lowers stiffness and softens the force — visible live as you drag the brackets apart.

Is it free? Do I need to install anything?

It's completely free, with no signup, and runs entirely in your browser — nothing is downloaded or installed.

Is this a medical device?

No. It is an educational and research simulation of general biomechanics using generic, user-entered parameters. It does not use patient data and is not intended for the diagnosis or treatment planning of individual patients.

Open the simulator

Free, in your browser, right now.

Launch the Two-Bracket Simulator →