brace
n. countablen. something used to support or strengthen a structure or a part of your body. You might wear one on your teeth to make them straight or on your leg after an injury.
n. a device that provides support, stability, or reinforcement to a structure or a part of the body. Often used in the plural when referring to dental apparatus or clothing fasteners.
He had to wear a neck brace after the car accident.
The dentist recommended a metal brace to correct the alignment of her lower teeth over the next eighteen months.
Engineers installed a heavy steel brace to reinforce the aging bridge against the increased pressure of the rising river water during the spring floods.
Often used in the plural ('braces') to refer to dental equipment or the straps used to hold up trousers.