AN ORTHODONTIST . . .

. . . is a dentist that straightens teeth. They analyze the mouth and surrounding bone structures and determine where the teeth should be. If there is enough room they will manipulate the teeth and bone through the use of bands, wires, elastics, headgears and other appliances to achieve a harmonious balance between facial muscles and teeth. If there is not enough room teeth may have to be extracted to achieve the desired results. They treat children as well as adults, so don't be afraid you are too old to have braces. They have usually 2 or more years of continuing education after graduating dental school, and most limit their practice to only orthodontics.

ORTHODONTICS (braces)

Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry specializing in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. Retainers and braces are appliances used to correct the irregularities. Poorly arranged teeth can easily break, cause chewing difficulties, TMJ disorders, un-esthetic appearance and cause food to be trapped in hard to clean places, resulting in decay or gum disease. There are currently over four million people in USA alone going through orthodontic care, the majority are in their early teens and almost 20% are adults. Although successful orthodontics can be performed on adults, the best time to see an orthodontist is around the age of seven, but certainly before the adolescent growth peak is reached. Adolescent growth peak is the time during skeletal development when greatest growth speed is reached, after which time physical growth rate starts to slow down. This age is generally around 12 for girls and 13 for boys.

ANOMALIES

The majority of jaw and teeth misalignments are hereditary, while other local factors such as thumb sucking, abundant cavities, gum disease, trauma and premature loss of teeth can also result in a less than ideal bite. The following are simple explanations of either jaw or teeth size discrepancies:

· Class I occlusion: When the 1st molar and the anterior teeth are correctly in position. The 1st lower molars are half-a-cusp distance in front of the upper 1st molar, and the upper front teeth are 2-3mm over the lower incisors.

· Class II occlusion: The lower 1st molar is further back than the normal position and the upper incisors may be protruding forward. This will give the impression of bucked teeth and/or the lower jaw being smaller than the upper jaw. In some instances the lower lip may fall under the upper incisors.

· Class III occlusion: The lower 1st molar is forward compared to its natural position, the upper anterior teeth fall behind the lower ones and the person appears to have a protruded lower jaw.

TREATMENT

At your initial exam the Orthodontist will go over your medical and dental history. X-rays, photos and impressions of your teeth are taken and the Orthodontist will ask you what you want to change about your smile. A tailored treatment is then formed to meet your needs and a rough estimate of treatment time is given. In majority of cases where braces are used, it will include Brackets, a piece of specially shaped metal or ceramic that is attached to each tooth by bonding an archwire to them (a piece of wire bent to the way your teeth are to be aligned). The archwire is attached to the brackets on your teeth by elastics, as the wire tries to go back to the way it originally was in it will gently move the teeth along with it. In cases where too much pressure is applied to move the teeth too quickly, resorbtion of the roots may occur with subsequent loss of some teeth.

MAINTENANCE

During treatment the brackets, archwire and the elastics can cause food to easily become trapped and plaque build up increases. Unless optimal oral hygiene is performed, the chances of decay and gum disease are highly increased. Depending on the extent of treatment retainers may be required to stabilize the new positions of your teeth. They usually need to be worn at night and the length of time is determined by the Orthodontist. In some cases the lower anterior teeth may be stabilized using a fixed splint, which is a thin metal wire bonded onto the back of the lower incisors.