Orthodontics- All You Need to know Before Starting Treatment
Whether your teeth are crooked or you want some help with your overbite issues, availing orthodontic treatment is the best way out. Fear not, you aren’t the only one dealing with the problem. There are more than 4 million people who have undergone orthodontic treatment and wear braces fearlessly. However, this does not mean you can avail the treatment right away. Like any other medical treatment, orthodontic treatment is also a complicated process and having prior knowledge about the entire procedure is important. So, digging into the core of the topic is very important. In this article we will discuss everything you must know about orthodontics before you avail the treatment:
What is the orthodontic treatment?
Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that works towards the correction of any improperly placed teeth and jaws. When you have crooked teeth or any misplaced teeth, cleaning them is a problem. Not being able to clean it properly means you might lose them to early tooth decay or other gum and tooth diseases. The improper teeth placement might also put additional stress on the jaw bone while chewing, which result in headaches, neck, and shoulder and back pain as well as TMJ syndrome.
The treatment is focused towards improvising your appearance, making your mouth healthy and avoiding a range of oral health complications.
When do you need orthodontics?
It is best to let your dentist or orthodontist identify whether you can reap the benefits of the treatments. The dentist/ orthodontist would use a range of diagnostic treatments, examine your dental history, and plaster model of your teeth, X-Rays and a series of photographs to identify the core problem with your teeth. Following are the common conditions when you need to look forward to avail orthodontic treatment:
Overbite:
The condition is also referred to as “Buck Teeth”. This is a condition when the upper teeth lie way forward out of the lower teeth.
Underbite:
This is when you have a bulldog like appearance, as the lower teeth are far forward placed from the upper teeth.
Crossbite:
This is when the lower teeth do not sit properly over the upper teeth and is slightly in front of the upper teeth as you bite your food normally.
Open Bite:
This is when there is a space between the biting surfaces of the front/ side teeth as they meet the back teeth for a bite.
Misplaced Midline:
The midline of the upper teeth and lower teeth are misplaced.
Spacing:
There are gaps in the upper or lower teeth because of any missing teeth or naturally.
Crowding:
When there are more than normal teeth on the dental ridge.
What are the different appliances used for orthodontic treatment?
There is a range of fixed or removable appliances that are used for orthodontic treatment. These treatments are focused on helping the teeth move, restraining the muscles and affect the growth of the jaws. The orthodontist might use one or a combination of these appliances to treat the problem as per the prevailing problem.
Fixed Orthodontics appliances:
Braces:
Braces are the most commonly used orthodontic appliances. It comprises of bands, wires and/or brackets. In case of wires, they are used as anchors to place the appliance over the teeth and are placed around the teeth or tooth. The brackets, on the other hand, are bonded to the front of the teeth. The braces are tightened on a monthly basis to bring in the best result. The modern braces are light and available in several colors for the kids who need them.
Special fixed appliances:
These appliances are aimed to control thumb sucking or tongue thrusting. These appliances are attached to the teeth with the help of bands. They make eating very complicated and hence are the last resort, recommended by the doctors.
Fixed space maintainers:
In case of a premature loss of a baby tooth, the doctors install a space maintainer which keeps this space occupied until the mature and permanent teeth erupts.
Removable orthodontic appliances:
Aligners:
They are a great alternative to traditional braces. They are the modern resort for fixing teeth in the way fixed appliances work. They do not have any metal brackets of wires, however. You can easily remove them while eating, brushing and flossing. They are almost invisible other times.
Removable space maintainers:
They are just like a fixed space maintainers, but only removable. These space maintainers have an acrylic base and metal wires that aid in maintaining the space.
Jaw repositioning appliances:
They are also known as splints and are placed on upper or lower jaws. There focus is on aiding normal closure of the mouth. They are a great treatment for temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ).
Lip and cheek bumpers:
These appliances are used to keep the teeth away from lips and cheeks.
Palatal expander:
This aids in widening the arch of the upper jaw. It is placed on the palate area in a way that it exerts pressure on the jaws, forcing the bones to expand lengthwise, widening the palatal area.
Importance of consulting the best orthodontist for the treatment:
It is very important to consult only an experienced and trained orthodontics. However, it is the most intimidating aspect of the entire treatment process. You must ensure that the orthodontist you hire is well trained, certified and has been trained in an accredited university residency program.
It is important for a qualified orthodontist to undergo a two to three-year orthodontic residency after dental school. Only after this, any dentist becomes qualified to offer orthodontic treatment to the patients, legally.
Orthodontic treatment is the best way to get an impressive physical appearance as well as the best oral health, you must consult your dentist for the treatment and get your teeth in proper shape and alignment. However, before you do, you must have the knowledge about the treatment, which we have already mentioned in this article.
So, what are you waiting for, get all those bite size and placement problems treated with the best orthodontic treatment from a qualified, experienced and trained dentist/ orthodontist.