Orthodontics is a branch addressing the diagnosis, prevention, and correction of mal-positioned teeth and jaws, and misaligned bite patterns. It may also address the modification of facial growth, known as dentofacial orthopedics.
Malocclusion, crowded or crooked teeth, infra-positioned teeth are all leading to oral health problems, not only is the chewing function affected but also oral hygiene is compromised due to regions that are difficult to reach.
Dental radiographies and clinical examination are needed to evaluate the patient fully for his need of an orthodontic treatment.
The length of treatment period is depending on the patient’s oral and dental status.
The International Orthodontics Association is recommending an oral examination at 7 years of age for all children. Since crowded or crooked teeth might seriously affect the jaws, it is of high importance to take care of it in the early ages where bone growth and development is not fully complete. Otherwise after completion of bone growth, surgical treatments might be the only way for treatment. Therefore, examination at the right time might save a lot of trouble later.
There are several options for the bracket material (metal, ceramic, transparent, lingual). With the help of tooth brackets and stainless steel wires, a certain amount of torque is given to the teeth in order to move and get them into the desired/right position. This will not happen right away of course, it takes time for the fibers holding the teeth in the bone, to accommodate and react to the given force. Not only is the material choice very crucial but also the educational degree and experience of your orthodontist.
There is no such thing as “I am too old for braces”. Orthodontic treatment can be received at any age. Extraction sites, being edentulous for a long period, might cause teeth to tip towards the empty space.
If there is an aesthetic concern about the braces being visible, no worries !
With brackets hidden on the lingual (back) side of your teeth, no one will know.
Another option is the Invisalign treatment, a computer-assisted orthodontic treatment technology, which is applied to correct your teeth with unique transparent trays (aligners), without using braces. The most important reason for the preference of Invisalign is that it is not noticeable that you are receiving orthodontic treatment while correcting the teeth crowding.
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