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What is Orthodontics?
Orthodontics is a special area of dentistry which deals with the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities caused by crooked, crowded or protruding teeth, or poorly aligned jaws. When you or your child have any of these problems, it's called a malocclusion. We treat and correct these problems with appliances called braces.
You may consider braces for yourself or your child for several good reasons. One of the primary reasons is that crooked, crowded teeth are difficult to keep clean and healthy. In addition, poor fit of the teeth makes it difficult to chew food and can cause improper wear of the teeth. But a pleasing smile and improved self confidence may be the most important reason for you and your child to consider orthodontic treatment.
The age of the patient and nature of the malocclusion will determine what type of orthodontic treatment and appliances are needed. Braces can range from a relatively simple, removable retainer to more complex, cemented braces with which you might be most familiar. In addition to these braces, sometimes auxillary elastics, or removable appliances are needed to redirect jaw growth.
In most cases, after the braces are removed retainers are worn for an additional year or so to keep teeth in their corrected position.
