Sometimes a child’s teeth and jaw do not develop normally and when he/she grows into an adult, we notice that the teeth and jaws may not aligned be properly . The medical term used for this is malocclusion.
A dentist who helps with malocclusion is called an Orthodontist. Orthodontist comes from the Greek word ‘orthos’ which means straight, right, upright, and ‘dont’ refers to the teeth.
It is a type of dental treatment that aims to improve the appearance, position and function of crooked or abnormally arranged teeth.
Reasons for malocclusions are many; such as bad habits like thumb sucking, protruding the tongue out , injury to the teeth or bone, small jaw amongst others.
Orthodontics uses mechanical devices, such as a brace, over a certain period of time (usually 18 months to 2 years) to correct the position of the teeth.
Orthodontic braces are devices used to align and straighten teeth and help to position them.
It is important that malocclusion is treated early (teenage years), because it can easily change the way you look, and even affect your confidence and self-esteem. In sever cases, it can even affect your eating, teeth cleaning and cause problems eating. It can also make your teeth vulnerable to damage
Not treating them on time, can cause severe problems of the gingiva . With teeth that are in cross bite, teeth that are misaligned, there is an increased chance of plaque buildup, food buildup in between your teeth, which is an avalanche effect because the more food buildup, the more plaque; therefore, the more concern for periodontal disease and gum disease!! They can be very nasty, and the gums will start bleeding a lot.
Straightening the teeth does not only improve the appearance, but the overall well-being of your oral health .
Advances in technology have made orthodontics available to even adults and the treatment is done in a shorter span of time and less pain involved as compared to years ago.
Modern dentistry has come up with brackets and invisible aligners (Invisalign and Clear Correct are new alternatives to wire braces that uses transparent, incremental aligners to adjust teeth.)
Celebrities who had a history of wearing braces – Angelina Jolie, Tom Cruise , Beyonce are now enjoying a beautiful healthy smile thanks to orthodontics> http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrities-who-had-braces/celebrity-lists?format=SLIDESHOW&page=1
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Dr. Behzad
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