Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with straightening teeth and correcting irregular bites (also knows as malocclusion). Orthodontic treatment consists of the application of braces to the teeth.

Orthodontic treatment is for children, teenagers and adults.

The Cause

The Problem

What happens when you don't undergo treatment

The Solution

Problems in Childhood

Adult Orthodontics

Advantages

Disadvantages

Alternatives

The Cause:

Orthodontic problems affect children, teenagers and adults and may be caused by one or more of the following factors:
Genetics: inheriting teeth and/or bone structure from your parents or the irregularities of the jaws, teeth and face.
Habits: like thumb, finger or dummy (pacifier) sucking during childhood
Trauma: accidents that affect teeth, jaws or face
Dental Diseases: like cavities and gum disease that may cause tooth loss, resulting in space between teeth
Poor Diet: nutritional deficiencies may affect the growth rate of the jaws and teeth, resulting in misaligned teeth.

Children must have an orthodontic screening no later than age 7

The Problem:

Losing baby teeth
Difficulty in chewing or biting
Thumb, finger or dummy sucking
Unpleasant smile!!
Crowding, misplaced or blocked out teeth
Abnormal swallowing or speech problems
Abnormal facial muscle function
Jaws that shift and make sounds
Jaws and teeth that are out of proportion to the rest of the face
Constantly biting of cheeks and/or lips
Teeth that do not meet or meet abnormally

What happens when you don't undergo treatment

Aesthetically unpleasing smile
Abnormal facial muscle function
Increased susceptibility to cavities, gum disease and eventually tooth loss due to the difficulty of removing plaque from misaligned and crowded teeth
Abnormal wear of tooth surfaces due to inefficient chewing function and excessive stress on gums and the bone that supports the teeth
Chronic headaches or pain in the face or neck due to the misalignment of the jaw joints
Increased vulnerability to trauma of fractured teeth especially if your front teeth are sticking out

The Solution:

Straightening teeth and correcting irregular bites are accomplished through the use of corrective appliances like braces and retainers. There are two phases to orthodontic treatment:

The Active Phase:
This phase involves the use of braces to move the teeth into their new position by applying continuous pressure in a specific direction. There are 4 types of braces:

Silver Braces (Stainless Steel):
These are the most common type, and still the best. The silver braces are designed and manufactured to move and position the teeth more precisely.

Colored Braces:
Color can add a new element to orthodontic braces. You can choose any color from our extensive inventory to make a fashion statement. These colors can be changed at every visit to your orthodontist.

Golden Braces:
These are the same as Silver Braces except that the braces are colored to the “Golden” look. Gold turns the everyday appearance of regular braces into an exciting fashion statement.

Ceramic Braces (Sapphire):
Ceramic braces are also known as the “invisible” braces since they are clear as glass and will not stain. The Ceramic braces are more expensive than other types of braces.

The Retention Phase:
This phase involves the use of a retainer to keep the teeth in place. A retainer is an appliance made of plastic and stainless steel wire that is used to hold the teeth in place at the end of the treatment after the braces are removed.

To keep your teeth and gums healthy, regular visits to your general dentist and hygienist MUST CONTINUE during orthodontic treatment.

Problems in Childhood:

Protrusion:
A protrusion occurs when the upper teeth “stick out” past the lower teeth. This is generally caused by a small lower jaw. Children with protruding upper teeth benefit from orthodontic care because of the effect this treatment has on their “jaw growth”.

Before

After

The above pictures demonstrate the profound change that orthodontic care can achieve in facial (jaw) balance.

Under bite:
An under bite occurs when the lower jaw is to some degree longer than the upper jaw, causing the upper front teeth to bite behind the lower front teeth. This is also known as an “Anterior Cross bite”

Children with an “under bite” type of malocclusion should begin treatment before the baby teeth are lost. The earlier the treatment starts the better the results.

Before	Before
After	After

The above pictures demonstrate the profound changes that can be achieved with proper orthodontic care. Braces were placed on upper and lower teeth.

Before	During
After

This patient wore a removable brace to correct the bite.

Spacing of Teeth:
Spacing of teeth may occur for many reasons, the most common are missing or small teeth. Ideally, orthodontic treatment should begin when all permanent teeth have erupted.

Before

After

The patient pictured above required braces on upper and lower teeth to align teeth and close the space.

Before

After

This patient has anterior spacing because of an unusual shape of one tooth. Braces were placed to align the teeth and redistribute the space. A veneer was than placed to reshape the abnormal tooth.

Posterior Cross bite
When the posterior teeth of the upper jaw bite inside the lower posterior teeth, the result is a Posterior Cross bite. Recommended age to correct this problem is between the ages of 7 to 10 years. A fixed brace on the upper teeth is the treatment of choice.

Before	During
After

The above patient is a good example of how a Posterior Cross bite is treated.

Crowded Teeth:
Teeth may be aligned poorly because the dental arch is small and/or the teeth are large. Severe crowding of teeth may result in damage to the bone and gums, poor biting and undesirable appearance of the teeth.

Before	After
Before	After

The above pictures show the before and after teeth of two children patients that received orthodontic care to align crowded teeth.

Adult Orthodontics :

One is never too old to improve dental health and to have a beautiful smile. Adult teeth respond to orthodontics force in the same manner as teeth in children.

Spaced Teeth
Spacing of teeth may occur for many reasons, the most common are missing or small teeth. Fixed braces on the teeth will close dental spaces and/or reposition teeth for necessary bridges, implants or veneers.

Before

After

Adult with spaced teeth. Braces were placed on upper and lower teeth.

Crowded Teeth:
Teeth may be aligned poorly because the dental arch is small and/or the teeth are large. Severe crowding of teeth may result in damage to the bone and gums which may lead to gum disease, poor biting and undesirable appearance of the teeth.

Before

After

This adult required braces on upper and lower teeth to treat his case of crowded teeth.

Before

After

In the above case, the top teeth were biting inside the bottom teeth. Braces were placed on upper and lower teeth to correct this adult’s dental problem.

Protrusion:
A protrusion occurs when the upper teeth “stick out” past the lower teeth. This is generally caused by a small lower jaw. Protruding upper teeth may cause unpleasant facial esthetics, speech problems and dental health problems. Braces can correct this orthodontic problem.

Before	Before
After	After

This adult treatment demonstrates the profound changes that orthodontic therapy can achieve. You can notice the improvement in the lip shape and the facial balance after the treatment.

Surgical Treatment:
When the upper jaw and lower jaw do not fit together properly, surgery is necessary to improve the jaw balance. Prior to surgery, braces must be placed to align and position teeth.

Before	Before
After	After

The patient shown above illustrates the dramatic change that can be achieved with both orthodontic and surgical care.

Esthetic Care:
Many adults have damaged, missing or poorly formed teeth. Before these teeth can be restored with crowns, bridges, implants or veneers, orthodontic care is required to improve the alignment and position of teeth.

Before

After

The above patient received orthodontic care and then had veneers placed on the upper front teeth.

Advantages:

Orthodontic Treatment can

Make your smile look fabulous and this will last for the rest of your life
Inhibit gum problems
Prevent tooth loss
Prevent premature aging of your digestive system by improving your chewing function

Disadvantages:

It takes a few months to a few years to complete an orthodontic treatment
Braces are great at collecting food
If proper hygiene is neglected during the treatment both tooth decay and gum (periodontal) disease may result which may lead to tooth loss

Alternatives:

Instant Orthodontics is an alternative to orthodontic treatment ONLY when correcting mild to moderate crowding of the front teeth. Otherwise, orthodontic treatment will be the only solution to orthodontic problems.