Orthodontics
Orthodontics is the first & one of the oldest specialties in dentistry. An orthodontist is a dentist specialized in mainly the diagnosis, prevention and correction of malpositioned teeth and jaws. The malpositioned teeth is not a disease however it is an abnormal alignment for the upper and lower teeth obstructing proper fit for the lower and upper bite. malposition, also known as malocclusion, severity varies from case to case hence there are several orthodontic techniques to categorize and deal with malocclusion.
In general metal wires are used along with brackets. These wires are inserted into the brackets. Once the previous is done certain forces depending on the case are then applied by the orthodontist to correct the positioning of the teeth. Off course your orthodontic dentist will use many other additional components including headgear, removable appliances, retainers, expansion appliances which may also be used to align the teeth and jaw bones.
​
Orthodontist often reconstructs the entire face rather than focus only on a specific area and teeth. Once an orthodontic treatment is set on motion, patients will be asked to wear retainers which helps to maintain the teeth in their improved new positions. These retainers are generally worn full time and typically for a long period of time as well. It should be noted that commonly an orthodontic dentist will request from his patients to wear retainers at night time too.
Due to several reasons, one of them being age, teeth tend to crowed even though the patient had gone through orthodontic treatment hence there is no guarantee that teeth will stay aligned without retention. Again the emphasis here is on wearing your retainer to yield better treatment results.
Orthodontic treatment requires meticulous work thus planning ahead is essential. Records, x-rays, 3D modeling for the teeth and jaws are some of the techniques your orthodontic dentist heavily relies on. Certain steps whilst planning your orthodontic treatment are required such as identifying the characteristics of your malocclusion, defining the nature of the problem, designing treatment plan strategy and finally presenting the treatment strategy to you (as a patient).
It should be noted that it is very common for an orthodontic treatment to be coupled with dental surgery. The reason behind this strategy is to secure some space and minimize teeth crowding.
An important note of consideration. Typically, better orthodontic results can be achieved if the treatment plan begins at a young age as the jaw bones may still be manipulated. Obviously the older you are the less likely that your orthodontic plan will provide highly likable results.
It should be noted that Merhi Dental &Orthodontic Center offers orthodontic dental services however we can’t advise you to get any unless you have been checked by one of our dentists. Only your attending dentist can diagnose your case thus he or she can prescribe the best treatment plan for you.
MDOC highly encourages all visiting patients to ask their attending dentist about the pros and cons of Orthodontic treatment. There are some inherent risks which should be considered prior and after having orthodontic therapy. Safety comes first, hence it is imperative that all patients fully understand risks associated with orthodontic treatment.
Patients are expected to sign and accept MDOC consent forms. In these consent forms your dentist will walk you through the most common risks and side effects related to your orthodontic procedure.
For legal reason MDOC dentists will not be able to perform any dental procedure (including orthodontics) should the patient refuse to sign consent forms related to his/her treatment plan.
