Orthodontists are qualified dental specialists who, after graduating from dental school go on to study as specialists in the fields of orthodontics (tooth movement) and dentofacial orthopedics (guidance of facial development). They are experts in straightening teeth and aligning jaws. The benefits of correcting for crooked,
crowded, or
misaligned teeth may include; a healthy bite, the ability
to clean your
teeth more effectively thus preventing disease, and not least, improved
appearance, improved self image
and greater confidence.
Types of Orthodontic Treatments and Procedures?
Orthodontists use a variety of procedures to first
thoroughly assess
your needs and
then develop a detailed individual treatment plan.
Orthodontists choose
from one or more of the following appliances to gently
encourage the jaw
and teeth into proper alignment. Most fall under the more generic term of "braces" but
other appliances
include, retainers, palatal expanders, and
headgear.
Here are a few of the more popular orthodontic terms that you may
also hear about.
Banding - The process of fitting and cementing
orthodontic bands
to your teeth
Bonding - Attaching brackets to your teeth using
special
orthodontic
cement
Cephalometric X-ray - An x-ray of the head to determine the
relative position and growth of the face, jaw and
teeth.
Debanding - Removing cemented orthodontic bands from
your teeth.
Debonding - Removing cemented brackets from your teeth
Impressions - Making a model of your teeth using a soft
material
that hardens into a mold of your teeth and used to
help
determine the
optimum treatment plan
Panoramic x-ray - An x-ray that rotates around your head to
create an image of your teeth and jaw.
Modern orthodontics, though not guaranteed to be
pain
free, has
developed to use the very latest materials and
techniques to minimise
your discomfort while creating a healthy smile.
For more information we recommend this informative site from the American Association of orthodontists Braces.Org
