Building a Perfect Smile
Years ago, orthodontic treatments were used only for pre-teens and teens having troubles with their bite (malocclusion). Nowadays, orthodontic treatments like braces are not only for young-ones and youth, but for adults as well.
Close to 30% of all orthodontic patients in the United States are adults. Regardless of this growing trend towards adult orthodontics, it pays to establish orthodontic treatment early for maximum success. The American Dental Association recommends that children receive an orthodontic assessment by age 7.
Orthodontists
Orthodontists are the dentists who focus on the practice of orthodontics. An orthodontist is usually required to complete an extra two to three years of post-dental school education before becoming a certified practitioner of orthodontics.
The Invigorating and Esthetic Nature of Orthodontics
Since malocclusion may get in the way with eating and talking, it is more often than not well thought-out a restorative issue. Although, because a malocclusion may stop the development of a gorgeous, well-aligned smile or facial jaw lines, it may also be classified as an esthetic issue and categorized as cosmetic dentistry.
No matter what your age, orthodontics can protect your bite (occlusion), maximize your teeth’s efficiency in performing their functions and produce a well-aligned smile. Today’s orthodontics involves moving of the teeth and underlying roots, providing enhanced support for the crown of the tooth. Orthodontic treatment is now connected with the benefits of greater esthetic appeal, improved comfort and reduced treatment time.
Orthodontic treatment can also revitalize your facial appearance by reshaping the jaw, neck and lips, particularly when combined with maxillofacial surgical procedures. In addition, well-aligned teeth make oral hygiene easier to preserve.
The Orthodontic Evaluation
If you are a candidate for orthodontics, you will probably be referred by your general dentist to an orthodontist for assessment of your bite. During your first orthodontic visit, your orthodontist may use several methods to develop an individualized treatment plan, including:
- Impressions for models of the teeth and bite.
- Oral, facial and functional evaluation (examination).
- Intraoral and facial photographs.
- Panoramic and cephalometric X-rays.
An orthodontist reviews your dental records, performs a clinical assessment, takes X-rays of your mouth and head and makes models of the teeth by creating an accurate impression of them. The results of this evaluation are studied in order to formulate the best orthodontic treatment plan.
Typically during the next visit, your orthodontist reviews the treatment plan and estimates the amount of months for the active stage of treatment. The standard treatment time is two years. Following treatment, you may be mandate to wear a retainer for a period of time.
The duration of orthodontic treatment varies based on your age, the comprehensiveness of the procedure (some people require more work than others) and how closely you follow your treatment arrangement. For example, younger patients may react more quickly to treatment than older patients because the bones sustaining young teeth are more flexible than those supporting older teeth. However, adults tend to follow treatment directions more consistently than young-ones.
In some cases the treatment time is longer. For example, oral surgery and recovery may be needed before or during orthodontic treatment.