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INTRODUCTION TO ORTHODONTICSOrthodontics began in around 1922 when Dr. Edward H Angle, a professional dentist, worked solely in fixing malocclusions, jaw misalignments and facial irregularities. Today Orthodontics is a large industry and involves many different procedures. For instance, somebody (usually a child or adolescent) with misaligned teeth will have dental braces fitted to each individual tooth, with wires running between them to pull the teeth into place. Once this, and most other orthodontic procedures are complete (usually taking a few months) patients need to wear a ‘retainer’ (metal wires around an acrylic plate, custom fitted to the patient to hold teeth in place while the gums and bone adjust). Sometimes these pieces of equipment are to be worn constantly, but often this treatment is tapered off, with wear only at night and eventually less often. Patients do not always seek orthodontic treatment solely out of need, but sometimes simply to improve their dental function or looks. To have the teeth fall together perfectly makes for very comfortable eating, a better looking smile and more confidence. Crowding or gaps within the teeth are two of the most common complaints seen by orthodontists and occur as a result of a jaw which is either too large or too small. Large or protruding front teeth is another common problem, as are ‘over’ and ‘under’ bites (also known as ‘deep’ and ‘reverse’ bites). Similarly, those with wisdom teeth or any other extra adult teeth which come through or cause problems because they are at the wrong angle are dealt with by an orthodontist. Perhaps one of the most noticeable differences between normal dentistry and orthodontic dentistry is the long-term use of braces and other dental equipment (e.g. braces, headgear, plates and retainers) and also more in depth diagnostic procedures are used, such as x-rays and moulds. Orthodontics has been growing since it was founded in 1922 and with orthodontic schools in Europe, New Zealand, Canada, the US, India and Australia this growth will only continue. As orthodontic surgeries become common place in mid sized and large towns and cities the growth of teeth should be improving and the instances of malocclusions and jaw irregularities in adults grow fewer. |
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