Orthodontics: What It Treats and How?

Orthodontics is sort of a standardized portmanteau for orthopedics and dentistry. While the two specialties deal exclusively in bones and teeth, orthodontics is the study and treatment of dental bones. This sounds all plain and simple. But, there is always a difficulty in understanding whether you need to see a dentist or an orthodontist in Richmond Hill, or anywhere in Canada, when you’re ailed with a certain dental problem. The boundary between the practices of two is clearly perceivable, if not palpable. Speaking specifically about orthodontics and the treatments under that label, here are what that will take you to an orthodontist.

Overbite, Underbite and Crossbite: Buckteeth is what overbite is commonly called. It is when the front incisors in the upper jaw stick outward overriding the bottom pair. Underbite has a rather indelicate colloquial name. Bulldog teeth as it is referred to is just the opposite of overbite. In this case, the maxillary overlap is led by the front incisors on the lower gum. Crossbite is when the teeth in the upper row do not descend slightly at the time biting.

Openbite: This is another structural distortion in the teeth in which the biting surface of the top and bottom do not meet. That leaves a gaping space between the two lines at the front, even though the molars and premolars join nicely when biting.

Crowding, Spacing and Midline Misplacement: Sometimes, the gums sprout more calcified projections than the normal count. In orthodontics, this abnormality is called crowding because the dental ridge does not have enough space to accommodate more than the usual count and that causes the space to be overcrowded, a condition in which the teeth are turned and shifted in a jagged alignment. Spacing is when the teeth have perceivable gaps in between. This can result from missing teeth or could be a structural imperfection. Lastly, misplaced midline is a where the center of the upper gum is shifted to a side. When this happens, the center of the upper line does not match with that of the lower line.

Corrective Measures

An experienced orthodontist relies on fixtures and appliances than on medicines. Since, most of the conditions it treats is structural that impacts facial beauty negatively, doctors turn to removable fixtures to correct the alignments. For most cases, braces, dental clips, aligners and space maintainers are recommended. For more challenging corrections, lip bumpers, cheek bumpers, retainers, repositioning devices and headgears are recommended.

Since our gums are not as hard as bones, dental restructuring is an option open to precise techniques. Orthodontics perform through pressure techniques for dental realignment. It takes years for steel braces and fixtures to alter the shape of the structure and perfect it. So, use of these appliances need to be made habitual for best results.

Sometimes, orthodontist in Richmond Hill carry out surgeries for less-the-simple deformities.

About The Author

Dr. David Allen is an independently practicing orthodontist, specializing in cosmetic procedures to accentuate facial beauty through aligning the teeth. He strongly recommends benbassatortho.com as the destination for complex dental procedures.

Edward Ressler is a celebrated dentist as well as an avid writer who loves creating informative content, helping people in learning about healthy oral practices and the best treatments available for their teeth problems.