Choosing the right orthodontics is an important part of your overall treatment. Look for a licensed, experienced orthodontist whose office hours are convenient for you and whose approach and personality fit with yours. You can ask for referrals from family and friends, as well as from your dentist. Also, check to see whether the orthodontist accepts your dental insurance plan.
Orthodontists help patients with crooked teeth and problems that impact the alignment of the jaw. These include an overbite, an underbite, crossbites, spaces between the teeth and overcrowding of the teeth, as well as temporomandibular disorders (TMD).
The World of Orthodontics: Achieving a Perfect Smile
An orthodontist can correct these issues using different types of appliances that retrain muscles, slowly move teeth and modify growth through gentle pressure on your teeth and jaw. These appliances include fixed braces, removable devices such as retainers, and a variety of fixed and removable appliances to address specific concerns like eliminating thumb sucking or reducing tongue thrusting.
In addition to these common appliances, orthodontists use devices such as palate expanders, which widen the upper jaw to create more space for adult teeth and to treat an overbite, and bands that hold wires around the molars and incisors to provide guidance for teeth erupting in the correct position. Other popular fixed appliances used to treat a range of orthodontic issues include the E-arch, pin and tube, ribbon arch, and edgewise systems.
A misaligned smile and jaws can lead to gum and bone loss, tooth decay, excessive wear on the tooth enamel and surfaces, poor speech or chewing, headaches and temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD). A trip to an orthodontist for a consultation is well worth your time if you are concerned about how you look and feel.