Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that consists in diagnosing and treating malocclusions. In order to help you better understand this specialty, we will explain what an orthodontic treatment is about at the Centre de santé dentaire Dre Thu Nguyen.
The diagnostic
Orthodontic treatments are needed to treat a dental malocclusion. What’s a malocclusion? Let’s first explain what a malocclusion is. It is the position between your upper and lower teeth. When the upper and lower teeth are misaligned, we then have a malocclusion.
Among other problems that can lead to a recommended orthodontic treatment, we have teeth crowding, misaligned teeth or teeth that are too far forward. These are all factors that can harm teeth function. In a similar situation, an orthodontic treatment will realign the teeth into an esthetic and functional position.
The consequences and disadvantages of a malocclusion are many:
- Difficulty to clean teeth, therefore accumulation of bacteria causing cavities
- Muscular tension leading to pain
- Difficulty chewing leading to wear on teeth
- Teeth too far forward are at risk of accidental fracture
What does an orthodontic treatment do?
Orthodontic treatment will align teeth at the desired position. During the orthodontic exam, Dr. Thu Nguyen and her team will suggest a treatment plan that will be tailored to the patient. Not all orthodontic appliances are recommended every time since they each possess their own advantages and disadvantages: every single appliance is used for a specific problem. However it is important to know that there are two main kinds of appliances: fixed appliances (often known as braces) and removable appliances. The treatment length can vary from months to years.
Overall, orthodontic treatments improve dental health and align teeth.
Once the treatment is done, it would be difficult not to smile with a healthy set of teeth!
For more information, visit our page Orthodontics and the Order of dentists of Quebec website.
