Orthodontic treatment is fundamental in creating a healthy bite that allows you to take proper care of it from the moment your treatment is done to decades into the future. Part of the objective of orthodontic treatment is to avoid any possible pain or difficulty that may arise in the future because of an existing condition. Sturbridge Orthodontists are the ones responsible for these procedures, but what exactly do they do? And what are the benefits of going through these long and sometimes uncomfortable treatments?
What Does an Orthodontist Do?
The word orthodontist comes from the two Greek words “orthos” and “odon”, which mean correct and tooth respectively. That is exactly what an orthodontist does, they correct your teeth and jaws by moving them into their proper position for you to have a healthy and beautiful smile. According to the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) definition, orthodontists tackle facial and dental irregularities by diagnosing, preventing, treating, and intercepting them.
Orthodontists are dentists that specialize in orthodontics, and tooth movement, and thus focus mainly on treating malocclusions. Orthodontists use the term malocclusion to refer to bites where the upper and lower row of teeth don’t meet as they should. There are many different types of malocclusions as well as many different reasons for them. Orthodontists train to know how to deal with every one of them.
Once you present yourself with a malocclusion to your orthodontist, they will design a treatment plan tailored to your specific problem. From here, they will give you a few options of appliances for you to choose from, as not every appliance can deal with every problem. In case you receive braces treatment, an orthodontist will be the one who attaches them, and they will also be the person in charge of checking up on you every few weeks.
Here are a few of the different malocclusions that orthodontists treat.
Class 1
Class 1 malocclusion refers to the upper teeth protruding over the lower teeth. It can be a result of bad habits as a child such as thumb sucking, or it could be a result of genetics like jaw misalignment. It’s a very common type of malocclusion and it usually has very minor effects on your bite.
Class 2
Class 2 malocclusion, also called overbite, is a more severe case of class 1 malocclusion and will have significantly more damaging effects on your bite. It benefits from early orthodontic treatment and requires the use of an appliance for a long period.
Class 3
Class 3 malocclusion, or underbite, occurs when the lower jaw protrudes forward and overlaps the upper jaw. Similarly, to a class 2 malocclusion, it requires an orthodontic treatment that involves an appliance for continuous use.
What Are the Benefits of Orthodontics?
Following through on your orthodontic treatment and respecting your orthodontist’s guidelines, regardless of how tiring it can be at some points, allows the patient to get to their desired result in as little time as possible. But why start the process in the first place? Here are a few benefits that come with bettering your dental health with orthodontics.
A Healthy and Straight Smile
As explained previously, a variety of orthodontic problems are partially caused by misaligned teeth. To fix the issue, orthodontists will straighten your teeth and move them to a more orderly position, ultimately giving you a smooth even smile in the process.
Avoid Wear and Tear
Sometimes crooked and misaligned teeth change the way you bite and as a result, it can cause extra wear and pressure in some teeth more than others. Making them more prone to chipping and breaking in your daily activities. Orthodontic treatment allows your orthodontist to redistribute all the pressure evenly among your teeth.
Allows for Better Dental Hygiene
Crooked teeth can be at odd angles and very close to each other, which makes it very difficult to brush properly. Bacteria and food residue can accumulate in these hard-to-reach crevices and will eventually mix into plaque. Plaque can in turn lead to tooth decay, gum infections, tooth loss, and more. Having an orthodontist move your teeth into their desired orderly positions allows for better access that transforms into better cleaning, greatly reducing the chances of any dental complication.
Orthodontic Treatment in Sturbridge
For any questions regarding orthodontists, orthodontic treatment, or orthodontics as a whole, feel free to contact us at Sturbridge Orthodontics. If you have already decided on getting your teeth as healthy and pretty as possible, make an appointment with us here.
