Dentistry is a special branch of medicine that focuses on the health of your teeth, gums, and oral cavity. And, one subspecialty of dentistry that is gaining momentum is orthodontics. Your teeth are an important part of your overall health and well-being. They help in important functions like mastication, and speech in addition to providing aesthetic enhancement to your face by keeping them in a proper alignment.
Your family dentist in Upland, CA, and their team will help you explore orthodontics and how it can help you improve your quality of life.
Understanding orthodontics
Orthodontics is a subspecialty in dentistry that focuses on diagnosing and treating improper or poor bite (malocclusion). The way your teeth align has an impact on your oral health. By improving the way your upper and lower arch teeth meet, you can greatly reduce your risk for a cascade of oral health issues like cavities, gum disease, and erosion.
Common orthodontic problems
Orthodontics helps treat dental flaws like:
- Teeth with overbite, underbite, or deep bite
- Crowded teeth
- Overlapping teeth
- Crooked teeth
- Rotated teeth
What are the procedures involved in orthodontics?
Orthodontics is a vast subspecialty of dentistry, that aims to correct dental imperfections through the following appliances:
- Braces
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- These devices include metal brackets and archwires that help shift your teeth into the desired position over a period of time, using appropriate forces.
- Clear aligners
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- These are a series of modern, clear custom-made plastic trays that help shift your teeth to the desired alignment.
- Retainers
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- These are custom-made appliances that help retain the aligned teeth and prevent orthodontic relapse.
- Palate expanders
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- These are often used in children to widen the upper jaw and create extra space without the need for tooth extractions or other procedures.
What are the benefits of orthodontics?
Orthodontic procedures provide cosmetic benefits by improving your smile and facial aesthetics. However, they offer additional benefits like:
- Aligning the teeth in a proper position makes them easier to clean
- Straightening the teeth to improve chewing and speech
- Help ease pain related to TMJ disorder
- Help reduce your risk of oral issues like tooth cavities, and gum disease
Final note
Orthodontic treatments help enhance your oral form and function, in addition to improving your smile. Based on your needs there are several treatments offered by specially trained dentists known as orthodontists. Discuss your goals and expectations to rejuvenate and improve your quality of oral health.