5 Important Things You Should Know About Orthodontics
Dental issues like misaligned teeth can have a serious effect on your social life. People with such problems find it hard to talk or even smile in public. Misaligned teeth can also affect your general health. Having misaligned bite patterns can cause injuries in the mouth and affect your diet. Teeth misalignment is a common problem that affects many people in Elmer.
Having the right information about orthodontics is important. You will know what to expect when you go for treatment. Talking to an orthodontics dentist near you is very important if you have these problems. Your dentist will help you go for the right orthodontic treatment.
1. WHAT IS ORTHODONTICS?
Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that aims at diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of teeth misalignment. This branch of dentistry also deals with facial irregularities. We can correct your misaligned teeth to give you a beautiful smile again, thanks to orthodontics.
2. DO I NEED ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT?
Only a qualified orthodontist or dentist can decide if you need orthodontic treatment. When you visit a dentist office near you, the dentist will do an exam to determine if you are a good candidate for orthodontic treatment. Your medical history and x-ray exams can be used during your diagnosis.
Your dentist is likely to recommend orthodontics in Altus, OK, if you have the following.
Crossbite
Crossbite can involve one or several teeth. It causes a single or several upper teeth to bite the inside of your lower teeth. Crossbite can happen anywhere in the mouth. It causes gum diseases, bone loss, and wear of teeth. Any orthodontics dentist near you will recommend orthodontics treatment if you have a crossbite.
Overbite
Here the front teeth vertically overlap over lower teeth. Overbite is a serious problem that can also result in gum issues and teeth damage. Talk to our dentist in Altus, OK, if you have an overbite. The dentist will recommend orthodontics treatment to protect your teeth and gum from further damage.
Underbite
If your lower front teeth protrude past the front teeth, then you have an overbite. An under grown lower jaw is the primary cause of underbites. An underbite will deny you a perfect smile besides robbing you of your confidence.
Open Bite
In this case, the patient’s front teeth meet but the back teeth don’t. In anterior open bite, the back teeth are close, and the front upper and lower teeth fail to overlap. Anterior open bites can cause tongue thrusting.
Spacing
If you have excess space between your teeth, you need to see a dentist. You should also take your kid to a pediatric dentist near you if they have space between their teeth.
3. ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT
This treatment aims at correcting these issues. A number of treatment options are available at Tamarack Dental Altus OK.
4. FIXED RETAINERS
These are non-removable treatment devices. You will have to eat, talk, and brush your teeth without removing them. These are the common fixed retainers used in Blair.
Braces
Braces make use of wires and brackets to fix your misaligned teeth. A dentist will pass wires through the brackets. Once these wires are tightened, they gradually push teeth into the right position. Modern braces are more effective in aligning your teeth. Talk to a pediatric dentist near you if your kid needs braces.
Fixed Space Maintainers
Fixed space maintainers are useful in pediatric dentistry. Prematurely lost baby teeth leave spaces that are kept open by these maintainers. A pediatric dentist will remove the maintainers once a new tooth erupts.
Special Fixed Appliances
Special fixed appliances control tongue thrusting or thumb sucking. The downside with this option is that patients find it hard to eat comfortably.
5. REMOVABLE APPLIANCES
These can be removed during eating or teeth brushing. They include
Aligners
Aligners are a popular alternative to braces. They are more aesthetically appealing than braces. Aligners are unnoticeable as they are virtually invisible.
Removable Retainers
You will wear them on your mouth’s roof. Removable retainers help prevent teeth shifting. At times dentists use these retainers in kids as an alternative to preventing thumb sucking. Other removable options include palatal expanders, jaw repositioning appliances, and headgears.