Orthodontist Services: More Than Just Braces

Posted on: 23 September 2018

Usually, when a person thinks about orthodontists, they think of dentists who specialize in putting braces on a kid's crooked teeth. While the name orthodontist means to straighten teeth, they actually do much more than just put on braces. Here's a look at three other ways they can straighten and improve your smile.

Orthodontists Can Help Prevent The Need For Braces In Your Child's Future

Everyone has seen the adorable school child who has lost their baby teeth, and the permanent ones have yet to take their spot. But when a child loses a tooth, especially the front ones, and their adult replacement doesn't immediately slide in, their teeth can become crooked. The adjoining teeth serve as an anchor, and if they're gone, there's wiggle room to move. An orthodontist can place spacers in your child's mouth to prevent this from happening. Spacers can be made of metal or plastic, and they will "reserve" the spot meant for the adult tooth and keep the others from shifting.

Orthodontists Can Help Reduce Teeth Overcrowding

Treatment isn't just needed for crooked teeth. Some people need orthodontia treatment for teeth that are too close together and have a crowded appearance. This usually becomes evident in childhood as in commonly caused by the child's face and jaw not growing fast enough to keep up with their permanent teeth coming in.

While overcrowding can certainly be fixed in adults, it is better to address the problem in a child. This can prevent more intervention in the future. Crowded teeth are not just a matter of cosmetics. While crowded teeth may not be aesthetically pleasing, crowded teeth are out of alignment, make eating difficult, can interfere with speech, and prevent the teeth from forming a solid position in your mouth. Crowded teeth can be treated with braces, but a retainer is often used. This is an orthodontic device that is custom-made and will gradually put the teeth in their proper alignment.

Orthodontists Can Correct Your Bite

Some people have a considerable over or underbite. Like overcrowding, a maligned bite is more than just unattractive. Sometimes, your upper and lower jaw are not in alignment because of the way the jaw has grown. It may have grown too fast, or it may have not grown fast enough to keep up with the arrival of the permanent teeth. A dental appliance commonly referred to as "headgear" is used to correct this bite problem. This is comprised of a metal apparatus and straps that go around the head. It may not be attractive, but when treatment is over, the result is a beautiful smile.

For more information, contact your local orthodontists services.

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