Orthodontics Health Article

Definition

Orthodontics is a specialized branch of dentistry that diagnoses, prevents, and treats dental and facial irregularities called malocclusions. Orthodontics includes dentofacial orthopedics, which is used to correct problems involving the growth of the jaw.

Purpose

Humans have attempted to straighten teeth for thousands of years before orthodontics became a dental specialty in 1900. Although orthodontic treatment often improves facial appearance and occasionally is performed for solely cosmetic reasons, it is used primarily to correct health problems and to ensure the proper functioning of the mouth. Properly aligned teeth, which close together correctly, simplify oral hygiene and enable children to chew their food efficiently. Orthodontic treatment provides the following:

• straightens teeth that are rotated, tilted, or otherwise improperly aligned
• corrects crowded or unevenly spaced teeth
• corrects bite problems
• aligns the upper and lower jaws

Malocclusions

Few children have perfectly symmetrical teeth and a perfect bite. In an ideal bite, the following are characteristics:

• All of the teeth fit easily without crowding or spacing.
• The teeth are not rotated, twisted, or leaning forward or backward.
• The teeth of the upper jaw slightly overlap those of the lower jaw.
• The points of the molars fit into the grooves of the opposite molars.

Types of malocclusions include the following:

• crowded, crooked, or misaligned teeth
• extra or missing teeth
• bite problems
• jaws that are out of alignment

Causes of malocclusion

Most malocclusions are caused by hereditary factors that affect the contours of the face and the size of the teeth and jaw. The most common cause of malocclusion is a disproportion in size between the jaw and teeth or between the upper and lower jaws. A child who inherits a mother's small jaw and a father's large teeth may have teeth that are too big for the jaw, causing overcrowding. Specific inherited malocclusions include:

• overcrowded teeth
• too much space between teeth
• extra or missing teeth
• various irregularities in the teeth, jaw, or face

Malocclusions can be acquired through the following:

• accidents such as a jaw fracture that causes misalignment
• prolonged sucking on thumbs, fingers, or pacifiers, particularly after the age of four
• fingernail or lip biting
• a lost tooth that causes nearby teeth to move into the empty space, throwing them out of alignment
• airways that are obstructed by tonsils or adenoids
• dental disease
• tumors in the mouth or jaw
• improperly fitted fillings, crowns, or braces
• premature loss of baby teeth or permanent teeth
• late loss of baby teeth