Orthodontics (dental braces treatment)

Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that treats crowding in the teeth, malpositions of the teeth, and disharmony between the jaws.

What are the orthodontic problems?

Orthodontic problems may include congenital anomalies, genetic factors, thumbsucking and long-term use of pacifiers, loss of milk teeth in early period, bruxism, hormonal disorders, wisdom teeth, mouth breathing, dental irregularities due to the gingiva problems, pencil biting, and failure to place teeth in the cavities formed by loss of teeth.

In some cases, orthodontic problems are only limited to the dental malpositions, and the orthodontic treatment approaches are sufficient, but sometimes they occur in the form of dental and skeletal malformations, and in such cases, the treatment is carried out via the cooperation of orthodontics and surgery.

Crowding, malocclusion of the lower and upper jaws and the aesthetic problems can be successfully treated.

Orthodontic treatments are generally not carried out before the permanent teeth are fully erupted, and it is necessary to wait until the age of 12-13 to complete this process. Before starting the orthodontic treatments, oral hygiene should be evaluated, the deficiencies, if any, should be eliminated, and the decayed teeth, if any, should be treated. Patients should be informed about applying effective oral hygiene protocols before starting the treatment.

The classical orthodontics may be classified into 3 headings;

1) Interceptive orthodontic treatment
This is applied to position the teeth correctly by eliminating the problems such as thumbsucking, nail biting and mouth breathing. Devices for jaw may also be used in this period to make room for the permanent teeth and to solve the protrusive and retrusive jaw problems. In the interceptive orthodontics, which can be applied in the early period, it is important that parents observe their child's dental alignment well and take their children for regular dental checkups.

2) Fixed orthodontic treatment
This is a treatment that may be applied for all ages, including children and adults, and is a method that is most commonly applied in orthodontics. It may be applied at and after the age of 12-13, during which the eruption of the permanent teeth is completed. Braces and wires that cannot be removed during treatment are used in this application.

3) Retention treatment
This is applied to prevent the teeth from returning to their positions before the fixed orthodontic treatment after the wires and braces are removed.