Consulting an Orthodontist for Malocclusions

An orthodontist is a dental specialist who treats overbites, under bites and cross bites. This specialist also treats gaps in between teeth, crowded jaws and crooked teeth. Generally, this dental professional treats children, but more and more adults are consulting them to treat the different problems that adults have. Poor or wrong bites are among the conditions that these practitioners correct. There are several treatments and solutions to these that are open to older children and even adults.

Braces

The use of wires and brackets is reserved for times when the permanent teeth need to be moved into the right position to obtain the correct bite. The initial procedure is to take x-rays and photographic records of the patient's oral cavity in order to assess the growth and movement that might happen in the next few years. The orthodontist prefers to work with permanent teeth rather than temporary ones because the former is more stable. Temporary teeth might grow crooked even after the adjustments have been made with the initial permanent ones. This is the reason why dental specialists prefer that all teeth be permanent and out (except for the wisdom teeth) before any aligning will be done.

The braces work by applying a set of brackets on each tooth that is to be affected by the desired movement. These brackets will then be connected to each other with wires that the dental specialist will tighten every few weeks. The length of time that the patient will need to use the braces depends on the extensive nature of the condition. For most overbites, under bites and overbites, a year is the usual time for the person to wear the braces. When the orthodontist is satisfied with the result, the braces are taken off and then replaced with retainers to prevent any more additional movement. If the retainers cannot prevent the movement, the dental professional will put in another wire and bracket set on the inner part of the teeth to stop the movement.

Braces are also used to maneuver teeth with spaces in between them or are overcrowded. For teeth that are too crowded, the dental professional is likely to extract a tooth to facilitate the movement of the others into their right places. Crowding usually happens when the jaw is too small and the teeth are bigger than what the jaw can accommodate. Those with gaps or spaces in between do not usually require an extraction. Braces are used to maneuver the pearly whites into the right place and keep them there until they stop moving. In some cases, extracted teeth may encourage movement, which is why some dentists recommend the use of implants, bridges and dentures to prevent the teeth from having gaps between them.

These are some of the more common malocclusions that require the attention of an orthodontist. Other types will also need the standard x-rays and photographs as well as the use of the braces to bring the teeth to their proper places. Treatment can last from a year to two years.