What is Orthodontics?
Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of dental and facial irregularities
Who is an Orthodontist?
In the current education system in our country, it is the title given to specialist dentists who have completed at least 4 years of doctoral or specialty education in the orthodontics department after 5 years of dentistry education.
Orthodontists are concerned with the diagnosis and treatment of mismatches in teeth and jaws. Only dentists who have successfully completed this specialty or doctoral education can use the title of orthodontist. Not all dentists are orthodontists. The orthodontist has all the necessary information to control tooth movement and to direct its development.
Why Orthodontic Treatment?
Crowded teeth can cause many problems, especially aesthetic appearance.
Crowded teeth are more difficult to clean, so the tendency to cavities and gum disease increases. When the teeth do not close properly, problems may occur in the jaw joint and the muscles that provide the jaw movements.
Deformities in the teeth cause speech disorders and the inability to make some sounds properly. With orthodontic treatment, functional and aesthetic problems are corrected and the quality of life of the person increases.
If there is no (skeletal) incompatibility between the jaws, orthodontic treatment can be performed at any age.
What are the Causes of Orthodontic Problems?
GENETICS : The majority of orthodontic problems occur due to genetic reasons. If the mother or father has an orthodontic problem, it is likely to be seen in the child.
MOUTH BREATHING : In the presence of adenoids, large tonsils or nasal breathing (bone curvature), mouth breathing begins. In mouth breathing, the development of the upper jaw is prevented and narrowness and crowding occur in the upper jaw. This stenosis can be corrected non-surgically in the growing age with the jaw expansion procedure.
FINGER SUCKING : Sucking is an instinctive movement in babies. The baby, whose instinct cannot be fully satisfied, acquires new habits to meet this need. Thumb sucking is not very common in breastfed children. Studies have shown that the habit of thumb sucking develops in the first few weeks of life due to hunger. Until the age of 3, the habit of thumb sucking is only interfered with by suggestion, after the age of 3, finger sucking should be prevented by the use of suggestions and habit breaking appliances.
In the child who continues this habit, displacement and closing disorders will be seen in the lower and upper teeth in the impact area according to the sucked finger and its number.
LONG-TERM USE OF LIFESTYLE pacifier : It is not harmful to use a pacifier with appropriate physiological and anatomical characteristics for up to 18 months. It is even beneficial for preventing finger sucking habit. However, when false pacifiers are used for a long time, they will cause abnormal effects on the affected areas for a long time, causing irregularity and various closing disorders in those areas.
LAYING TYPE : The sleeping style determines the position of the lower jaw while lying down. People who have the habit of constantly lying on the same side and putting their hand or fist between the face and the pillow while sleeping, may experience orthodontic problems because the face will be under constant pressure on that side.
EARLY MILK TOOTH EXTRACTIONS : Decayed milk teeth etc. For this reason, placeholders should be applied if it is withdrawn before the fall time. The placeholders protect the existing extraction space until the permanent tooth underneath comes, and prevent the adjacent teeth from slipping into that area and causing orthodontic disorder.
WITNESS TEARS : Due to the compression of the front teeth by the wisdom teeth, they cause crowding by compressing the front teeth while the wisdom teeth want to come out, especially in the lower jaw.
What Should Be Done Before Starting Orthodontic Treatment?
Orthodontic treatment; It is a special form of treatment that requires personalized planning that should be done by an orthodontist dentist. Before starting orthodontic treatment, the orthodontist will give you detailed information about the general plan of the treatment and the treatment method and alternatives to be applied.
Before starting orthodontic treatment, all other treatments (filling, extraction, gingival treatment, etc.) must be finished. In this process, your orthodontist will conduct your caries risk analysis and guide you for necessary preventive treatments.
What to Expect During Orthodontic Treatment?
The most important point in orthodontic treatment is to ensure oral hygiene. While there are no brackets and wires on the tooth surfaces, the tooth surface is like a blank wall, and it is easy to clean. However, when a painting or clock is hung on the wall, it will either have to be removed to clean it, or if we cannot remove it, it will need to be carefully cleaned around it.
Just like in this example, our brackets and wires create retaining areas around our teeth, causing our teeth to become soiled more easily and to be more difficult to clean. In order to prevent any problems in the teeth and gums, it is necessary to clean the periphery of the brackets completely. For this purpose, there are orthodontic toothbrushes specially produced for orthodontic patients. Your orthodontist will inform you about the details of brushing, flossing and oral care.
What Is Done After Orthodontic Treatment?
After the teeth are corrected with orthodontic treatment, active treatment is terminated. After the brackets are removed, the teeth are cleaned. The preservation of the result obtained as a result of orthodontic treatment is at least as important as the treatment. The thin fibers that connect the teeth to the jawbone lengthen as the tooth moves and try to return the tooth to its original position. The movement of teeth back to their former positions is called “relapse” in orthodontics. Your orthodontist will definitely take the appropriate reinforcement measure for you to prevent recurrence. For this purpose, fixed or mobile protectors are made.
Fixed guards are made especially on the inner surfaces of the front teeth, to fix the teeth together. These protectors are made of special wire so that they cannot be seen from the outside, they do not affect speaking and brushing teeth.
Movable protectors are made of thin and transparent materials by measuring the teeth. These transparent protectors are also invisible when viewed from the outside and can be removed when desired. Your orthodontist will decide which of these two types of protectors is right for you.
What Is Done After Orthodontic Treatment?
After the teeth are corrected with orthodontic treatment, active treatment is terminated. After the brackets are removed, the teeth are cleaned. The preservation of the result obtained as a result of orthodontic treatment is at least as important as the treatment. The thin fibers that connect the teeth to the jawbone lengthen as the tooth moves and try to return the tooth to its original position. The movement of the teeth to their former positions is called recurrence in orthodontics.
Your orthodontist will definitely take the appropriate reinforcement measure for you to prevent recurrence. For this purpose, fixed or mobile protectors are made.
Fixed guards are made especially on the inner surfaces of the front teeth, to fix the teeth together. These protectors are made of special wire so that they cannot be seen from the outside, they do not affect speaking and brushing teeth.
Movable protectors are made of thin and transparent materials by measuring the teeth. These transparent protectors are also invisible when viewed from the outside and can be removed when desired. Your orthodontist will decide which of these two types of protectors is right for you.
At What Age Should I Bring My Child For Orthodontic Examination?
It is useful to have the child’s first orthodontic examination at the age of 7-8, after the lower and upper front teeth erupt. During this period, problems with the development of the jaws and permanent teeth may be noticed. With an early diagnosis, skeletal disorders that are more difficult to treat in the future can be easily treated and conditions that require tooth extraction can be prevented. In addition, the duration of treatment can be shortened and the cost of treatment can be reduced.
How Long Does Orthodontic Treatment Take?
The duration of orthodontic treatment depends on many factors. However, the most important factor affecting the duration of orthodontic treatment is the severity of the orthodontic problem. Although the average treatment period is 18 months, the duration of treatment can vary between 8-30 months depending on the severity of the problem.
Are there any foods that should not be consumed during orthodontic treatment?
During the treatment, it is necessary to stay away from acidic drinks and foods such as sticky sweets and caramel. During the treatment, hard foods such as apple, quince, carrot should not be eaten by biting. It is convenient to eat such foods by cutting them into small pieces. In addition, it is appropriate not to eat sandwich, toast, hamburger type foods that are consumed by biting during the treatment. It is not appropriate to eat nuts such as hazelnuts, walnuts, chickpeas, as well as nutrients such as cherries, plums, olives, without removing the seeds, as it may damage the brackets and wires.
Is There Any Harm Of Tooth Extraction For Orthodontic Treatment?
Tooth extraction for the purpose of orthodontic treatment is not preferred by patients. In deciding on tooth extraction, criteria such as the amount of crowding in the lower and upper jaws, the growth pattern of the lower and upper jaws, and the patient’s facial profile are taken as a basis. First premolars are usually extracted for orthodontic treatment. The reason for this is that these teeth are usually close to the crowding area, there are two on each side of the jaw, and their extractions do not cause aesthetic discomfort. In scientific studies, it has been reported that 42% of patients undergoing orthodontic treatment require 1 or more tooth extraction. Tooth extraction may be required for a successful orthodontic treatment, where the result will be more stable.
How Frequent Should Orthodontic Appointments Be? Will Orthodontic Treatment Time Be Shorter If I Come More Often?
Appointments are arranged according to the patient’s condition. It varies between 4-6 weeks in patients receiving fixed orthodontic treatment. In special cases that require more frequent control, appointments are made accordingly. The treatment time will not be shortened by coming to the sessions more often and excessive stretching of the wires in your mouth. On the contrary, this can damage your teeth and prolong the treatment.
Are There Invisible Wires?
In recent years, the use of tooth-colored porcelain brackets, which attract less attention than metal brackets, has increased. In addition, bracket systems (lingual brackets) placed on the tongue-facing surfaces of the teeth have been developed. In appropriate cases, crowds are corrected by using transparent molds without using brackets and wires. It is necessary to use these patient-specific molds, which will be changed every two weeks, for approximately 20 hours a day. The duration of treatment varies between 2 and 24 months depending on the case.
Can the teeth deteriorate again after the treatment is over?
After the braces are removed, the teeth want to return to their previous positions. Fixed or movable reinforcement appliances are used to hold the teeth in their current positions. If these appliances are not used within the recommended times, the teeth may deteriorate again.
Is Orthodontic Treatment An Expensive Treatment?
The price of orthodontic treatment varies according to the case. Since orthodontic treatments are long-term treatments, payment alternatives can be created according to the patient’s budget. In addition, considering that the psychological and aesthetic benefits of orthodontic treatment will last a lifetime, it should not be forgotten that orthodontic treatment is a good investment.
Will there be a stain on my teeth after removing the braces?
During the orthodontic treatment, when the teeth are brushed correctly and regularly, there will be no stains on the teeth. Colorations called stains are the beginnings of caries that occur when brushing is insufficient.
Do Wires Affect Speech?
Strings do not directly affect speech. Only a slight change in speech can be observed during the one-week adaptation period after the wires are inserted.