What is Orthodontics?
It is a branch of dentistry that deals with teeth, jaw and facial disorders and their treatments.
Who is an Orthodontist?
In addition to the 5-year education of the faculty of dentistry, dentists who passed various exams and received 4-6 years of doctoral or specialty training receive the title of ‘orthodontist’.
At What age should the first Orthodontic examination be performed?
The first orthodontic examination can be performed at the age of 6-7 when children’s first permanent teeth start to appear. At this age, treatment is started in very specific cases. After this examination, it can be determined that when the baby teeth will fall out, when the permanent teeth will come out, and the timing of treatment that may be required in the future. As it is known, the first dentist examination should be done at the age of 4-5 years.
What can be done for our 6–7 years old child?
At this age, we have two goals: First goal is to ensure that the primary teeth fall out on time and the permanent teeth come out in a timely manner. The second goal is to ensure that children breathe through the nose in terms of general health. Children who breathe through their mouth at night (sleeping with their mouth open, snoring) at a young age should be consulted with otolaryngologists and solve their problems such as adenoids, tonsils (tonsillitis), nasal curvature (septal deviation), allergic rhinitis, and sinusitis. Because mouth breathing negatively affects jaw-face development.
Can treatment be started at the age of 6-7?
Except for special cases such as upper jaw stenosis, this treatment is not preferred when milk/baby teeth are in the mouth. Only simple applications such as a preventive placeholder or a transpalatal arch can be used to prevent future disorders.
What is the Most Appropriate Age for Treatment?
If there is no skeletal defect and only a dental correction is to be made, 12-13 years is the ideal age for braces application. If there is a skeletal disorder, it can be started at the age of 6-7 (depending on the condition of the disorder). Treatment can also be planned after growth and development is over (girls 18-19, boys 20 years old).
Can dental braces applied to adults?
Orthodontic braces can be applied at any age. The only condition of treatment is that the teeth and surrounding tissues (gingival, bone) are healthy.
What are the rules to follow in Orthodontic Brace treatment?
- If there are problems with the health of the teeth (filling, root canal treatment, gingival treatment, etc.) before starting the treatment, they should be resolved.
- Since cleaning is more difficult than normal in the presence of braces, brushing should be done at least 4 times a day (with each brushing lasting 3 minutes).
- Patients should follow the eating-drinking rules set by the doctors so that the attached braces do not break and thus the treatment is not delayed or prolonged.
- Reinforcement therapy should not be interrupted and it should not be forgotten that it is a part of the treatment.
What is Reinforcement Therapy?
After the active treatment with fixed braces, the treatment applied by using fixed and movable appliances to reorganize the gingiva and bone to the new positions of the teeth is called reinforcement treatment. Ideally, reinforcement therapy should be applied as long as the active treatment period. However, with removable reinforcement appliances, it is applied day and night for 6 months (only by removing it from meals) and for 6 months only at night. Fixed reinforcing appliances should be kept in the mouth as long as they can, and if there is a break in these fixed appliances, the broken removable appliance should not be removed until an appointment is made in our clinic. After fixed appliance fractures are repaired, the usage of removable appliances can return to normal routine.
What problems will occur if no treatment is performed?
Most patients apply to the orthodontist due to dental crowding. Tooth and jaw disorders can cause loss of chewing and speaking functions as well as aesthetic problems. In addition, since it is difficult to clean the crooked teeth, the probability of caries and gingiva diseases is high. If there is a closing problem due to tooth and jaw disorder, jaw joint disorders may occur in the long term. In case of jaw and tooth size mismatch, some teeth may remain embedded. The remaining buried teeth can also cause root resorption, cyst formation and pathological problems in neighboring teeth. From a psychological point of view, it is also known that patients with crooked teeth are became shy in human relations.
How long does Orthodontic treatment take?
The duration of treatment differs from patient to patient. The reason for this is that factors such as the amount of crowding, the type of closing disorder and the age of the patient. The treatment lasts between 6-24 months on average. During this period, patients are called for control once a month. However, these mentioned periods are valid for normal conditions. The patient’s interest and attention to treatment can increase or decrease the duration of treatment.
Does the treatment cause pain?
There is no pain or aches felt in the orthodontic clinic in any way. When braces are applied to your teeth, it is normal to feel sensitivity that lasts for a maximum of 2 days. It takes a maximum of 1 week for your cheeks, tongue and lips to get used to your strands. In short, the presence of dental braces in your mouth will be forgotten 1 week after they inserted.
Do teeth corrected by treatment deteriorate again?
Even in individuals who have never had orthodontic treatment, there is a lifelong physiological tooth movement. The result of treatment may be affected by this natural process. With the adequate application of reinforcement therapy, it is possible to increase the permanence of the correction provided as a result of the treatment.
Do Braces corrode teeth?
If the teeth are brushed correctly and frequently during the treatment, there is absolutely no possibility of caries. If the teeth are not brushed well, decay may occur even if there are no dental braces.
Are there any invisible Dental Braces?
Along with the developing technology, there have been great developments in orthodontic materials. In addition to metal braces, less noticeable tooth-colored (transparent) braces or lingual braces attached to the invisible back surface of the teeth may also be used.
Is it an expensive treatment?
Prices for orthodontic treatment vary according to the severity of the case. Considering that it is a long treatment requiring 10-30 controls, it is understood that it is not an expensive approach at all. In addition, access to treatment has been made easier with long-term payment options.