What Does An Orthodontist Do?
Some people are lucky to have a set of straight white teeth devoid of defects from birth. Other people are lucky to keep a set of straight white teeth avoiding accidents throughout their lifetime. The rest of us are not so lucky to be born with straight teeth while others have been involved in accidents or trauma that deformed their teeth. Crooked teeth do not only affect our aesthetics. They can affect our bite, make food harder to chew, and cause headaches. Crooked teeth can also cause shoulder and backaches and even temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. Crooked teeth make teeth harder to clean. This can lead to tooth decay or periodontal diseases. Luckily for us, some dental specialists can straighten our crooked teeth and save us from the effects of crooked teeth. These dental specialists are called Orthodontists.
An orthodontist is a special dentist that is trained to diagnose, prevent, and treat teeth and jaw irregularities. An orthodontist is trained to correct existing dental conditions and identify dental problems that may arise in the future. All orthodontists are dentists but not all dentists are orthodontists. An orthodontist near you attends two or more additional years of education after four years of dental school. An orthodontist specializes in orthodontics. Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis, prevention, interception, guidance, and correction of bad irregularities, including the use of braces.
What Does An Orthodontist Do?
An orthodontist changes the position of teeth in the mouth with the use of fixed and removable dental devices. Fixed dental devices include braces, special fixed appliances, and fixed space maintainers. Removable dental appliances include:
- Aligners.
- Removable space maintainers.
- Jaw repositioning appliances.
- Lip and cheek bumpers.
- Palatal expanders.
- Removable retainers.
- Headgear.
These fixed and removable dental devices are used to fix the following dental abnormalities:
- Underbite: This occurs when the lower teeth are far too forward and the upper teeth are set too far back.
- Overbite: This happens when the upper front teeth stick out over the lower teeth.
- Crossbite: This happens when the upper teeth fit behind the lower teeth when the mouth is closed.
- Open bite: This is a vertical gap between the front lower and upper teeth when biting down.
- Misplaced midline: In this situation, the center of the upper and lower teeth do not line up.
- Spacing: This is when the teeth do not appear to fill up the mouth. There are random gaps of space between the teeth.
- Crowding: This occurs when the dental ridge is too small to accommodate all the teeth in the mouth.
An orthodontist fixes these dental abnormalities to ensure that you have a healthy bite. A healthy bite ensures that you can eat, chew and speak properly.
An orthodontist in Coral Springs uses diagnostic tools such as X-rays, clinical exams, and a plastic model of your teeth to determine which orthodontic treatment is right for you.
Appointment With An Orthodontist
An appointment with an orthodontist is almost no different from an appointment with a dentist near you. To visit an orthodontist, you must have been referred from a general dentist in Coral Springs or wherever your dentist is.
During your first orthodontic consultation, the following are the things you have to undergo.
- An oral exam.
- Photos of your face and smile.
- Dental X-rays.
- 360 degree X-rays of your face and head.
- Impressions to create molds of your teeth.
These tests will help your orthodontist know how to proceed with your treatment and what orthodontic measures are best for you. We serve in nearby areas like Heron Bay, Mission Bay, Trails End, Coral Springs, Margate, & Parkland.