In dentistry, Orthodontics is a branch that deals with malpositioned and misaligned teeth and jaws. This condition is known as malocclusion in which when you close your mouth your teeth are incorrectly aligned. As a result, crooked or incorrectly aligned teeth make it hard to clean them which leads to early tooth decay or other periodontal diseases. Incorrectly positioned teeth also cause an improper bite due to stress on the muscles that help you chew your food lead to TMJ syndrome, back shoulder neck pain, and headaches.
Apart from the problems misaligned or malpositioned teeth also affect your appearance. Several orthodontic treatments can improve your appearance as well as oral function by making your teeth straight. A person who specializes in orthodontics is known as an orthodontist. In this article, we are going to answer all your questions related to orthodontic offices near me, dental braces Katy TX, or metal braces near me.
What Causes Orthodontic Problems?
The most frequent orthodontic problem is known ‘bad bite’ or malocclusion and it is usually a genetic issue. A bad bite may also be caused by mouth breathing, finger or thumb sucking, dental disease, poor dental hygiene, abnormal swallowing, the late or early loss of child teeth, poor nutrition or accident. Trauma or other health condition like birth defects can cause orthodontic problems also.
Why Is Orthodontic Treatment Important?
Due to several reasons, malocclusion can affect. These regions include injury to facial bones or teeth frequent fingers for thumb sucking among others. Although malocclusion may not affect physical health directly, it can affect the appearance of your face and teeth, and in severe cases it may affect your speech, eating, and making it difficult to clean your teeth.
If you have one of the following signs, you may need orthodontic treatment.
- Crowding is when you have a narrow job and there is not enough space for your teeth. The orthodontist makes room for your teeth by removing one or more teeth.
- If your front teeth are protruding it can affect your appearance and increases the risk of injury. Thus, the treatment can improve your appearance as well as protecting the teeth from injury.
- If you’re adult tooth images only partially it or it has not emerged from bone or gum, such tooth is known as an impacted tooth.
- If you have asymmetrical teeth that keep showing even when you have close your mouth, you can benefit from orthodontic treatment.
- If you experience reverse bite such that your upper teeth come inside the lower teeth when you clench your teeth, you should visit an orthodontist for a checkup.
- You need orthodontic treatment when your upper teeth are far back and your lower teeth are far forward. This condition is known as an underbite.
- Overbite or deep bite is when you clench your teeth your upper teeth come too far down over the lower teeth. This can be treated by orthodontic treatment.
- If you have gaps between your teeth and you feel like there is a lot of space in your mouth go to your orthodontist and get it checked. You may have got the idea that it is the opposite of crowding.
Your orthodontist can detect and diagnose the exact problem and treat it accordingly. Moreover, you can also treat other problems related to moving or clicking the jaw, clenching, or grinding of teeth.
Assessment
You may be wondering how the orthodontist is going to assess the state of your teeth and determine what is the problem and what is the right treatment for you. Let’s have a look at what the assessment involves:
- Oral health and full medical history
- Clinical examination
- X-rays of the jaw and teeth
- Making plaster models of your teeth
By considering all the above-mentioned steps, your orthodontist will offer you an ideal treatment plan.
What Options Are There To Straighten My Teeth?
Depending upon your condition, your orthodontist will decide what kind of treatment you need. There are different types of orthodontic devices or dental braces near me. Some fixed whereas others are removable. Let’s have a look at these appliances that orthodontists use to treat your malocclusion.
Fixed devices
The most common devices that are used in orthodontics are fixed devices because these are devices of precision. Moreover, with fixed appliances, you can eat normally but you need to avoid certain foods such as gum, hard candy, sticky foods, and carbonated drinks. You also need gum shields if you are involved in contact sports. Some fixed appliances include:
Fixed space maintainers
Fixed space maintainers are used for kids if they lose their baby tooth prematurely. Until the permanent tooth has erupted at that place, a fixed space maintainer keeps the space open.
Special fixed devices
Special fixed devices are recommended to control tongue thrusting or finger sucking. However, during meals, the special fixed devices are very uncomfortable. Therefore, they are selected as the last option.
Dental braces
The most common fixed devices are dental braces. These consist of brackets, wires, or bands. Dental Braces are adjusted every month. It takes about a few months to a year to get the desired results.
Removable Devices
Removable orthodontic devices are:
Aligners
Aligners are an alternative to adult braces. It doesn’t use brackets and metal wires like traditional dental braces but they fulfill the same purpose.
Jaw repositioning appliances
Jaw positioning appliances or splints are used so that jaw can be closed in a favorable position. It can also be used for TMJ, temporomandibular joint disorder.
Removable space maintainers
Removable space maintainers are just like fixed space maintainers and also still the same purpose.
Lip and cheek bumpers
Lip and cheek bumpers relieve the pressure exerted by cheek and lip muscles, on the teeth.
Removable retainers
Removable retainers are used on the roof to prevent teeth from shifting back to their position.
Palatal Expander:
Palatal Expander, as the name suggests, is used to widen the palatal area.
Do I Still Need To Go To The Dentist Every 6 Months While Wearing Braces?
Sure! Actually, it is even more important that patients visit their dentist frequently while taking orthodontic treatments. With braces, food particles can be stuck in places where the toothbrush can’t remove them. This may grow bacteria and can cause gum disease, gingivitis and cavities. Your dentist together with your orthodontist will work closely to ensure that your teeth are clean and healthy while your wear braces near me.
Perfect age for treatment
Orthodontic treatment is usually started around the age of 12 or 13 years. The reason is that adult teeth are fully developed at this age. However, if you experience orthodontic problems later in life, the treatment starts at a later age.
Conclusion
If you have crooked or crowded teeth and misaligned jaw, you need to seek an Orthodontist. An orthodontist will detect and diagnose a problem and will offer a treatment plan. You must receive and comprehensive orthodontic treatment on time. If you are living in Katy, TX, you don’t have to ask where are the best orthodontic offices near me, because Nottingham Dental clinic is the best one to get services. Visit the website https://www.nottinghamdent.com/ or book an appointment by calling (281)578-0211.
Summary
Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that works with position Jaws and teeth. An orthodontist carries out all the orthodontic treatments. Misaligned or malpositioned teeth cannot only be a problem that results in early to decay for periodontal diseases but they can also affect your appearance.
If you are suffering from crowding, impacted tooth asymmetrical teeth, reverse bite, underbite, overbite, crossbite, or gaps between your teeth, you should visit an orthodontist for treatment. Depending upon your condition, your orthodontist will decide the best treatment for you. Different types of orthodontic devices are available these days. Some devices are fixed whereas other removable. Fixed orthodontic appliances include fixed space maintainers, special fixed devices, and dental braces. Some of the removable orthodontic devices are aligners, jaw repositioning appliances, removable space maintainer, lip and cheek bumpers, removable retainers, or palatal expander. The right age to start orthodontic treatment is around 12 to 13 years. The reason is that at this age the adult teeth are fully developed. However, you can start an orthodontic treatment later in life.
Nottingham Dental clinic is one of the best dental clinics that offer orthodontic services. It is located in Houston, Texas. For more details, visit the website https://www.nottinghamdent.com/ or book an appointment by calling (281)578-0211.
