Orthodontists are special dentists that oversee malocclusion treatments. The term 'orthodontics' itself originated from the Greek word 'Orthos' and 'Odous'; 'Orthos' means proper or straight, while 'Odous' refers to 'Tooth'. So, orthodontics is a special area of dentistry that is focused on the study, as well as the treatment of improper bites known as malocclusions. Improper bites or malocclusions could be aftermath of disproportionate jaw relationships, or tooth irregularity, and sometimes both.
Dental Issues Handled by an Chicago orthodontists
Dental irregularities in children can be prevented by an orthodontist. Children must be taken to see an orthodontist for examination before the eruption of the entire permanent set of teeth. In fact, a child should have a first visit to the orthodontist no later than age 7 (as recommended by The American Association of Orthodontists). The timely intervention of an orthodontic specialist helps in taking advantage of a child’s still-growing jaw bones and ongoing-eruption of the permanent teeth to prevent malocclusions, or to make future correction of malocclusions easier.
Orthodontic Treatment
Orthodontist can treat orthodontic issues involving only dental displacement, and can also handle the aspect of facial growth control and modification. When orthodontic treatment is focused on facial growth control and modification, it is referred to as 'dentofacial orthopedics'.
People can embark on orthodontic treatment for purely aesthetic purposes in order to achieve teeth appearance enhancement. The modern orthodontic treatment initiative is credited to Edward Angle; he is the number one dentist that specialized on orthodontic dentistry.
Why Orthodontic Treatment?
Reliable statistics shows that about half of the United States population has malocclusion cases such as misaligned teeth, teeth and jaw irregularities. These orthodontic issues exist in different degrees and type such as cross bites, overbites, open-bites and under-bites. Therefore, orthodontic treatment is necessary for the correction of these dental issues. Usually, your dentist would be the one to refer you to an orthodontist if you are diagnosed of any type of malocclusion.
Orthodontic issues, whether in an adult or a child may be traced to different factors such as heredity, accidents, tooth decay, injuries, overcrowding of the teeth and other factors. All these can affect the mouth’s structure, and would therefore require the intervention of orthodontists.
Treatment Techniques Employed by Orthodontists
The diagnosis would determine the treatment technique to be used by the orthodontist. Diagnoses usually take the form of x-rays, and the patient may have to bite down onto a mold. This way, the specific teeth alignment of such a patient would be determined. Methods applied in correcting orthodontic issues may include retainers, braces as well as other special devices that would aid in realignment of the teeth, or to guide new teeth to the right positions. However, the
best dentist Chicago or orthodontist may incorporate more detailed treatment in cases of severe malocclusions.
Treatment Planning
In carrying out diagnosis and structuring treatment plan, orthodontists try to spot the various features of a malocclusion or deformity associated with dentofacial. They also try to define the nature of the orthodontic problem, which includes the etiology if necessary. Subsequently, a treatment technique is designed by the orthodontist in accordance to the patient’s specific needs and desires. Finally on the treatment planning, the structured treatment strategy or technique is presented by the orthodontist to the patient; the presentation is done in such a way that the patient is made to have a full understanding of what the outcome of his/her decisions would be.
Choosing an Orthodontist
As stated earlier, your
Chicago dentists are in a better position to refer you to an orthodontist for an orthodontic treatment. They know the best orthodontists within their location and can guide you in the right direction. However, if you decide to conduct the search on your own, it is important that you verify the qualifications of the orthodontists in your list, and find out if they belong to a professional orthodontic body; this is very necessary.
Different countries adopt different approaches when it comes to training and registering orthodontics. Basically, two or three year post graduate study done on a full-time basis is required before a dentist can officially qualify to specialize on orthodontics.
If you don't know how to go about selecting a suitable orthodontist, it is highly recommended that you stick by your dentist’s referral and check
Chicago dental directory. Orthodontic treatment costs may differ slightly between orthodontists. You can also find out if your dental insurance can cover part of your orthodontic treatment.
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