Smile Center
Smile Center
920 W. Emma Avenue
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
479-751-8780
What does the word "orthodontics" mean?
Orthodontics is easy to understand when the word is broken into its roots. "Ortho" means straight or correct, "Odont" means tooth. An orthodontist a dentist with special training who uses braces or corrective appliances to straighten teeth, correct jaw position and improve facial balance.
How can orthodontics help me?
Here are some problems that can occur when your teeth are not straight:
• It is more difficult to keep teeth and gums clean when teeth are crooked or crowded. This increases the risk of tooth decay and gum disease and may lead to eventual tooth loss.
• If chewing is difficult, you may be less likely to eat nutritious foods. For example, you may omit high-fiber food from your diet. Also, food that is not properly chewed is not as easily digested.
• A poor bite can cause extra stress on the chewing muscles. This may cause pain or problems with your jaw joints.
• A poor bite can interfere with proper development of the jaws.
• Protruding teeth are more easily chipped or fractured.
•Teeth that are out of their proper position are more likely to wear down faster than those that are properly aligned.
With all the advances in modern dentistry, your teeth should last a lifetime. Having them properly aligned increases that likelihood.
What causes orthodontic problems?
Bad bites (also called malocclusions) can be inherited or acquired. Just as we inherit eye color from our parents, mouth and jaw features are also inherited.
Inherited features that can lead to orthodontic problems include teeth that have too much or too little space between them or extra or missing teeth. Tooth and jaw size are both inherited. This can result in crowding or spacing of teeth. Overbites, underbites and deep bites also can be inherited.
Bad bites can also be acquired. Causes can include habits you had as a young child, such as thumb or finger sucking or tongue thrusting. Accidents, losing your baby teeth or permanent teeth too early and enlarged tonsils and adenoids, resulting in mouth breathing can also cause bad bites.
When is the best age for an exam and treatment?
Early examination and treatment help prevent problems with permanent teeth. There is usually a best age for orthodontic treatment to begin for each individual child. An early examination allows the doctor to determine when the problem should be treated for maximum improvement with the least time and expense.
In some cases, early treatment achieves results that are unattainable once the face and jaws have finished growing. When the baby teeth have completed the eruption, it is not too early for the first examination. Early examination and treatment also improve the chances of normal development. However, a visit at any age is advisable if a particular problem has been noted by a parent, general dentist, or physician.
Are there ways to prevent orthodontic problems?
Certain habits, such as mouth breathing, finger or thumb sucking, tongue thrusting and lip biting can contribute to bad bites. These habits put pressure on teeth and jaws. Although some of these behaviors are normal in infants, they can produce serious problems when continued by older children. Your dentist or orthodontist can sometimes suggest ways to prevent these habits.
Bad bites can also be prevented by replacing missing teeth, or "maintaining" a space. When one or more teeth are missing, nearby teeth may shift into the empty space. Sometimes the teeth in the opposite jaw move into the space. This alone can cause serious dental problems.
Complications may occur if the missing tooth is a baby tooth. When the permanent tooth is ready to come in, there may not be enough room for it to move into its proper place. This may affect the position of other teeth. Dentists often suggest the use of a space maintainer when a child loses a baby tooth too early. These small metal devices help hold the space for the permanent tooth until it is ready to come in.
Who treats orthodontic problems?
All dentists are taught to treat some orthodontic problems. If your dentist thinks you should see a specialist for treatment, he or she will refer you to an orthodontist. These dentists specialize in treating orthodontic problems and have advanced, university-based training in this area.
**Information provided by the American Dental Association.
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