The word orthodontics is a word of Greek origin and consists of the words ‘ortho’ and ‘odons’. ‘Ortho’ means straight and ‘odons’ means tooth. Orthodontics is the branch of science that examines the proper alignment of the teeth in the jawbone, the harmony of the upper and lower jaws with each other and with the face. In orthodontic treatment, our aim is not only to arrange the teeth in a pearly manner, but also to arrange the teeth properly, and the health of the tissues surrounding the tooth in the jawbone and the person’s face should be taken into account, and treatment planning should be made.
At What Age Is Orthodontic Treatment Applied?
The first examination for orthodontic treatment should be at the age of 6-7 years. It is possible to apply orthodontic treatment to individuals of all ages. The old belief that ‘Only children get orthodontic treatment’ is not true. The movement of the teeth in the bone can be achieved at any age. In cases where we want to achieve skeletal (orthopedic) effects for functional treatments, the growth and development period of individuals must be active. In this way, we can direct the development of the jaws by using the growth potential. When there is a skeletal problem in an adult, we can achieve skeletal change with orthognathic surgery, since the growth and development cycle has been completed.
What are the Orthodontic Treatment Methods?
In orthodontic treatment, treatment can be applied by using removable appliances, extraoral appliances, fixed orthodontic appliances and transparent plaques.
Movable appliances
It is used to achieve skeletal and dental movements in children. We may prefer removable appliances for maxillary enlargement or bypassing a tooth in crossbite in children. Reinforcement of removable appliances after active orthodontic treatment
We can also use it as
Extraoral appliances
Extraoral appliances are used to obtain a skeletal effect in cases where the maxilla is behind or forward in individuals in the growth and development period. It is called an extraoral appliance because it receives reinforcement from the face of the individual. Occipital headgear exerts force from head, cervical headgear length, combination headgear from head and neck, face mask from forehead and lower jaw.
Fixed orthodontic treatment
Fixed orthodontic treatment is applied by sticking the brackets on the teeth one by one. The brackets attached at the beginning of the treatment are removed by the physician at the end of the treatment. Metal brackets can cause aesthetic fuss because of their image. Depending on the patient’s preference and our treatment plan, metal, composite or porcelain brackets can be preferred. Treatment is continued by establishing control appointments at intervals of 4-6 weeks.
