The word orthodontics originates from the Greek words ortho and odons and means straight teeth. But today, orthodontics goes beyond its literal meaning; In addition to straight teeth, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of lower and mid-face irregularities.
The branch of orthodontics; It examines the positions of the lower and upper jaw relative to the skull base and each other and the relationships of the teeth in three dimensions.
With the new applications developing in orthodontics; The age limit for orthodontic treatment has been eliminated. Orthodontic treatment can also be applied to adult patients.
ORTHODONTIST
There are 8 different specialties in dentistry. These branches of specialization:
-Orthodontics (alignment of teeth and jaws, braces treatment)
-Oral, dental and jaw surgery (surgery of mouth, teeth and jaw tissues)
-Oral diagnosis and radiology (diagnosis, diagnosis and imaging techniques)
-Periodontology (gum diseases and implantology)
-Prosthesis (crown, bridge and implant)
-Pedodontics (child dentistry)
- Restorative dentistry (aesthetic fillings and protective applications)
-Endodontics (root canal treatment).
The duty of orthodontists is to correct malocclusions. The aim of orthodontic treatment is; is to create a healthy closure. Healthy closure; It refers to the proper performance of biting, chewing and speaking functions. In addition, correctly aligned jaws and teeth make you look beautiful.
To become an orthodontist, you must first graduate from the faculty of dentistry. After graduating from the faculty of dentistry, orthodontists continue the orthodontics program, which lasts 4-4.5 academic years. The orthodontic training program is similar to medical specialty training after graduating from medical school; It is like pursuing specializations such as orthopedics, plastic surgery, ear, nose and throat. After completing the orthodontics specialty program, orthodontists work only in our field of expertise, as in other specialties; orthodontics.
General dentistry education is about teeth and gum health, and general dentists work on tooth and gum health. Orthodontic training includes the development of facial structures, jaw relations and tooth alignment. They receive special training on i. Orthodontists and dentists work closely together to provide the best oral health for each individual.
MALOCCLUSION
Malocclusion is defined as "bad bite" in the literature. Some children's jaws and teeth cannot develop properly. This causes a relationship that is not aligned properly and is not in good harmony with the teeth in the opposite jaw.
In general, malocclusions do not affect health and are not a disease. Malocclusion is the absence of teeth in their normal positions. In this situation; It can affect the individual's face shape and the appearance of their teeth, causing shyness, lack of self-confidence and depression. Severe malocclusions can affect functions such as eating and speaking and make cleaning the teeth difficult.
Some types of malocclusion are:
1- Front teeth positioned forward (protruding)
Orthodontic treatment In addition to improving the appearance of the individual, it also protects the teeth from possible damage. Individuals whose front teeth are positioned forward are more likely to experience fractures or cracks in their teeth during sports or falls.
2-Crowdliness (crooked/crooked teeth)
If the patient's jaw is narrow, there may not be enough room for the teeth to settle and the teeth will be crooked/crooked. In this situation; The orthodontist may need to extract one or more teeth before braces treatment to gain space.
3- Impacted teeth
The jaw cannot replace the tooth. It is a condition where the bone remains buried under the gum.
4- Deep bite
When the patient bites and closes his teeth, the upper front teeth cover the lower front teeth too much.
5- Open bite
When the patient bites and closes the back teeth, there is a gap in the front or side parts between the lower and upper teeth.
6- Crossbite
The upper tooth is inside (on the tongue side) relative to the lower tooth in at least one tooth. Crossbite can be seen in the back teeth as well as in the incisors.
7- Diastema
Commonly known as split teeth/sparse teeth. It is a known condition where there are gaps between the teeth. missing teeth It may be due to the teeth being small or not large enough to fill the jaw completely, that is, the teeth are small compared to the jaw.
8- Missing teeth
It is a common orthodontic disorder. While tooth loss may occur due to tooth extraction due to reasons such as caries, gum disease and trauma, there may also be congenital missing teeth.
POSSIBLE CAUSES OF MALOCCLUSIONS
1- Preventive dentistry practices may not have been used. For example; Decays in milk teeth may not have been treated with the thought that "it will change anyway", or teeth may have been extracted prematurely, and fluoridation and fissure protection applications may have been ignored.
2- Genetic factors: Especially in individuals with skeletal disorders (jaw development disorder), their ancestry may have been ignored. It is important whether there is a similar anomaly. Hereditary tooth deficiencies, narrow upper jaw, and crowding (crooked/crooked teeth) problems can also be inherited to the child. In this case, the emergence of orthodontic problems is inevitable. What needs to be done is; It is to take the child for regular dentist check-ups starting from the primary dentition period.
3- Ear, nose and throat problems: Factors such as chronic tonsillitis, presence of nose and adenoids, constant mouth breathing can cause the jaw bones to be poorly shaped and They can cause tooth eruption disorders.
4- Bad habits: Thumb sucking, using a pacifier or bottle for a long time; Bad habits such as tongue sucking, lip sucking, pen biting can also cause orthodontic disorders in teeth and jaw structures.
5- Muscular disorders: Some muscle disorders can also cause orthodontic problems.
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