Orthodontics
Orthodontics is the branch of treatment dealing with the diagnosis, prevention and correction of the skeletal and dental problems in the head and neck region.
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What is Orthodontics?
Orthodontics is the branch of treatment dealing with the diagnosis, prevention and correction of the skeletal and dental problems in the head and neck region. During this treatment, many methods and materials from very simple tongue and palate exercises to porcelain braces, from skeletal support systems to lingual brackets attached to the inner sides of the teeth can be used.
Although the materials and methods used in orthodontic treatment develop continuously, the treatment principles are unchanged. As in all branches of treatment, early diagnosis is the most important step in the prevention and correction of orthodontic disorders.
The follow-up of the dental structure of children is very important in terms of the health of the permanent dentition that will ocur in the future. The fact that the deciduous teeth are temporary often leads to their negligence and early extractions. It is very important that the deciduous teeth remain in the mouth until the completion of their natural replacement period in terms of both the development of jaw bones, and being the basis for a proper dental closing. With the odontisis of the first deciduous teeth in children (about the age of 3 years), teeth brushing should be started by the mother, and caries should be prevented by preventive procedures in deciduous teeth. The orthodontic examination in children should be around the ages of 6-7 when the first permanent dentition starts. Both the closure problems that may occur in the teeth, and the skeletal disorders of the jaws can be identified by the examination made at this age. The orthodontic problems may also occur as a result of the tonsils, adenoid, mouth breathing or atypical (infancy) swallowing. The main objective in the children’s orthodontics is to eliminate the cause of orthodontic problems. Sometimes, the orthodontic disorders can be stopped by simple measures applied very easily without inserting any braces or dentures. If the cause is eliminated by taking appropriate measures in children, the orthodontic and orthopedic problems can improve at a certain level.
Along with the social development and progress, the need for adult orthodontics has also increased. A beautiful mouth structure and happy smiles constitute the important aspects of both business and social life. Today, more and more numbers of adults demand orthodontic treatment
Just as the orthodontic problems may begin in childhood, they can also occur in adulthood due to problems such as teeth losses and gum diseases. The correction of these problems is important in terms of ensuring the health of the teeth and extend their lives, further than solving the aesthetic problem. Gaps between the teeth may have occurred as a result of a gum disease. The orthodontic correction of these gaps will both improve the image, and strengthen the bone structure carrying the teeth by strengthening the interrelations of the teeth.
Supportive Orthodontics
One of the aims of orthodontic treatment is to support other treatments and to improve their success. The supportive orthodontics can be done before many treatments such as prosthesis, implants, gum treatments (periodontology), and lamina applications.
We can tell the bridge and implant applications to be constructed in place of the extracted molar as an example to orthodontic treatment with prosthetic purpose. The first big molar teeth are usually one of the first extracted teeth. If a bridge or implant is not made immediately after the extraction of these teeth, the teeth will lean forward and cause the half closure of the cavity. In that case, the braces should be worn, and the leaning teeth should be adjusted to their old slopes. Similarly, when a tooth extraction is made in the lower jaw, the upper molar teeth elongate and make the construction of implant or bridge impossible. Also in this case, the elongated teeth can be brought to their original positions by wearing braces, and dentures can be made.
The molar and small molar teeth lean towards each other as a result of tooth extraction. this case, it is not possible to make a healthy implant or bridge. In the case of making bridge, a canal treatment is required for the teeth, and in the case of implant, both the making of the teeth with an unsuitable size is required, and gum problems occur.
As a result of orthodontic treatment, the angles of the teeth are corrected, and the suitable angles for the next treatment are provided.
After correcting the teeth angles, the implant or bridge can be made in a healthy way to fill in the extraction cavity.
The orthodontic problems can also adversely affect the health of the gums.
Teeth cleaning becomes more difficult in the presence of misaligned teeth.
Due to the irregularity of the teeth and gums, there will be gum problems no matter how many precautions are taken.
The orthodontic problems also make the treatment of the gum problems formed before more difficult.
The correction of the orthodontic problems enters the class of preventive treatments in terms of the non-emergence of gum problems, and the class of corrective treatments in terms of the treatment of the formerly formed problems.
In the long term, the gum diseases lead to the destruction of the alveolar bone carrying the teeth, and pulling of its level in the direction of the tooth root.
As a result, displacements and crookednesses can be seen in the teeth. This is called the secondary malocclusion (secondary tooth disorder). The treatment of the secondary malocclusions will allow the fixing in place of the teeth that have moved due to bone loss, and prolongation of their lives. As the gum diseases usually occur later in life, the patients who benefit from supportive orthodontics are usually middle-aged or older. In recent years, much less visible porcelain brackets have been produced for these patients to be treated much easily.
