Orthodontics - What You Know about It?

Orthodontics, also known as orthodontia, is the prime expertise of dentistry which is related to the study and cure of improper bites or as is called in dentistry terms, malocclusions. The malocclusions can happen due to irregular placement of the teeth or unequal jaws or both. The treatment of orthodontics aims at displacing
the teeth only or manages the control or alteration of the growth of facial muscles.

Conversely there is orthodontics who is involved in the process of reconstituting the overall appearance of their patients instead of concentrating solely on teeth. ‘Dentofacial orthopaedics' is the term used for the modification of facial growth.

Orthodontics can be used merely for enhancing the beauty and the facial features taking into consideration the overall look of the person's teeth.Though the art of straightening of the teeth was practiced in the early period too but it emerged as a discipline of science during the 1880s. In 1728, Pierre Fauchard
wrote a book by the name of ‘The Dentist's Art'. The book dedicated a complete chapter on the straightening of the teeth.

 As per the historian's point of view two persons can be termed as the pioneer of orthodontics. These are Norman W. Kingsley and J. N. Farrar. Kingsley himself was a dentist and also a writer. He has to hid credit a very famous book called ‘Treatise on Oral Deformities'. Farrar‘s ‘Treatise on Irregularities of the Teeth and their Correction' made a significant contribution to the field of dentistry. He was also adept at making braces. Edward Angle classified the types of crooked teeth which help the orthodontists in identifying the crookedness of the teeth.

As the dental industry is advancing, the use of digital models has increasingly become frequent. Various Software has been developed to carry out the designing process without human intervention.While planning the diagnosis and the set procedure of treatment, orthodontics should do the following:

Identify the different attributes and features of an abnormality in the dentoficial muscles or a malocclusions
Classify the type of the malad Devise a strategy for carrying out a treatment keeping in view the particular requirements and the wishes of the patients, and State the strategy devised for the treatment to the patient. The strategy should be so clear that the patient fully understands the repercussions of the treatment.
The last step is very important because the patient should have a very clear idea as to what he or she would be putting herself/ himself in when going for a treatment for dentofacial deformities.

Orthodontics is the first field of dentistry which was recognized as a field of specialization. It requires post graduate study of two to three years and has different methods of training and education in different countries.