Monday, December 7, 2020

What is an Orthodontist?

Theresa L. Skelton Orthodontics

You see a dentist twice a year. They clean your teeth and help keep your mouth healthy. But what about orthodontists? What can they do for you? 

Orthodontists and dentists both help patients improve their oral health, but in different ways. Dentistry is a broad medical specialty that deals with the teeth, gum, nerves, and jaw. While orthodontics is a specialty within dentistry that focuses on correcting bites. All orthodontists are dentists, but not all dentists are licensed orthodontists.

A question people often ask is, “Can my dentist give me braces?” The simple answer is no.

Orthodontists and dentists undertake the same training initially, but orthodontists complete further training after they graduate from dental school to become qualified in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of orthodontic problems. Orthodontists specialize in helping patients with the alignment of their teeth, improving their bite, and fitting them for braces and other corrective devices. The benefits of having an orthodontist work on your smile goes beyond just having a beautiful smile. Well-aligned teeth make it possible to bite, chew, and speak effectively.

Not everyone needs to have orthodontic treatment, but it may be required if you have any of the following issues:

Crossbites: When you have a narrow upper jaw or a wider lower jaw. A narrow upper jaw will often force a you to move the lower jaw forward or to the side when closing into a stable bite. When closed into this accommodating position, the lower teeth are located outside the upper teeth.

Crowding: Crowding, typically stems from a discrepancy between the space in each jaw and the size of the teeth. Crowding can be the cause or result of other problems, such as impacted teeth, retained teeth, or teeth that have not naturally fallen out.

Spacing Issues: Spaces between teeth may be related to tooth-to-jaw size disharmony. Tooth size discrepancies, such as smaller teeth or abnormally shaped teeth, can also create abnormal spacing issues.

Overbites: When you have excessive vertical overlapping of the front teeth, generally found in association with a discrepancy between the length of the upper and lower jaws. 

Excessive Gingival Display: Also known as a gummy smile, excessive gingival display gives the appearance of exposed gums on the upper arch.   

If you have been wondering if you should see an Orthodontist to improve your smile...Give TLS Orthodontics a call today. Dr. Theresa L. Skelton and her friendly staff are here to answering any questions you may have.

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