The specialty of Orthodontics
The word “orthodontics” comes from two Greek words; the “orthos” means right and “dons” means tooth. Hence, to have orthodontic treatment is to have your teeth corrected or made right.

Orthodontics is considered to be dentistry’s first specialty and it deals in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of disharmonies in the relationships of teeth and face.

Orthodontists are dental specialists with postgraduate training in the field of orthodontics. They have acquired the professional skills in the design, application, control and timing of the use of different types of corrective appliances (braces) in orthodontic treatment. In other words, orthodontists are the people whom you should see to straighten your teeth, improve your smile and facial profile.

Benefits of Orthodontic treatment
A beautiful smile is just one of the benefits orthodontics has to offer. Bringing teeth, lips and jaws into proper alignment not only produces a great smile, but a healthy one as well. Straight teeth are easier to clean and maintain and also function better together with properly related jaws. Left untreated, a poor bite and other orthodontic problems can become worse over the years and lead to tooth decay, gum diseases, abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, difficulty in chewing and in some cases, even speech impairment and jaw joint problems.

Last but not least is the increased confidence and self-esteem that a healthy smile provides. This psychological benefit can be a significant factor in the decision to undergo orthodontic treatment. A child with an unsightly set of teeth or facial appearance will be teased by his or her peers and that may affect the psychological and social development. Even for adults, a poor set of teeth may be perceived by others to be due to poor personal hygiene and sloppiness. Indeed, a nice set of teeth will motivate its owner to pay more attention to its maintenance.

Suffice to say, healthy teeth and a beautiful smile are a pleasure for you to own and a pleasure for others to see. An attractive smile is just the start. Improved oral health and general well-being are important benefits too.

Causes of Malocclusion
Malocclusion literally means a bad bite. It is a technical term for crooked or protruding teeth as well as the various jaw relationships. Malocclusions can be genetically determined, acquired later in life or due to a combination of the two factors. Missing or extra teeth, disproportionate sizes of teeth and jaws, clefting of the lip and palate and a variety of jaws disharmonies are genetically determined. Crowding and spacing between teeth, abnormal bite and certain jaw relationships may or may not have a genetic influence but can be propagated by a host of acquired causes such as tooth decay, gum diseases, early loss of baby or permanent teeth, thumb sucking, mouth breathing and trauma to teeth and jaws.

Orthodontics for the Young
While treatment can be done at any age, there is usually a best age to begin treatment in order to achieve maximum improvement with the minimum amount of time and expense. When should parents bring their children to see an orthodontist?

Most authorities recommend that the child’s first visit to the orthodontist should be between 7 to 8 years of age. Early examination allows the orthodontist to detect and evaluate any problems in dental development and jaw growth and plan appropriate treatment. In most cases, treatment need not be necessary until a few years later. However, early interceptive treatment may be initiated in some cases to prevent more serious problems from developing and make treatment at a later age easier.

Quite often, because of the undetected developing malocclusion, parents are filled with guilt for not bringing their children for an orthodontic consultation at an earlier age. In fact, some parents have been improperly advised that it is not necessary to seek orthodontic opinions for their children until all the permanent teeth have erupted.

Signs that your child may need to see an orthodontist are

1.	reverse bite (all the lower front teeth biting in front of the upper front teeth),
2.	cross-bite (one or more lower teeth in reverse bite),
3.	deep bite (upper teeth overlapping the lower teeth completely),
4.	protruding front teeth,
5.	crowded teeth,
6.	un-erupted or missing teeth (especially if teeth from only one side are missing),
7.	thumb or finger sucking past age 5 to 6,
8.	early loss of baby teeth.

Interceptive treatment may involve

Adult orthodontics – the best smile in your best years
Most people believe that braces are for kids only. The truth is, with better dental health awareness and improvement in the orthodontic treatment techniques and materials, more adults are seeking treatment with almost half of all orthodontic patients being over 21 years of age. In fact, there has been a significant increase in the number of patients in the 40 to 50 years age group in recent years.

The biological process involved in moving teeth is the same in adults as in children. Therefore orthodontic treatment can be successful at any age. However treatment approaches and objectives in adults may differ from that in children. This is because the concerns and requirements are different.

The fact is, you are never too old to be at your best. Regardless of age, if you are unhappy with your profile or with the way your teeth are, orthodontic treatment is a worthwhile investment.

Recent improvements and innovations have resulted in the use of more efficient and aesthetic orthodontic appliances especially for adults. These include smaller, tooth-coloured ceramic or composite braces and sophisticated tooth-moving wires such as space-age Titanium wires for better aesthetics, comfort and reduced treatment time.

Lingual or invisible braces (braces attached to the inner surfaces of your teeth) are also becoming popular with adult patients due to recent advances in the lingual techniques, better affordability and the fact that they are totally invisible.

Cost of treatment
The cost of treatment depends on many factors such as the type and complexity of the treatment plan proposed, severity of the malocclusion and even the experience and qualifications of the orthodontist. However, there is a range of acceptable fees for each type of treatment and services and most qualified orthodontists do not go too far below or above this range. A reasonable installment plan is usually offered and it is best to discuss the terms clearly with your orthodontist.

All of us have only one set of permanent teeth. Teeth and faces are permanently changed by orthodontic treatment. It is therefore important that treatment is properly carried out. Do get recommendations from your friends or family dentists for referral to a qualified orthodontist.

Will it be very painful?
The pain from wearing braces has been exaggerated. The placement of braces is painless but once the pressure from the braces sets in, there may be some discomfort in the first few days. With the use of more “patient friendly” tooth- moving wires such as the Titanium wires and smaller and smoother appliances, the level of discomfort is significantly reduced. After this initial breaking-in period, patients are able to adapt well to the braces. The levels of discomfort vary with the thresholds of the individuals with a small group of patients even reporting minimal or no discomfort. Each subsequent adjustment of the braces may again cause some discomfort but most patients report a lessening of the discomfort as the treatment progresses.

How long will the treatment take?
Treatment duration varies according to many factors. Depending on the treatment objectives and severity of the problems, it can range from a few months to two years or more. On the average, comprehensive orthodontic treatment takes about slightly over a year to two years for both children and adults. Other factors that will influence the length of treatment time are the regularity and frequency of attendance by the patient, care and maintenance of the braces by the patient and compliance to instructions during the course of treatment.
Although treatment of similar problems in adults may generally take a little longer than in children, the better cooperation and compliance from adults can sometimes more than make up for this disadvantage.

Treatment duration aside, a desire to seek improvement and a positive attitude towards treatment are essential. A healthy set of teeth and a great smile for the rest of your life will more than justify the short period of time invested.