Forest Lane Dental Family + Kids & Adults | General Dentistry
Orthodontics
Dentist Northwest Dallas
ORTHODONTICS
Texas Family Orthodontics
An even smile is about so much more than just appearance! Crooked, misaligned teeth and bites can have long-term negative effects on dental health, such as uneven wear and grinding of teeth, increased risk of tooth and gum damage, chronic jaw and headaches, and even speech difficulties.
Nearly 50% of the population has malocclusions (“bad bites”) severe enough to benefit from orthodontic treatment. If you have crooked teeth, gaps between teeth, or an abnormal bite, orthodontics will not only straighten your smile but will also improve your oral health!
Forest Lane Dental Family + Kids & Adults
Orthodontics dentistry
Orthodontics is a dentistry specialty that addresses the diagnosis, prevention, and correction of mal-positioned teeth and jaws, and misaligned bite patterns. It may also address the modification of facial growth, known as dentofacial orthopedics. Abnormal alignment of the teeth and jaws is very common. Nearly 50% of the developed world’s population, according to the American Association of Orthodontics, has malocclusions severe enough to benefit from orthodontic treatment.
Although this figure decreases to less than 10% according to the same AAO statement when referring to medically necessary orthodontics. However, conclusive scientific evidence for the health benefits of orthodontic treatment is lacking, although patients with completed orthodontic treatment have reported a higher quality of life than that of untreated patients undergoing orthodontic treatment.
Treatment may require several months to a few years, and entails using dental braces and other appliances to gradually adjust tooth position and jaw alignment. In cases where the malocclusion is severe, jaw surgery may be incorporated in the treatment plan. Treatment usually begins before a person reaches adulthood, insofar as pre-adult bones may be adjusted more easily before adulthood.