Orthodontics is a dentistry specialty that addresses the diagnosis, prevention, management, and correction of mal-positioned teeth and jaws, as well as misaligned bite patterns. It may also address the modification of facial growth, known as dentofacial orthopedics.
Dental braces are devices used in orthodontics that align and straighten teeth and help position them with regard to a person's bite, while also aiming to improve dental health. They are often used to correct underbites, as well as malocclusions, overbites, open bites, gaps, deep bites, cross bites, crooked teeth, and various other flaws of the teeth and jaw. Braces can be either cosmetic or structural. Dental braces are often used in conjunction with other orthodontic appliances to help widen the palate or jaws and to otherwise assist in shaping the teeth and jaws.
In orthodontics, a malocclusion is a misalignment or incorrect relation between the teeth of the upper and lower dental arches when they approach each other as the jaws close. The English-language term dates from 1864; Edward Angle (1855–1930), the "father of modern orthodontics", popularised it. The word derives from mal- 'incorrect' and occlusion 'the manner in which opposing teeth meet'.
A palatal expander is a device in the field of orthodontics which is used to widen the upper jaw (maxilla) so that the bottom and upper teeth will fit together better. This is a common orthodontic procedure. The use of an expander is most common in children and adolescents 8–18 years of age. It can also be used in adults, although expansion is more uncomfortable and takes longer in adults. A patient who would rather not wait several months for the end result achieved by a palatal expander may be able to opt for a surgical separation of the maxilla. Use of a palatal expander is most often followed by braces to then straighten the teeth.
Orthodontic technology is a specialty of dental technology that is concerned with the design and fabrication of dental appliances for the treatment of malocclusions, which may be a result of tooth irregularity, disproportionate jaw relationships, or both.
Edward Hartley Angle was an American dentist, widely regarded as "the father of American orthodontics". He was trained as a dentist, but made orthodontics his speciality and dedicated his life to standardizing the teaching and practice of orthodontics. He founded the Angle School of Orthodontia in 1899 in St. Louis and schools in other regions of the United States. As the originator of the profession, Angle founded three orthodontic schools between 1905 and 1928 in St. Louis, Missouri, New London, Connecticut and Pasadena, California. These exclusive institutions provided the opportunity for several pioneering American orthodontists to receive their training.
In dentistry, overjet is the extent of horizontal (anterior-posterior) overlap of the maxillary central incisors over the mandibular central incisors. In class II malocclusion the overjet is increased as the maxillary central incisors are protruded.
Percival Raymond Begg AO was a professor at the University of Adelaide School of Dentistry and a well known orthodontist, famous for developing the "Begg technique". Permanent displays dedicated to the Begg technique can be found in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington DC, the Library of the American Dental Association in Chicago, and the PR Begg Museum at the University of Adelaide.
Serial extraction is the planned extraction of certain deciduous teeth and specific permanent teeth in an orderly sequence and predetermined pattern to guide the erupting permanent teeth into a more favorable position.
Lingual braces are one of the many types of the fixed orthodontic treatment appliances available to patients needing orthodontics. They involve attaching the orthodontic brackets on the inner sides of the teeth. The main advantage of lingual braces is their near invisibility compared to the standard braces, which are attached on the buccal (cheek) sides of the tooth. Lingual braces were invented by Craven Kurz in 1976.
Charles Henry Tweed was an American orthodontist known for many of his contributions to the field of orthodontics. He was a founder of the Charles H. Tweed Foundation for Orthodontic Research. Tweed a student of Edward Angle in Pasadena, California and a classmate of Raymond Begg.
John Valentine Mershon was an American orthodontist who graduated from Angle School of Orthodontia in 1908. He is the past president of American Association of Orthodontists. Mershon helped organize First International Orthodontic Congress in 1926 and served as its honorary president.
Silas J. Kloehn was an American orthodontist who was part of the journal The Angle Orthodontist for 40 years. Due to his contributions, the journal transitioned from a dependent organization in 1940s to an independent organization in the 1950s. His work was also instrumental in the revival of cervical traction and Nance's Arch-Length Analysis in orthodontics.
Calvin Suveril Case was an American orthodontist who is one of the earliest figures in orthodontics. Case did extensive work with cleft lip and palate and is known for developing the Velum Obturator. Case is also known for his part in the Extraction Debate of 1911 that happened between Edward Angle and Case.
Elastics are rubber bands frequently used in the field of orthodontics to correct different types of malocclusions. The elastic wear is prescribed by an orthodontist or a dentist in an orthodontic treatment. The longevity of the elastic wear may vary from two weeks to several months. The elastic wear can be worn from 12 to 23 hours a day, either during the night or throughout the day depending on the requirements for each malocclusion. The many different types of elastics may produce different forces on teeth. Therefore, using elastics with specific forces is critical in achieving a good orthodontic occlusion.
Frankel appliance or Frankel Functional Regulator is an orthodontic functional appliance which was developed by Rolf Fränkel in 1950s for treatment to patients of all ages. This appliance primarily focused on the modulation of neuromuscular activity in order to produce changes in jaw and teeth. The appliance was opposite to the Activator appliance and Bionator appliance.
Molar distalization is a process in the field of Orthodontics which is used to move molar teeth, especially permanent first molars, distally (backwards) in an arch. This procedure is often used in treatment of patients who have Class 2 malocclusion. The cause is often the result of loss of E space in an arch due to early loss of primary molar teeth and mesial (forward) migration of the molar teeth. Sometimes molars are distalized to make space for other impacted teeth, such as premolars or canines, in the mouth.
Intrusion is a movement in the field of orthodontics where a tooth is moved partially into the bone. Intrusion is done in orthodontics to correct an anterior deep bite or in some cases intrusion of the over-erupted posterior teeth with no opposing tooth. Intrusion can be done in many ways and consists of many different types. Intrusion, in orthodontic history, was initially defined as problematic in early 1900s and was known to cause periodontal effects such as root resorption and recession. However, in mid 1950s successful intrusion with light continuous forces was demonstrated. Charles J. Burstone defined intrusion to be "the apical movement of the geometric center of the root (centroid) in respect to the occlusal plane or plane based on the long axis of tooth".
Open bite is a type of orthodontic malocclusion which has been estimated to occur in 0.6% of the people in the United States. This type of malocclusion has no vertical overlap or contact between the anterior incisors. The term "open bite" was coined by Carevelli in 1842 as a distinct classification of malocclusion. Different authors have described the open bite in a variety of ways. Some authors have suggested that open bite often arises when overbite is less than the usual amount. Additionally, others have contended that open bite is identified by end-on incisal relationships. Lastly, some researchers have stated that a lack of incisal contact must be present to diagnose an open bite.
Orthodontic indices are one of the tools that are available for orthodontists to grade and assess malocclusion. Orthodontic indices can be useful for an epidemiologist to analyse prevalence and severity of malocclusion in any population.
