Embracing a New Era
Orthodontics is a specialty of Dentistry that dates back as far back as the Egyptian era. It could be defined as the branch of dentistry related to the diagnosis, treatment, prevention and correction of mal-positioned teeth or jaws. This includes dealing with the slight modification of facial growth due to the abnormal growth of teeth and jaws. This is often referred to as dentofacial orthopedics.
If we take a closer look at the history of Orthodontics, Egyptian civilization seems to have been familiar with the few tools and appliances for aligning teeth, but this branch of dentistry was first declared as a specialty by Edward H. Angle in 1900. He was a pioneer in the field of orthodontics and was a founder of the American Association of Orthodontics. He initiated teaching orthodontics as a separate specialty and established the first teaching school of Orthodontics. Dr. Angle is likely most remembered for defining the classifications of malocclusions.
In the beginning of Orthodontic teaching, the proposition by Dr. Angle focused on the remodeling of facial features without the extraction of teeth. As a result, this became the general practice among orthodontists of that era. Dr. Angle felt that ideal placement of teeth and alignment of jaws would naturally result in pleasing facial aesthetics.
In the later era around 1930, cephalometrics were introduced and orthodontists realized the significance of teeth, bone, soft tissues and their relationships. This interpretation of values and numbers resulted in the now controversial extraction treatment. There are still many advocates of extraction technique among specialists and general dentists.
Today, a non-extraction protocol is more prevalent than ever before. The field of orthodontics has witnessed several improved techniques such as skeletal anchorage, transverse and vertical development and molar distalization that have revolutionized the non-extraction treatment. Skeletal anchorage has opened new doors and provides the opportunity to make dental changes that were previously deemed impossible due to lack of patient compliance. Similarly, mini implants also known as mini plates, allow the orthodontists to bring visible changes in a patient’s facial features by aligning the teeth in a better way and even moving them to bring about a pleasant change in facial features.
Orthodontic practitioners can take help from new technology like Cone Beam Computed Tomography, commonly known as CBCT to identify and evaluate growth patterns and get a clearer picture of the tooth position. The CBCT technology helps the dentists to plan specific procedures and obtain the desired outcome. This helps the patients to feel confident as their facial aesthetics are improved and they can witness a pleasant change in their facial features as a result. Almost 30 percent of the population suffers from malocclusions of some sort.
Are you interested in learning more about the orthodontic treatment your patients deserve? Whether you deliver the treatment or refer to a specialist for the treatment, you owe it to yourself to understand the treatment that is available. Join our community of general and pediatric dentists at Gerety Orthodontic Seminars and start learning a predictable path to delivering the orthodontic care that your patients demand.