At Blue Oak Dental, we have one of the best in Rockville, who can guide you and your family through the decision and process of fixing tooth alignment. Orthodontic procedures are extremely common these days, and include a variety of relatively low-impact ways to improve the positioning of one’s teeth. Orthodontics can significantly benefit a patient’s self-confidence and, in many cases, overall oral health. As specialists, orthodontists are chiefly concerned with the alignment, and therefore bite, of their patients’ teeth. For adolescents, orthodontic procedures can have a meaningful impact on the development of their teeth and jawline. This is because, in addition to fixing improper positioning of teeth, orthodontists can also influence various aspects of facial growth, through dentofacial orthopedic techniques. Far from being merely cosmetic, orthodontic care can also correct issues that affect the way the teeth wear, or that interfere with a patient’s ability to eat, speak, or keep their teeth clean. Orthodontic procedures may be necessary as a result of injury, frequent thumb sucking, or just hereditary causes.
Common reasons for seeking orthodontic care include:
- Protruding front teeth, which may affect a person’s self-confidence and make these teeth more vulnerable to injury, especially during sports.
- Generally poor alignment of the tooth structure along the jawline, which may cause discomfort or difficulty eating.
- A cleft lip or palate, which can be especially damaging to self-esteem. These conditions can be greatly ameliorated by the skill of an orthodontic expert.
- Crowding within the jawline, which occurs when there is not enough space for all of a patient’s teeth. This condition can cause pain as well as misalignment that worsens over time. In such cases, the orthodontist may have to remove one or more teeth to make room for the others.
- Impacted teeth, which have not emerged from the gums or have emerged in the wrong position.
- Asymmetrical teeth, characterized by a significant mismatch or misalignment between the upper and lower teeth.This can be particularly annoying when the mouth is closed but some lower teeth are still protruding.
- A deep bite or overbite, wherein the upper set of teeth settle excessively far in front of the lower set. Overbites can cause irregular wear patterns.
- An underbite, wherein the lower set of teeth protrude further than the upper set. Underbites may also cause irregular wear patterns and warrant orthodontic care.
- A reverse bite, wherein the upper set of teeth fall within the lower set when the mouth is clenched. Reverse bites can also affect the long term health of a patient’s teeth.
- An open bite, wherein there is a sizeable gap between the patient’s upper and lower teeth, most noticeably in the front, when their mouth is closed.
- A crossbite, wherein the patient’s back teeth do not meet properly when clenched. The upper teeth may be closer to either the tongue or cheek than the corresponding lower teeth. Either scenario may be cause for concern.
- Spacing, or sizeable gaps between the teeth in the jawline. Spacing issues can arise from either trauma or hereditary issues and are another reason for orthodontic care.