Orthodontics is in charge of controlling and promoting the correct development of the dentomaxillofacial structures and the prevention of anomalies such as eruption and malposition of the teeth. In addition, another of its functions is to diagnose and correct the alterations to maintain proper oral health through the use and control of different types of appliances.
It is recommended that the first visit to the orthodontist is at the age of 6 years, as it is intended to prevent possible problems in the evolution of the mouth of the smallest.
Types of orthodontic treatments
Depending on the type of problem, different treatments are performed:
Preventive treatment: the eruption of the teeth is controlled and habits harmful to the development of the jaws such as finger sucking, pacifier use, lip interposition and tongue habits are eliminated. Mouth breathing and caries are also controlled at this stage, since the best space maintainer is the tooth itself.
- Interceptive treatment: focuses on stopping the development of the incipient malposition to prevent it from damaging the normal development of the mouth.
- Corrective treatment: once the malocclusion or malposition of the teeth has been established, corrective treatment is carried out.
Not all treatments should be started at the same age.
Types of Orthodontic Appliances
There are different types of appliances used in Orthodontics:
- Fixed appliances: they are placed in the mouth permanently until the orthodontist removes them. Depending on the type of malposition and requirements of the patient, they can be placed on the inside of the teeth (lingual orthodontics) or on the outside. Two types of external orthodontics are: the Damon System of passive self-ligating brackets and the CCO System of active self-ligating brackets, which allow treatments with much softer forces and less discomfort for the patient.
- Removable appliances: these are orthodontic appliances that the patient can put on and take off freely, but which must be worn for the time recommended by the orthodontist in each case. Among them is the Invisalign System, which consists of a series of virtually invisible removable aligners that gradually correct the position of the teeth to the desired position. They can be removed for eating, brushing and flossing. According to the orthodontist’s diagnosis, a three-dimensional digital simulation of the movement of the teeth and the final result is made, based on which the aligners are custom-made for each patient.
In general, tooth position can be improved at any age. It is customary to associate orthodontic treatment with childhood. Age is not a limiting factor, because the tissues related to tooth movement act in the same way. In general, therefore, there is no reason why orthodontic treatment should not be started because of age.