What are the objectives of orthodontics?
Orthodontics is the part of dentistry that is mainly dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of dental malpositions and what we seek with it is a good harmony between the jaws, teeth and lips to achieve a smile as aesthetically as possible and as durable as possible over time.
At what age can orthodontic treatment begin?
In principle there is no age limit for starting treatment. Generally we do it from the age of 6 years, which is when children cooperate best. By starting treatment early, you can avoid later problems and you can guide the child’s growth with orthopedic appliances. In this way, you can save problems, for example, of sleep apnea in children by giving more permeability to the airways.
In which cases can removable orthodontics be used and when is fixed orthodontics necessary?
We use removable orthodontics in daily practice quite a lot, for example, to expand the upper jaw. We can also use it with orthopedic appliances to stimulate the growth of the child’s bone and lately Invisalign appliances are very popular, which are a series of removable appliances that are gradually changed until the dental malposition is corrected. However, if we want to give more complex dental movements, we have to use brackets, with which we will have a better and more reliable finish.
In what cases is it necessary to combine orthodontics with orthognathic surgery?
We use it mainly in large dento-facial deformities in which the aesthetics and functionality of the patient are affected. For this we do it together with the maxillofacial surgeon and we divide the treatment into three phases. A pre-surgical orthodontic phase in which we arrange the teeth. Then comes the surgical phase, in which the maxillofacial surgeon intervenes, this phase is performed in the operating room and in it the jaws are moved, depending on the malposition, the two jaws or the upper jaw will be advanced or the lower jaw will be retracted. And finally, two weeks after this surgical intervention, the last phase is performed, which is the orthodontic adjustment and completion phase.