Orthodontics: The Art of Creating a Smile

An orthodontist is a specialist in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. Orthodontists undergo an additional two to three years of specialized education beyond dental school to learn the proper way to align jaws, fix bad bites, and straighten teeth. This formal education is essential for any dentist wanting to adopt the title “orthodontist.”

Most people associate orthodontics with pre-teens and teens. However, there are good reasons why your child should get an evaluation much sooner. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that a child’s first visit to the orthodontist take place no later than age 7. Sometimes, malocclusions—bad bites—are present behind seemingly normal smiles even at an early age. And while treatment may not be started until years later, early examination allows the orthodontist to detect and evaluate problems and plan appropriate treatment at the optimum time.

Sometimes, intervention at an early age while the patient still has their primary or first set of teeth may make treatment at a later age shorter and less complicated. When treatment is begun early, the orthodontist can guide the growth of the jaw and guide incoming permanent teeth. Early treatment can also regulate the width of the upper and lower dental arches, gain space for permanent teeth, avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions, reduce likelihood of impacted permanent teeth, correct habits like thumb-sucking, and eliminate abnormal swallowing or speech problems. In other words, early orthodontic treatment can greatly simplify later treatment.

Orthodontics for Adults
In recent years, orthodontic treatment of adults has become more common. Age should not deter anyone from having a gorgeous smile and a correctly functioning bite. If you have been thinking about orthodontic treatment, it’s never too late.

Starting treatment in your older years might cause slight initial embarrassment, but you should never condemn yourself to a lifetime of dissatisfaction, as many adults do who missed or were never presented with the opportunities to have straighter teeth when they were younger. Patients who have covered their teeth during social interaction for many years feel liberated after just a short course of orthodontic treatment. By removing physical and psychological obstacles such as crowding or spacing, your self-esteem can be boosted tremendously.

Technological advances in orthodontics have made braces more acceptable to adults because they are less obtrusive, easier to wear and treatment time is considerably shorter. Comfortable, esthetic appliances like clear ceramic braces, lingual (behind the teeth) braces, and invisible aligners are among the many available treatment modalities for adult patients.

As we mature, untreated bite problems can continue to worsen. Crowded teeth can be very difficult to keep clean, and may result in tooth decay, gum disease and be a disadvantage socially. Also, over a period of time, an incorrect bite may lead to abnormal wear or breakdown of tooth surfaces and to damage of the bone and soft tissue support of the teeth. Nowadays, thanks to the art and science of orthodontics, countless individuals can look forward to greater ease and function. For you as an individual, orthodontic treatment is a journey of self-improvement, during which you should always remember to keep your eyes on the end result.
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Dr. Eli Halabi received an Ivy League education at the University of Pennsylvania – UPenn, where he earned his Doctorate in Dental Medicine and graduated at the top of his class. He completed his specialty training in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics at the George Washington University and Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, DC. He was recently awarded the title “Diplomate” by the American Board of Orthodontics. His brand new, state of the art office is coming to Kings Highway in February.