Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that deals with the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of inappropriate positions of teeth and jaws. The most important step of orthodontic treatment is the full diagnosis of the problem. For this reason, in our department, in addition to traditional recording methods such as intraoral and extraoral photographs, two-dimensional radiographs, and impression taking, advanced technologies such as stereophotogrammetric, cone-beam computed tomography and intraoral scanner images for the three-dimensional evaluation of soft-hard tissue and intraoral structures. is used.

Time and age of starting orthodontic treatment

Your child’s first orthodontic check should not be later than seven years old. At this age, although the teeth appear to be aligned properly, there may be a hidden closing problem. There are some clues that point to these problems:

• Unbalanced face and jaw structure
• Mouth breathing
• Difficulty in function (such as chewing, speaking) and closing
• Having bad habits such as thumb sucking, nail biting, cheek and lip biting
• Excessively forward or backward-positioned jaw structures
• Front-positioned teeth
• Non-contact or abnormal closing of the teeth in the lower and upper jaws
• Early or late loss of milk teeth
• Presence of crooked, misplaced, or unerupted teeth

Thanks to the appliances and wires placed on the back of the teeth, crowding in your teeth can be removed without being noticed. It can be applied to adults as well as to school-age youth with aesthetic concerns.

Oral and dental care and issues to be considered during orthodontic treatment

The measures listed below help prevent caries formation during treatment and prevent damage to the appliances used.

• After each meal, the teeth should be brushed as described by your orthodontist.
• Interdental spaces should be cleaned at least once a day using interdental brushes and dental floss.
• You should go to the dentist regularly for the control of cavities and gums.
• During orthodontic treatment, appointments should be made without interruption.
• Appliances required for treatment should be worn regularly in the manner and time described.
• Sticky foods (such as candy, gum, and caramel) that may cause the appliances to deteriorate, break or come off should not be consumed.
• Hard foods (such as cookies, carrots, and toast) should be avoided as much as possible, foods should be eaten in small bites, and biting movements with the front teeth should be avoided. Fruits with seeds should be eaten by removing the seeds.
• The process of getting used to the appliance is approximately 7-10 days. Sometimes, there may be pain and sensitivity in the teeth, while injuries can also occur in the oral tissues. When such situations are encountered, you should act in accordance with the recommendations given by your orthodontist, and if it continues, your doctor should be contacted.