Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. The technical term for these problems is "malocclusion" which means "bad bite."
A dental malocclusion is a bad bite caused by improper positioning of the teeth. This malocclusion can be inherited or it can be caused by environmental factors such as a finger habit, tongue-thrusting, restricted airway, or premature loss of primary teeth. Inherited problems include crowding of teeth, excessive space between the teeth, extra or missing teeth and a wide variety of other irregularities.
Dental malocclusions are best treated through orthodontic therapy. If left untreated, the teeth are difficult to clean and maintain, they may wear down quickly, excessive stress is placed on supporting bone and gum tissue and the jaw joint can become affected resulting in chronic headaches or pains in the neck and face.
When left untreated, many orthodontic problems become worse. Treatment by an orthodontist to correct the problem is often less costly than the additional dental care needed to treat the more serious problems that can develop in later years.
