Ortodonti

Ortodonti, or orthodontics, is a dental specialty that focuses on diagnosing, preventing, and treating irregularities of the teeth and jaws. Orthodontists are dentists who have completed additional training in the assessment of bite function and dental alignment.

Treatment typically involves appliances that guide tooth movement and jaw development. Fixed braces with brackets and wires, removable aligners, and functional appliances are used alone or in combination. Modern practice routinely uses digital records, 3D imaging, and computer-assisted planning to predict movement and optimize results.

Indications include crowding or spacing of teeth, various bite problems such as overbite, underbite, crossbite or open bite, and jaw discrepancies. Correcting alignment can improve chewing, speech, oral hygiene, and facial aesthetics, and may reduce the risk of trauma to protruded teeth.

The treatment process usually begins with a consultation, followed by diagnostic records, a treatment plan, placement or fabrication of appliances, and regular adjustments over months to years. After active treatment, retainers are used to maintain results. Treatments are common in adolescence but also pursued by adults.

A brief history notes that orthodontics emerged as a specialty in the 19th and early 20th centuries, with continued advances in appliances and techniques. Today, orthodontists operate as specialists within dental care, often collaborating with other professionals to address complex bite and facial concerns.