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What Is An Orthodontist?

When it comes to dentistry, there are a lot of different specialties that focus on very specific areas of the mouth. Everyone is familiar with general dentists, but not everyone knows what an orthodontist is. Orthodontists are fully qualified dentists who attend three additional years of education in university study programs and attend an orthodontic residency program. Orthodontists go out of their way to learn about how to prevent, diagnose, and treat bad bites (usually teeth alignment issues). Orthodontists are most well known in dentistry for being the ones who apply braces and other alignment systems to teeth.

What does an orthodontist do?

Orthodontists aim to prevent misaligned teeth and correct teeth that have already become misaligned. Orthodontists also correct alignment issues with the jaw. Teeth and jaw alignment issues can cause a wide range of issues for those who have them, such as speech defects, difficulties eating, even jaw pain and poor oral hygiene. Read More About The Importance of Orthodontics.

Issues that orthodontists successfully treat include:

•	Overcrowding, which is one of the most common alignment issues that orthodontists treat. When there is not enough room in the jaw for the teeth that must come in, orthodontists can make room by carefully repositioning teeth.
•	Aesthetic Issues that often arise due to the poor alignment of teeth and the jaw. When the shape or appearance of the face is affected by poor occlusion or bad bite it can cause some self-esteem issues. Our goal is to give you a beautiful smile that you can be proud of!
•	Anteroposterior Deviations such as overbite, underbite, and crossbite that can greatly affect someone's quality of life by causing difficulty in chewing and even pain. These are extremely common issues.

How do orthodontists realign teeth and jaws?

The first step to the treatment of orthodontic issues is to conduct a thorough examination of the jaw and teeth. Using digital x-rays and digital scans of the teeth we can begin to build a treatment plan. We will make sure that the patient fully understands the treatment plan and the timeline estimates before beginning treatment.

Clear Aligners

These are transparent, removable orthodontic appliances made of a plastic polymer used to align teeth instead of adhering brackets/braces to the teeth. These can be used in simple and complex cases, as well. Only your experienced orthodontist is qualified to determine if you are a good candidate for this type of treatment.

Dental Braces

The most common form of teeth alignment is dental braces. Braces are made of brackets that are affixed to each tooth and archwires that run between all of the brackets. The archwire is usually held in place by small rubber bands. Brackets are typically made of metal or ceramic.

Headgear and Facemasks

These devices are used to correct both jaw and teeth alignment issues, in growing patients. Where braces can push, and pull teeth using other teeth as anchors, headgear, and facemasks allow an anchor outside of the mouth with which to exact pressure on the teeth and jaw allowing us more control over where they end up.

Retainers

Retainers are placed on teeth that have undergone realignment and must be kept in place. Teeth can drift back into their original locations if retainers are not used.

Please call us today at 856-216-8009 to schedule an appointment. We look forward to seeing you smile!

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136 N. Haddon Avenue
Haddonfield, NJ 08033