Nadim Orthodontic Clinic

Orthodontics is a dental specialty concerned with the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of facial irregularities such as crooked, crowded or protruding teeth, for which the technical term is ‘Malocclusion’ meaning ‘bad bite.’ The practice of orthodontics involves the design, application and control of removable and/or fixed appliances (commonly called Braces), to treat and correct these problems.

Orthodontic treatment improves your smile and your health. Your smile is the most striking part of your face. Look in the mirror. Do you like your smile now? Can your smile be improved? Think about how you react to someone with a pretty smile. Do you find them more attractive? Will you be more attractive with an appealing smile? Orthodontic treatment will make your smile look fabulous. The fabulous smile can last for the rest of your life. Think about how a fabulous smile will improve your life. Orthodontic treatment will also make your face look delightful. Wouldn't a delightful face be wonderful?

On the other hand major orthodontic problems can exist without you knowing it, so even if you have the perfect smile, these problems can, if left untreated, severely jeopardize the health of your teeth, gums and jaws.

Teeth that are too crowded are difficult to clean and can decay and cause gum problems. Teeth that stick out are not only unattractive but can cause abnormal wear of the tooth surfaces.

And misalignment of the jaws can result in the abnormal position of the jaw joint, which can cause headaches, migraines or other pain in the face and neck.

The degree of improvement possible in all malocclusions will depend on a number of factors, including:
• Patients co-operating fully with their orthodontist and attending all appointments.
• How severe the orthodontic condition is. Full correction is not always possible.
• The age of the patient at the start of the treatment. This is because teeth move more slowly in adults, so it is not as easy to change them, compared to children’s teeth

It is usually difficult to know if your child will need orthodontic treatment until your child is 7-8 and their permanent teeth start to come in. We recommend that you bring your child into the orthodontist when your child is 7 years old to evaluate whether treatment will be needed. Generally, the orthodontist will evaluate your child, and if your child needs treatment, the orthodontist will take corrective action to avoid costly and uncomfortable treatment later on.

It is most important to examine your child's teeth as the permanent teeth grow in. Although children mature at different rates, there are some averages for permanent tooth arrival. It is always better to consult a professional. Generally the following signs are a good reason for you to bring your child in to the orthodontist’s office:
• Gaps between the permanent teeth.
• Overlap of the teeth.
• Improper closure of upper and lower teeth when biting.

Usually it is just the opposite; if you wait orthodontic problems will almost always get worse. If a few teeth are crooked or crowded, the orthodontist can realign the crowded teeth easily. However, if you do not treat the crowding right away, the crooked teeth will encroach onto your child’s other teeth and push the other teeth out of alignment too. As a result if you wait, your child's orthodontic problems will usually get worse.

Further, as your child gets older, orthodontic treatment becomes more uncomfortable. As your child ages, fibers grow in to anchor your child's teeth to your child's jaw. It takes more force to move the fibers as your child ages so treatment is more uncomfortable. Also the bones in the roof of their mouth harden as your child ages, which make treatment even more difficult.

If you avoid needed treatment when your children are teens, the children will usually need more uncomfortable treatment later in life. Isn't it better to take care of the problem when it is first discovered rather than waiting until the problem gets worse?

Yes, if you are an adult with only 1 - 6 millimeters of crowding or spacing of your front teeth and no missing or severely tipped teeth. A series of 3-D computer generated invisible aligners may allow creation of a beautiful smile for you without glued on braces. This advanced technology is not for growing children.

Absolutely not. Treatment can be carried out in a healthy mouth at any age.

No. Braces (called ‘appliances’) are typically split into two categories - fixed braces and removable braces. The choice of the proper appliance depends mainly on the type of the present problem. Furthermore there are two types of the fixed braces, namely metal and transparent ones. You will have the choice to pick one of those after a discussion with the orthodontist about the advantages of each.

Only if there's not enough room for all your teeth. Don't worry, if you have teeth pulled, the spaces will be closed and no one will even notice.