The role of orthodontists has been redefined with the recent trends on a world that has become increasingly image conscious. To better understand the reasons behind this it is good to clearly know the kind of dental specialists we are talking about. It is good to have a precise definition of an orthodontist as most of us confuse them with those in other specialties in dentistry. To clear the air on this, orthodontists are dental specialists who basically deal with teeth and jaw alignment problems.
To appreciate the nature of work that they are involved in, you need to keep in mind that our teeth don’t operate in isolation with the other body parts. Our teeth are anchored to the jaws bones in our mouths, the maxilla and the mandible. The way our teeth are anchored to these bones and the way they protrude from our gums has a great bearing on their general alignment.
To be frank, it next to impossible for you to find someone who has perfectly aligned teeth and there is no precise standard for perfect teeth alignment. Just as many say that we all have our weaknesses it is hard to find someone who is perfect in everything include their complexion or alignment of teeth. For this reason, a normal range for teeth alignment had to be considered and rarely will you be bothered with the look of a person who falls within this set range. In case you come across or discover that you fall out of the recommended range, it is definite that you will get worried and stressed about this and eventual end up seeking for corrective solutions. At this point the role of orthodontists is borne in our minds as they are the right dental specialists to help us attain a look that falls within the normal range by use of corrective procedures.
We also need to consider the scenario where we have imperfections which compromise the quality of our lives to a great extent and not just merely for cosmetic reasons. For instance you could have a misalignment of your teeth that is so complex to the point of interfering with speech or the manner in which we chew our food. In the past these reasons would require the intervention of orthodontists, and this formed their primary duty in dealing with misalignment of teeth. It was thus common for the few orthodontists that were available at the time to move from one hospital to the other to deal with these major teeth issues which mostly occurred in children. This formed a major part of their careers at the time.
Currently, they still have to handle these complex problems to improve on the lifestyles of the affected children to correct speech and chewing difficulties. This however is starting to fade and their roles are starting to be redefined in this era that is more image conscious as people can’t live with the slightest imperfections to their smiles. The present orthodontists thus have to deal with an increasing number of clients with minor teeth misalignments. The practice can now be said to be more cosmetically oriented compared to the traditional focus on major teeth and jaw misalignment.
Written by Dr. Darren Wittenberger, is the best orthodontist Columbia MO has to offer, and owner of his own practice, Advance Orthodontics. Dr. Wittenberger enjoys sharing his expertise to ensure people can maintain the healthiest, straightest teeth possible!