Dental Specialties: Orthodontics (Continued)

There are three different classes of orthodontics:

1. Preventative Orthodontics
• this involves anything that could prevent the second and third level of treatment being necessary
• the dental team is concerns with preserving the normal bite of the teeth
• it is most important to maintain the arch length, particularly in the area of the primary molars.
2. Interceptive Orthodontics
• concerned with minor treatment that will control factors that may result in the need for the third level of orthodontic treatment
• includes any treatment used to manipulate growth for the natural elimination of crowding as well as extractions.
• this is the removal of permanent teeth, usually the first bicuspids, which are the teeth that are right beside the molars.
• a lot of orthodontist don't like to use this method because it is the removal of teeth, and its better to keep as many teeth in your mouth as you can.
3. Corrective Orthodontics
• include all active treatment that relocates or moves teeth in existing malocclusion.
• fixed appliances, braces, brackets, bands or removable appliances can be used to achieve this tooth movement.
• this is the last step, so the orthodontists will try as hard as they can to fix the problem preventative, or anticipative.

There are lots of dental instruments that are used to in orthodontic treatment, such as:

Band Pusher: used to push orthodontic bands into place during try-in and cementing phases
Band Bite Stick: to assist seating or placing of ortho bands for try-in or cementing
Band remover: to remove ortho bands from teeth
Bracket Remover: to remove anterior or postieor brackets from teeth
Three-Prong Pliers: to contour and bend light wire
Bird Beak Pliers: to bend and form ortho wire, to remove bonded bracket
Wire Bending Pliers: to bend arch wires
Ligature/Wire Cutters: to cut ligature after it has been tied to arch wire, to cut ligature tie to allow removal of arch wire
Contouring Pliers: to crimp and contour marginal edge of temp crown of stainless steel
Howe Pliers: to place and remove arch wires, to check for loose bands


Headgear

• is an ortho deice used to control and facilitate tooth movement by applying force from outside the mouth
• it is most affective when molars require stabilisation of distal (move towards the back of the mouth) movement.
• it is most commonly used in class II malocclusion. (see previous blogs)

Head gear consists of two parts:

1. Face bow (usually worn 10-12 hrs a day)
• used to connect the traction device to the bands on the molar teeth to be moved
• head gear tube: the inner bow of the head gear is inserted into these tubes on the band
• inner bow: attached to the buccal (tongue side) tube on the upper first molars
• outer bow: attaches tot he traction device
2. Traction Devices
• applies the outside force
• there are four different kinds available
1. High Pull
• fits around the top of the head to control growth of the upper jaw or retraction of anterior teeth
• it fits pretty high up on the head
2. Cervical Pull
• fits around the patients neck
• used when the upper first molars are stabilised or moved distally
3. Combination
• combination of high pull strap and cervical devices
• used to exert force along the biting surface and upward
4. Chin Cap
• combination of high pull and chin cap that fits on the lower jaw
• helps to control the growth of the lower jaw in patients with class III malocclusion.