Dentistry has been around for well over a thousand years and it has evolved into many different branches and disciplines in that long time frame. For instance, an orthodontist is the specialist that usually handles braces for children. This is because orthodontics focus on palate and teeth-related issues, much like the straightness of teeth, the alignment of the jaw, and other issues regarding the mouth. Different from a typical dentist, however, an orthodontist is not going to perform root canals, cap teeth, give fillings, or anything else associated with normal dentistry. Generally speaking, orthodontics is a discipline that focuses much more on alignment, not on the health of teeth and gums. This is why most people who see an orthodontist are children, as they’re sitting in those chairs to have braces put on.
Though adults can also benefit greatly from visiting orthodontists. You might be surprised to learn just how many issues a qualified orthodontist can help with. So, let’s go over a few of the many issues that might plague an adult and thus would prompt them to seek professional help from a qualified practitioner of orthodontics.
4 Reasons an Adult Might See an Orthodontist
1: A Regular Checkup
The first reason that you may want to see an orthodontist is to just perform a routine checkup. Although this isn’t going to be like a dentist’s checkup, where they’re looking for cavities, or any issues with the gums, an orthodontist can still check on the strength and rigidity of your teeth, as well as how well they’re aligned in your mouth. Figuring out and correcting any alignment issues early on is a great way to prevent problems going forward. You could end up with some serious jaw alignment issues, which could lead to some more serious issues, and so going in for a checkup to ensure everything’s properly aligned is a good idea as an adult.
2: An Overbite
Overbites are very bothersome and can actually form when you’re an adult. While most people think that their teeth are pretty much set by the time they reach adulthood, the fact is that there are myriad factors that can greatly affect the alignment of your teeth, and even the length of your teeth, as it relates to an overbite. You can develop an overbite due to a lot of stress on the mouth by doing things like thrusting your teeth during sleep or chomping. This is definitely something that’s in the wheelhouse of all qualifies orthodontists. They can easily help you to correct an overbite with something like invisible braces.
3: Crooked Teeth
Like an overbite, a lot can happen in your adult life to cause your teeth to go crooked. Even something as simple as weight gain can really add a lot of stress to your face, which is increasing tension on your teeth and gums, and over time your teeth can become crowded and crooked. The same holds true for a lot of different injuries to the mouth. Your teeth can get knocked loose and then go crooked on you, creating some serious issues in your adult life. A qualified orthodontist is there to help out with this problem, and they have quite a few techniques to help correct crooked teeth with different modern braces.
4: Jaw Issues
A lot of jaw issues can arise in your life, and one of the most common is TMJ, which is initialism for Temporomandibular joint, and it’s a condition that causes lockjaw. There are all sorts of reasons why TMJ may become a factor. People whose wisdom teeth grew in crooked, or suffered jaw injuries, or all manner of other issues can cause TMJ. If caught early and it’s not that severe, a qualified orthodontist can help with perhaps a retainer or other devices to correct the issue. However, if you wait and the issue has persisted for quite some time, then it may require actual jaw surgery.
Just because you’re an adult doesn’t mean that your days of seeing an orthodontist are over. There are all sorts of things a qualified orthodontist can help with, and these four listed above are just a few of the many.