Teeth are a vital component of our body, making scientific dental care essential. Additionally, poor tooth alignment can affect aesthetics—such as in cases of buck teeth—requiring professional correction. Orthodontic treatment falls under cosmetic procedures. Below is a detailed introduction to orthodontic methods:
Orthodontic treatment involves repositioning teeth while preserving their original structure to restore oral function and normal form. It is not solely for aesthetic purposes but represents a biological remodeling process of the oral skeleton, typically requiring approximately two years.
Indications for Orthodontic Treatment:
⑴ Crowded Teeth: Characterized by teeth protruding inward or outward, resulting in an unattractive appearance, difficulty in cleaning, increased susceptibility to cavities, tartar buildup, and periodontal disease.
⑵ Anterior Crossbite (also known as "underbite" or "buck teeth"): Manifested by the lower teeth overlapping the upper teeth. Some individuals experience only dental crossbite;while others exhibit both dental and skeletal abnormalities, termed skeletal retrognathia. This involves underdevelopment of the maxilla (retrognathia) and overdevelopment of the mandible (prognathia), resulting in a concave midface and a crescent-shaped profile that compromises aesthetics and function.
⑶ Dental gaps: Characterized by excessive spaces between teeth.
⑷ Deep overbite: Also known as "buck teeth," some cases involve only protruding upper front teeth or inward-tilted lower front teeth; others stem from skeletal deformities. Among these individuals, some exhibit excessive forward projection of the upper front teeth and upper gum, while the chin recedes behind the upper lip or lacks a defined chin contour entirely.
⑸ Bilateral protrusion, or protrusion of both upper and lower front teeth, causes the lips to protrude. The lips can only be closed with force, resulting in an open-lipped, tooth-exposed appearance that affects aesthetics.
⑹ Locked jaw: Teeth lack occlusal function.
⑺ Posterior crossbite: Affects dental occlusal function and may lead to long-term deviation and deformity of the upper and lower jawbones.
⑻ Deep overbite (excessive front tooth overlap): Lower front teeth are invisible when biting. Some cases involve skeletal deformities manifesting as a short lower face. This malocclusion increases risk of upper gum injuries, periodontal disease in front teeth, and temporomandibular joint disorders.