A lifetime of happy smiles begins by knowing what’s true and what’s not when it comes to orthodontic dental services. Along with these questions are misconceptions about the treatment.
1. Orthodontic treatment can be done by any dentist.
Orthodontists are dentists, but not all dentists are orthodontists. An orthodontist is a certified specialist who had years of additional specialty training in orthodontics. Which include both theoretical and clinical training.
Orthodontic treatment is a very particular dental service that must be done only by specialists.
General dentists have no specialty, they might have taken a few hours of orthodontic courses, but that doesn’t mean that they are already as qualified to do orthodontic treatment as orthodontists are – unless, it is a very simple case.
Orthodontists, on the other hand, are allowed to do everything that a general dentist can.
2. Orthodontic treatment is only for kids and teens.
Orthodontic treatment is for everyone – no one is too old for it. While it is true that you see a lot of young kids when you visit an orthodontic clinic, you’ll also see teenagers, college students, and adults.
In fact, according to the American Association of Orthodontists, one in every five orthodontic patients is adult. Most of them avail of the Invisalign, or the invisible braces.
As long as your bite problem is indicated for the orthodontic treatment and getting such treatment can make you feel better about yourself, then your orthodontist can render it no matter what your age is.
There are a lot of factors that can cause teeth alignment problems, so the need for orthodontic treatment at any age is entirely possible.
3. Orthodontic treatment takes many years.
Orthodontic treatment, in general, takes about two to three years only. This can vary depending on the dental problem that needs to be corrected.
But with the major developments in the field of orthodontics, there are devices and appliances with allow for a much shorter treatment duration.
4. Orthodontic treatment may be continued by other orthodontists.
Each orthodontist handles their orthodontic cases somewhat differently, so it would be best for you and your smile to commit to just one and stick with them.
5. Orthodontic Dental Services treatment is a permanent solution.
Unfortunately, orthodontic treatments are not a 100% permanent solution. Teeth alignment is constantly influenced by natural forces that are ever-present throughout a patient’s life.
That’s why once the orthodontic treatment is completed, the orthodontist asks the patient to wear a retainer to keep the teeth in their corrected alignment.
The type of retainer can be fixed or removable, depending on the case. But regardless of the type, it is important that you wear your retainer exactly as instructed by your orthodontist.