The term “orthodontics” is derived from the Greek word “orthos” meaning proper or straight and “odons,” which means tooth. It is described as a specialized field in dental medicine, which is concerned primarily with the study and cure of malocclusion or improper bites, which may lead to irregularity in the tooth, disproportionate jaw relationships or both.
Orthodontics is often described as a kind of dental treatment that is utilized to enhance the position and function of an abnormally arranged teeth and ultimately improve physical appearance. Such treatments can deal primarily with the control and modification of facial growth or may focus solely on dental displacement. Orthodontic procedures may be done for the sole purpose of aesthetics with regard to the enhancement of the overall physical appearance of the patients’ teeth. Although there are some dental professionals practicing in the field of orthodontics who choose to work on the reconstruction of the entire face rather than just concentrating exclusively on teeth. Orthodontic procedures are also commonly prescribed for practical purposes such as in offering the patient with a functionally enhanced bite, a condition called occlusion.
The American Association of Orthodontics or AAO defines orthodontics as that field in dental medicine that specializes in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of both facial and dental irregularities. Professional skill in the design, application and control of corrective appliances to bring lips, teeth and jaws into appropriate alignment is one of the major requirements in the practice of orthodontics. The practice is primarily aimed at achieving facial balance.
A dental surgeon specializing in the field of orthodontics makes use of a wide-range of dental appliances such as braces. These dental appliances are utilized in correcting the positioning of the teeth during a certain period of time, typically between 20 months and two years.
Orthodontics was previously known as a specialized field in dental medicine. Majority of countries around the world have their own protocols for the training and registering of specialists in the field of orthodontics. A basic requirement for a dentist to be eligible to practice the field of orthodontics is a 2- or 3-year period of full-time post-graduate education.