Dental clinic with the highest technology and the widest experience in dental implants, orthodontics and other dental specialties to achieve perfect smiles and to restore your oral health.
What is orthodontics?
Orthodontics is a specialty within dentistry that is responsible for diagnosing and correcting crooked teeth. It allows to correct the bite and treats jaw joint problems such as snapping or clicking as well. Moreover orthodontics is essential in guiding the right eruption of the teeth and it improves the growth of the jaws in case there is a wrong relationship. This dental specialty allows to correct the teeth with different conservative alternatives in order to achieve the necessary dental esthetics and obtain a perfect smile.
What does an orthodontist do?
An orthodontist is a professional who has completed his undergraduate studies in dentistry (doctor in dental surgery) and who has decided to specialize in orthodontics in a full time program for at least two or three more years in the university. An orthodontist is not a dentist who glues brackets, he is a specialist who has the ability to diagnose and treat a bite problem and improve dental esthetics properly. Moreover an orthodontist can improve or correct facial anomalies with orthognatic surgery such as deficient or excessive size of the mandibule, jaw asymmetries and long or short face syndromes working along with an oral surgeon.
What is the difference between a dentist who does smile design and an orthodontist?
The orthodontist has a vision that goes beyond dental esthetics or a “smile design”. Unlike a clinic with dentists, an orthodontist can diagnose the dental problem in each patient in a much better way and in greater depth. In summary, orthodontics individually or with the support of other dental specialties allow us to offer a multidisciplinary treatment, achieving a better result in dental esthetics and in the correction of a bad bite, without the need for very invasive dental treatments and with a better long term prognosis for the patient. In addition, an orthodontist can offer a greater diversity of different treatment alternatives than a dentist.
What is the difference between an orthodontist and a pediatric dentist who works in a children’s dental office?
There is a lot to clarify. For starters, the vast majority of people seeking orthodontic and/or facial orthopedic treatment are confused about what an orthodontist or a pediatric dentist does, despite the fact that they are two completely different specialties. For example, some people even call them “pediatric orthodontists.” On the one hand, the pediatric dentist focuses on the proper emotional management of the child to perform dental treatments similar to those adults receive, such as cleanings, filling cavities, tooth extractions, and more. On the other hand, the orthodontist specializes in diagnosing and treating issues related to crooked teeth and jaw growth, achieving the correction of the bite and the smile you have always wanted.
Moreover, because the orthodontist treats patients from age 4 through adulthood, this specialty is often confused with pediatric dentistry, especially since both professionals care for children from an early age. In addition, facial orthopedics—a branch of orthodontics—addresses jaw problems and corrects their growth. Thus, an orthodontist is a specialist in monitoring and managing bite development and crooked teeth from childhood to adulthood.
How do I know if my orthodontic treatment with brackets is correct and is being carried out properly in the dental clinics where I go? And how to choose the ideal dental clinic to
perform it?
There are several factors that can help you make this decision in the smartest possible way. It is very important for the health of your teeth and smile. Remember a cheaper and a faster treatment can cost you a lot of problems in the long term and could cause irreversibly damage to your teeth.
Make sure the orthodontist has studied in a full-time certified orthodontic program for at least a 2-3 years. A continuing education course or diploma of a few weeks or months is not enough. The orthodontist should preferably have the accreditation of a national or international board of
orthodontics. An orthodontic association does not carry out knowledge exams in order to be accepted as a member and even in some of them, dentists are not being checked if they studied a specialty in a full time program. Remember an orthodontist is not a dentist that does braces.
It is very important to take several dental records before starting an orthodontic treatment, such as x-rays, photographs, dental impressions, scanning of your teeth and even in some cases a CT scan or a MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). These records are mandatory to establish a good treatment plan.
Unless it is a very special case, a syndrome that affects the jaws or a very atypical growth of the patient, an orthodontic treatment should not last more than 24 to 32 months. If so, it could be an alarm sign that your braces are not on the right track. Take into consideration that there might be a large number of alternative treatment plans. The final decision must be made depending on the specific goals that the patient wants to correct, without compromising the esthetics, function and stability of the treatment, and knowing how invasive or conservative the treatment could be.
Ethical Dentistry: Choosing the Right Treatment for Long-Term Health
Many dental clinics offer immediate esthetic dental treatments and a “smile design” without disclosing or minimizing the long-term damage to the patient’s teeth. Taking the fastest option does not mean that it is the best decision in the long term. Remember to look for viable and non-invasive alternatives to correct your dental problem. Unfortunately in many dental clinics they do not inform you the disadvantages, longevity and long-term consequences of certain dental treatments. Make sure there is no conflict of interest between the dental clinic you visit and any dental product company. Sometimes there are dental offices that push the sale of certain “brands” or dental treatments due to an economic agreement with them, offering unnecessary procedures with poor clinical results for the patient.
Remember an ethical dental clinic, is the one that through its knowledge based on scientific evidence, expertise and experience, it offers you an adequate treatment alternative and the best options for your dental problem. We do not reccommend those who use or impose a treatment, system, type of bracket or a specific dental aligner commercial brand.
Which are the most important factors that you need to know in order to be sure that your treatment has been carried out properly by the orthodontist?
Perfect or ideal bite
There are several factors that need to be considered in order to achieve a perfect smile. The first is the function of the bite, second is to accomplish the best dental aesthetics and third to achieve a great long term stability of your bite and teeth after your orthodontic tretament has been completed. Despite the fact that there are several factors that could affect the final result of the treatment such as bone asymmetries, missing teeth, type of bite, patient’s growth pattern, missing teeth, dental restorations, oral hygene and patient cooperation; the orthodontist must always aspire to achieve the best possible bite with a beatiful smile and the most stable treatment results.
Perfect bite:
1. All the upper molars must fit between two lower ones in a manner of gears in a clock and must be in contact with the lower teeth. This allows that during function the food could be shed properly.
2. There should only be a gap of 1 to 3 mm between the upper and lower teeth from front to back. This position of the front teeth allows cutting and tearing food.
Dental, Facial and smile aesthetics:
Currently a large number of different dental clinics offer a “smile design” made with different computer softwares, however these esthetic guidelines have been established for many years.
Despite the fact that aesthetics is very subjective in each person, it is important to start from certain parameters to ensure that dental esthetics is adequate for each patient:
1. The upper midline of the teeth should be in line with the nose, the middle of the upper lip, and the chin.
2. The front teeth should be at the same height as the canines.
3. All upper anterior teeth must have an adequate inclination.
4. The gum contour should be higher on the front teeth and at the same level as the canines.
5. The amount of upper teeth and gums shown when smiling must be complete.
6. There must be an adequate proportion of the width and length of all the anterior teeth.
7. The dimension and shape of the smile must coincide with the size of the face and the thickness of the lips according to the facial characteristics of each person.
Which orthodontic appliances currently exist and how can I pick the most convenient for me to align my teeth?
There are currently a wide variety of orthodontic appliances that can be used to align your teeth. An orthodontist will help you to decide which is the most suitable for you.
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Metal orthodontic brackets or metal braces:
These are the most common brackets used in orthodontics. Specifically, it is a bracket that is glued onto the teeth, where a wire is ligated to align them. Although it was the first system to be invented, these brackets have evolved significantly, to the point that they can now correct any type of aesthetic or functional problem in a very simple and straightforward way. Furthermore, they can be categorized as either conventional brackets, meaning that a rubber band is used to tie the wire into the slot, or self-ligating brackets (Damon type), which feature an individual cap that holds the wire without the need for a rubber band. Nevertheless, the only reason why metal braces are not very popular is that they are not particularly aesthetic. However, metal braces remain a great option if you aim to achieve a beautiful smile.
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Self-ligating brackets or Damon brackets:
This type of orthodontic braces became fashionable again at the beginning of this century, even though they were invented more than 40 years ago. Moreover, there have been numerous myths and misunderstandings promoted by some commercial companies to boost sales. For instance, they often claim that self-ligating brackets offer faster treatments, less discomfort, no need for extractions when there is crowding, and a better final treatment outcome. However, after more than two decades since their resurgence, all serious comparative studies between self-ligating brackets and traditional brackets, grounded in scientific evidence and free from commercial interests, have still failed to demonstrate any significant differences.
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Esthetic or clear brackets:
The first aesthetic bracket was introduced back in the early 1990s. These brackets can be made from materials such as porcelain, sapphire, or polycarbonate. Although the first generation of clear brackets initially lacked the same characteristics as metal brackets, they have significantly evolved over time. As a result, they are now practically identical to metal brackets in terms of effectiveness, treatment duration, and level of discomfort. Additionally, they offer the added advantage of being more visually appealing.
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Lingual brackets or invisible brackets:
The first lingual brackets bonded from behind date from the 70’s. However, these did not have the expected success. This is because the morphology of the surface behind the teeth is unique, so the design of a standardized dental appliance was not viable and the results were very limited. Fortunately, the individualized design of lingual brackets by computer software (incognito system) has made it possible to achieve very good esthetic and functional results that are practically identical to those achieved with metal brackets. The use of these lingual brackets allows to achieve the alignment of the teeth in an invisible way in people who do not want to show their active orthodontic treatment during the alignment of their teeth.
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Dental aligners, invisible orthodontics, Invisalign:
Aligners, introduced by Invisalign in 1999, are a popular orthodontic technique often surrounded by misinformation. Despite existing for over 25 years, myths persist, such as aligners being faster, less painful, and universally suitable compared to braces. The manufacturing process involves digitally copying teeth, creating a virtual “movie” (clincheck), and 3D-printing aligners for specific movements. However, accurate clincheck planning and orthodontist supervision are crucial for success. Low-cost aligner companies, which bypass specialists, risk poor results and jeopardize dental health. Scientific studies show aligners have yet to match the aesthetic and functional outcomes of regular or lingual braces. Like managing a chronic disease, orthodontic treatment requires ongoing professional care. The success of aligners depends on the orthodontist’s expertise, proper diagnosis, treatment planning, and patient cooperation for effective clinical results.
What type of brackets should I use? And how to select the best option?
The selection of an orthodontic appliance should be based on your needs, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of each of the alternatives, assessing the degree of correction of your bite that you are looking for , total treatment time and by consulting an expert who does not have any commercial interest in selling you a brand or system.
CERTIFICATIONS AND ACCREDITATIONS
Recognized as the best Dental Clinic in Médica Sur with certified specialists in dentistry, dental implants and prosthodontics, as well as orthodontics and facial orthopedics for the benefit of the patient’s health and smile.
