Orthodontics – The Modern Approach. By: Dr. Nishita Ondhia

For a very long time, Orthodontic providers have been in the business of straightening teeth.  The most common path is to wait until one has all their adult teeth and then place brackets and wires in the hopes of having all the teeth fit into the arch space.  If the only criteria is to have the front teeth straight, this method works.  There are, however, many other variables needing to be addressed in order to provide a good, healthy bite.

Orthodontics is not Straightodontics.  Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry of diagnosing and treating a “bad bite” or a malocclusion. By age 6, on average, the upper jaw stops growing, by age 12, on average, the lower jaw has stopped growing and all the adult teeth have grown into place.  This is too late to effectively diagnose and address a malocclusion.

Believe it or not, one can diagnose the trajectory of a bad bite as early as 3 years old when a child has all their primary dentition.  In fact, this is the best time to start discussing the jaw positions, lack of space, tongue ties and mouthbreathing.  Our bodies want to be healthy and understanding that the lips, tongue and the cheeks are your lifelong orthodontist is key in understanding the role of nasal breathing, proper swallowing and ideal jaw relations.  If we do this early, we can keep space for adult teeth, thus decreasing the need for orthodontics to straighten teeth.

This is the modern approach, guiding the craniofacial growth.

-Dr. Nishita Ondhia