INTRODUCTION TO ORTHODONTICS

What is orthodontics???

Orthodontics is that branch of dentistry concerned with:

1- facial growth

2- development of the dentition and occlusion

3-and with the diagnosis , interception

4-and treatment of occlusal anomalies.

Demand for treatment

• Demand for treatment does not necessarily reflect need for treatment.

• Awareness of tooth alignment and malocclusion, and willingness to undergo orthodontic treatment, are greater in the following groups:

1)Females

2)higher socio-economic families/groups.

3)In areas which have a smaller population to orthodontist ratio, presumably because appliances become more accepted.

Some patients are very aware of mild rotations of the upper incisors, whilst others are blithely unaware

Classification of crowding

Mild : less than 4 mm

Moderate : 4-8 mm

Severe : more than 8 mm

Etiology Of Malocclusion

What we will cover

1.Variation in facial type, occlusion and malocclusion.

2. Skeletal relationships.

3. Etiology of skeletal growth disturbances.

4. Genetic factors

Aetiology:

Is the science of investigation, study and demonstration the causes of the disease.

Recognition and elimination of the etiological factors is important so that one can prevent and correct the malocclusion and obtain a permanent result.

Ideal occlusion, normal occlusion or malocclusion

Ideal : Perfect occlusion

normal : Deviation from idealistic normal

Malocclusion: Disturbances of the positions

of the teeth requiring treatment

Classification of etiology of malocclusion:

1-Genatically Inherited factors:

Failure of eruption of upper central incisor can occur as result of presence of supernumerary tooth. “ the most common cause is tuberculate type “

Skeletal Pattern, Tooth size and number of teeth.

Features such as the shape of the nose and the smile can be seen to run in families.

Famous "Hapsburg jaw " where a pro-gnathic mandible “ class III skeletal “ was shown to run in the German royal family.