Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that deals with the anomaly of teeth and jaws. Although it is commonly known as braces among the people, there are actually many devices used in this treatment. In fact, sometimes it is possible to prevent and correct some disorders even with very simple swallowing or tongue exercises. From this point of view, orthodontics deals with the prevention and dental and skeletal treatment of functional or anatomical disorders in the head and neck region. This treatment is done by an orthodontist.

The orthodontist can plan the orthodontic process from the beginning to the end, as well as arrange the complex prosthetic and implant treatments, which should be done before and after orthodontics, and should master the necessary treatment plan until the patient leaves the clinic treated and happy. Orthodontics ending with an unsuccessful prosthetic restoration or implant treatment is not performed properly.

Similarly, in orthognathic surgical treatments that include the treatments of skeletal disorders, the orthodontist should shape the necessary surgical planning and ensure that the surgery is performed in accordance with the surgeon. The treatment of people with cleft lip and palate or syndrome that causes facial deformities is also of interest to orthodontics.

Skeletal and dental problems in children may require long-term follow-up. The head and neck region, which begins to take shape at the age of 3-4, can be manipulated and changed until the age of 16-17. Considering all these, the main difficulty of orthodontics is that it requires long-term follow-ups, sometimes lasting up to 10 years, and the necessity of making a treatment that is compatible with the patient by evaluating the growth, development, physiological and psychological changes during this period.

From this point of view, the orthodontist should be trained to look at the treatment from a very wide window.

Getting Started with Orthodontic Treatment

There are some points that people should pay attention to when researching for orthodontic treatment. The first of these is the experience of the orthodontist who will conduct the treatment. Treatments with long and various stages, such as orthodontic treatment, should be carefully planned and applied. In this respect, it is more appropriate for people who have received specialization training in university hospitals and who have been given an orthodontic specialization diploma by the Ministry of Health. The second point to be considered is the availability of the doctor who will administer the treatment. Some clinics accommodate the orthodontist 1-2 days a month. The disadvantage of this system is that it is necessary to wait for a long time in cases such as wire poking or bracket failure. In our clinic, orthodontic treatments are performed by a team of 3 orthodontists, and our patients are followed up by making a joint treatment plan by all three. Consulting our patients with different perspectives also minimizes possible errors. This method also helps us, the doctors to comfortably schedule educational occasions such as congresses and courses. This overall comfort zone also reflects on our patients' treatments.