When Should I See an Orthodontist?

Deciding whether it is essential to seek the help of an orthodontist can be a difficult decision to make. There are times where it seems pretty straight forward; for example, when teeth are crowded. There are other conditions however that require the help of our Burlington orthodontist that may not be as obvious and may cause long term effects.

For example, unusual or problematic development of bone and in turn teeth is something that is best detected sooner rather than later. This is for several reasons; it is easier to treat these concerns earlier in life, they may have lasting effects that may be very difficult or very expensive to remedy as one gets older. They also may cause lasting speech and esthetic problems to the patient. To the untrained eye, it would be impossible to see the early signs of these problems until they truly manifest clinically. This may be too late. A simple checkup or consult by a professional orthodontist in Burlington can help save years of effort and money spent to correct such conditions when detected early.

Another example is over or under bites. There are 2 causes for these conditions, it could be a tooth-to-tooth relationship, meaning that the way the top and bottom teeth sit relative to each other is causing the bite discrepancy. It may also be a bony cause, meaning the teeth sit in the right position on the top and bottom jaws, but the bones of both the upper and lower jaw sit in a position causing an over or underbite. This condition cannot be corrected by braces alone. It needs a comprehensive plan on how and when to move teeth, and possibly surgery to correct. In the growing years, it could be effectively corrected without surgery sometimes. This is another area where an orthodontist’s involvement is essential. All the online systems that promise to deliver a perfect smile in this case are never going to deliver.

Even cases that may seem like simple crowding and an easy fix may have an underlying complication that requires the care and careful attention of a specialist with an eye to see if progress is in the right direction. For example, while fixing crowded teeth, the movements may result in shift in the midline relative to the face. The midline is the line between the front two upper and lower teeth, and it is a great esthetic concern that defies the purpose of correction in the first place, and could be very difficult to fix, if not cause a permanent compromise in the smile line. Without the care of an orthodontist, even simple treatments can have grave consequences.

In conclusion, seeing a professional orthodontist in Burlington, who has spent years practicing how to get the best outcome and detecting potential difficulties and patterns of growth is of the essence. This is why our Burlington general dentist when detecting these patterns, funnels the patients in the right pathway to see the appropriate orthodontist to get the best possible outcome.