Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry concerned with prevention, interception and correction of malocclusion and other abnormalities of the maxillofacial area (face, mouth, teeth and jaw). Although teeth straightening and tooth extractions have been practiced since early times, orthodontics did not exist as a science on its own until the 1800's. The term orthodontics was coined by a French dentist named Dr. Lefoulon and is derived from the Greek words Orthos, which means to correct and Odontos, which means teeth.
Crowded teeth have been a problem since the ancient times. According to archeologist, some primitive orthodontic appliances have been found in mummified ancients. These appliances consisted of crude metal bands wrapped around the person's teeth. Having straight teeth has been a major concern for many years.
During the 1900's, Edward H. Angle founded the first school of orthodontics. He organized the American Society of Orthodontia, which became the American Association of Orthodontists. He devised the first simple classification system for malocclusions. This classification is used to describe how crooked teeth are, what way teeth are pointing, and how upper and lower teeth fit together. During this time, the emphasis in orthodontics was the alignment of the teeth and the correction of facial proportions. Tooth extractions were quite frequent since it was the common solution for many dental problems. Original bands wrapped around each tooth were the original braces. They were made primarily out of real gold and were very expensive. Other materials used to make braces were silver, steel, gum rubber and platinum. Orthodontists started to make use of x-rays for diagnosis, which also enabled them to see the development of bone in the jaw and other areas of the mouth.
By the 1970's bonded brackets were invented so braces did not need to be wrapped around the teeth. A few years later more types of braces such as self-ligating and lingual braces were developed. Lingual braces were the only €invisible€ option until the 1980's, when tooth colored teeth made from ceramic were invented. However, removable plastic appliances that could move the teeth were used as far back as 1945 for minor adjustments. But it wasn't until 1997, that Zia Chishti and Kelsey Wirth applied 3-D computer imaging graphics to the field of orthodontics and created align technologies and the Invisalign method. Invisalign braces consist of transparent and moldable aligners that are used everyday and can be removed for cleaning. Orthodontists were skeptical at first, but in May of 2000 Invisalign were first made available to the public and proved to be very popular and efficient in patients.
As technology continues to evolve, more devices, appliances and materials are making orthodontics more comfortable and popular. Patients today wear smaller and less visible braces for shorter periods of time, which results in less discomfort and great results.
Crowded teeth have been a problem since the ancient times. According to archeologist, some primitive orthodontic appliances have been found in mummified ancients. These appliances consisted of crude metal bands wrapped around the person's teeth. Having straight teeth has been a major concern for many years.
During the 1900's, Edward H. Angle founded the first school of orthodontics. He organized the American Society of Orthodontia, which became the American Association of Orthodontists. He devised the first simple classification system for malocclusions. This classification is used to describe how crooked teeth are, what way teeth are pointing, and how upper and lower teeth fit together. During this time, the emphasis in orthodontics was the alignment of the teeth and the correction of facial proportions. Tooth extractions were quite frequent since it was the common solution for many dental problems. Original bands wrapped around each tooth were the original braces. They were made primarily out of real gold and were very expensive. Other materials used to make braces were silver, steel, gum rubber and platinum. Orthodontists started to make use of x-rays for diagnosis, which also enabled them to see the development of bone in the jaw and other areas of the mouth.
By the 1970's bonded brackets were invented so braces did not need to be wrapped around the teeth. A few years later more types of braces such as self-ligating and lingual braces were developed. Lingual braces were the only €invisible€ option until the 1980's, when tooth colored teeth made from ceramic were invented. However, removable plastic appliances that could move the teeth were used as far back as 1945 for minor adjustments. But it wasn't until 1997, that Zia Chishti and Kelsey Wirth applied 3-D computer imaging graphics to the field of orthodontics and created align technologies and the Invisalign method. Invisalign braces consist of transparent and moldable aligners that are used everyday and can be removed for cleaning. Orthodontists were skeptical at first, but in May of 2000 Invisalign were first made available to the public and proved to be very popular and efficient in patients.
As technology continues to evolve, more devices, appliances and materials are making orthodontics more comfortable and popular. Patients today wear smaller and less visible braces for shorter periods of time, which results in less discomfort and great results.
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