Orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics are the prime and the most basic branches of dental studies whose main purpose is the improvement of facial and dental features. However, they both differ by some differences. The prime focus of orthodontics is the treatment of teeth by the application of aligners and braces for the objective of enhancing smile. However, on the other side, dentofacial orthodontics and orthopedics works on a more wider spectrum, not only helping to resolve the misalignment issues but also assist greatly in improving the dental and facial structures or features by promoting normal development and growth of the jaw and face.
By the application of some peculiar yet functional dental/oral appliances, orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics strives to balance the whole facial and dental persona for peak performance.
What is Dentofacial Orthodontics?
Dentofacial orthodontics is basically a well-known and professional branch in the field of dentistry whose prime focus is to deal with the imbalances and irregularities in the structures of face and jaw. Dentofacial orthodontics also pays close and keen attention to the treatment and prevention of these anomalies.
In contrast to normal orthodontics which solely and chief focuses on teeth alignment and malocclusion, dentofacial orthodontics also pay close attention to the whole structures of face and jaw, including surrounding bones and adjacent gums.
The central objective of dentofacial orthodontics is to obtain a great and beautiful smile by treating misalignments issues without causing any damage to the facial and jaw structures. Orthodontics and dentofacial orthodontists near me not only evaluate the repositioning of the irregular teeth of the upper and lower jaw but also deals with the closer connection between the facial structures, teeth, jaws and gum bones.
By individual understanding of each of the feature, a dentofacial orthodontist can formulate brief cure methods to tackle a vast variety of problems, from malocclusion (underbite, overbite and crossbite) and chipped teeth to more advanced and complicated issues.
Dentofacial orthodontics work together by combining a variety of dental appliances and well-proven methods which mainly consist of invisalign braces, normal traditional braces and orthognathic surgery (jaw surgery). These approaches not only resolve misalignment of the teeth but also enhance facial features and overcome malocclusion.
A basic or key feature of dentofacial orthodontics is its ability to provide ease relatively faster than the normal traditional orthodontics. By implementing dentofacial orthodontics treatment in the early teenage years, it can guide the proper and normal development of the features of the jaw and face, decreasing the risk of going through any type of complicated orthodontic procedures in the near future.
WHAT IS DENTOFACIAL ORTHOPEDICS?
Orthodontics or dentofacial orthopedics is a professional and skillful branch of dental education whose primary aim is to pay close attention on all the details of the preventive measure, cure and diagnosis of certain type of teeth and jaw irregularities and its intervention, basically.
The irregularities can be related to teeth misalignment/malocclusion, such as overcrowding of the teeth, lack of spacing caused due to sudden emergence or eruption of third molars on both the sides of the upper and lower jaw accompanied by severe and dreadful pain. Other problems can be that of teeth swelling, overbite, underbite and rarely crossbites too.
In addition to that dentofacial orthodontics also addresses certain anomalies in the alignment of the jaw and facial balance striving to straighten up the teeth and jaw by the application of certain advanced orthodontic technology.
It also deals with the problems in the muscoskeletal region of the face and the jaw.
In a nutshell, if we asses and address such irregularities thoroughly, orthodontics or dentofacial orthopedics not only helps to improve the jaw and facial symmetry, it can also help in enhancing the overall dental functionality.
Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics – What’s The Difference?
Although orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics are very much interconnected fields of dental education and both emphasize on ameliorating the misalignment of the teeth and facial anomalies, yet they have same common aims and some considerable variations too.
Dentofacial orthodontics predominantly address the misalignment and repositioning of the teeth/ bite issues for the purpose of attaining a beautiful smile and healthy oral health. The field of dentofacial orthodontics requires never ending usage of invisalign braces, normal braces and different types of retainers which assist in correcting shape of the teeth and allow them to move to their root origins gradually and slowly. This field of dentistry (dentofacial orthodontics) aims to resolve issues of overbites, crossbites, underbites and crowding of teeth as well.
This helps in improving the overall functionality of the oral health and also resolves certain aesthetic concerns of the facial symmetry.
On the contrary, the area of efficiency or spectrum of dentofacial orthopedics is much wider than the dentofacial orthodontics, surrounding and addressing not only teeth alignment but also promote the normal and functional growth of the structures of the jaw and face (including the bones). Dentofacial orthopedists describe the close relationship between the bones of teeth, jaw and surrounding facial structure whose impairment and abnormal growth might lead to abnormal facial appearance. They use certain types of advanced orthodontic appliances for the purpose of performing orthognathic surgery if the case is becoming complicated even after the application of normal dentofacial orthodontics.
All in all, dentofacial orthodontics deals with improving the alignment of teeth whereas dentofacial orthopedics takes one advance step, by addressing the dental abnormality alongside the skeletal anomalies to improve the overall dental function without causing harm to the dental aesthetics. Thus an individual might undergo either orthodontic or orthopedic treatment based upon his preferences and advise of dental surgeon.
