ABC of oral health: Improving occlusion and orofacial aesthetics: orthodontics

doi:10.1136/bmj.321.7256.288

BMJ 2000;321:288-290 ( 29 July )

Clinical review

ABC of oral health

Improving occlusion and orofacial aesthetics: orthodontics

Susan Cunningham, Elisabeth Horrocks, Nigel Hunt, Steven Jones, Howard Moseley, Joseph Noar, Crispian Scully.

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Malocclusion is the abnormal positioning of the teeth or jaws. It is a variation of growth and development and can affecta person's bite (occlusion), ability to clean teeth properly,gingival health, jaw growth, speech development, and appearance.

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The shape and size of the face, jaws, and teeth are mainly inherited, but environmental factors can also have an impact. Factorsas diverse as skeletal muscle pathology¹ and sucking a digit(thumb or finger) can substantially influence the growth of theface anddentition.

Treatment of disorders such as crowded or protruding teeth may improve both aesthetics and oral function. In addition, prominentteeth can be damaged easily during childhood. The dental specialtymost concerned with problems of facial growth, development ofocclusion, and the prevention and correction of associated anomaliesis orthodontics. The improvement of occlusion and aesthetics usingrestorative dental techniques is discussed in the nextarticle.

Orthodontic care