Orthodontic Basics
What is the dental specialty that focuses on straightening teeth and correcting bites?
What is orthodontics?
What small metal squares are attached to teeth to help braces move them into the right position?
What are brackets?
What do we call the process in which teeth gradually move through the bone when gentle, controlled pressure is applied?
What is orthodontics?
What handheld tool does an orthodontist use to look closely at your teeth and mouth during an exam?
What is a mirror?
True or False: All dentists are orthodontists, but not all orthodontists are dentists.
False
All orthodontists are dentists, but only about 5% of dentists are orthodontists
What is the name for the way your top and bottom teeth fit together when you close your mouth?
What is the bite (or occlusion)?
What thin metal piece fits into the brackets and connects them to help guide teeth as they move?
What is the wire?
What is the hard, protective outer layer of a tooth called?
What is enamel?
What type of image lets an orthodontist see teeth below the gums and examine roots and jaw structures?
What is an x-ray?
In the United States, after college, how many years of dental school do dentists typically complete before pursuing orthodontic specialty training?
What is 4 years?
What do orthodontists call teeth that are overlapping, or twisted because there isn't enough room?
What is crowding?
Unlike traditional braces, what removable, clear plastic trays can gradually straighten teeth?
What is Invisalign (or aligners)?
What is the sharp pointy tooth called used for tearing and piercing food, especially seen in vampires?
What is the canine?
What digital device can scan teeth and create a 3D model without using traditional impression putty?
What is an intraoral scanner?
After becoming a dentist, approximately how many additional years of training does an orthodontist complete in the United States?
What is 2-3 years?
What is the name for a bite problem in which the upper front teeth stick out significantly farther than the lower front teeth?
What is an overbite (or overjet)?
After braces come off, what device helps keep teeth from drifting back toward their old positions?
What is a retainer?
What tissue surrounds and supports the teeth and helps hold them in place?
What are the bone and gums (or the periodontium)?
What manufacturing technology can build a custom dental model or orthodontic appliance one thin layer at a time?
What is 3D printing?
Orthodontists need more than science knowledge. Name one important people skill that helps them explain treatment, build trust, and help patients feel comfortable.
What is communication, empathy, patience, listening, teamwork, etc.