Does orthodontic treatment increase or decrease your risk for TMJ disorders?

Claims that orthodontic therapy causes temporomandibular disorders (TMD) have been around a long time. Is there truth to these claims? A study published last year in the Journal of Orofacial Orthopedics looked at this topic by evaluating 1011 children and adolescents between the ages of 10 and 18. They separated these young people based on whether or not they had undergone orthodontic treatment and then evaluated them using the Helkimo index and Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders. What did they find? Not surprisingly, the researchers found that there was no significant difference in the occurrence of TMD symptoms between those that underwent orthodontic treatment and those that did not. Why is this result not surprising? There have been several studies over the last 25 years that have all showed the same results (orthodontic treatment does not increase or decrease your risk for TMJ disorders).
If you have any questions about temporomandibular disorders and how they relate to orthodontic treatment, please contact your Phoenix and Goodyear orthodontists. While your Litchfield Park and Phoenix orthodontists do not specialize or focus their practice on TMD or TMJ disorders, they can put you in touch with some excellent doctors who do focus on this area.

How do I look?

What am I going to look like with braces? Are people going to be able to tell, even when they can’t see my teeth? Everyone has worries about how they are going to look with their braces. Whether it’s metal, porcelain or Invisalign, people want to know how their appearance is going to change. One major concern many people have is how full their lips are going to look after the brackets are placed. It seems to make sense that if you place something on the teeth; it is going to push the lips forward. This theory was tested in an article published in The Angle Orthodontist. Standardized profile pictures were taken of patients with their braces. After they had their braces removed, the same picture was taken. Lip thickness was measured in both pictures. They found no increase in lip thickness with the braces. This is great news! Even though you may feel like your lips are full, they look exactly the same as they did before you had braces. The only way people will know you are in orthodontic treatment is when you show them your beautiful smile! Contact Dunn Orthodontics (Phoenix orthodontists, Litchfield Park orthodontists, Goodyear orthodontists) for a free consultation on all your esthetic options to straighten your teeth.