In dentistry,
orthodontics is a specialty concerned with preventing and correcting
teeth and
jaw abnormalities called malocclusions. These include crowded, overlapping, or crookedly positioned teeth, which often result from abnormal jaw growth. An orthodontist adjusts tooth positions by means of appliances such as braces, which are attached to teeth and tightened so as to move them over a period of time. Such corrections usually are made before the age of 18, when bones are less ossified. After receiving their doctorate in dentistry, dentists must take 2 years of postgraduate work before practicing orthodontics.
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