What does malocclusion mean and aren?t braces just for kids?-James in Amherstburg Dear James: I do realize that the word ?malocclusion?
sounds complicated and that you have never heard of it before. In dentistry, occlusion refers to the manner in which the teeth from upper and lower arches fit together when the mouth is closed. Not everyone has a perfect occlusion naturally. When teeth in the mouth are rotated, missing or not fitting together properly when closing or chewing, the situation is called malocclusion. This condition can occur at any age, especially when some of the teeth are lost and not replaced in a timely manner. Usually it is noticed after a child loses all of their primary or baby teeth and after the permanent or adult teeth are erupted. It is a common situation that can be treated at any age, not just childhood. The proper method of treatment is orthodontics. Orthodontics is a specialized area of dentistry that focuses on diagnosis and treatment of dental irregularities, correcting esthetics, malocclusion and also facial asymmetries and irregularities. An orthodontist is a dentist who specializes in o
