Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that focuses on the study and resolution of problems such as dental irregularities and uncoordinated maxillary and mandibular relationships. What are the dangers of these problems? First of all, it is difficult to clean the teeth when they are not aligned, which may cause problems such as dental caries and periodontal diseases, resulting in tooth loss; secondly, due to the uneven distribution of biting force in unaligned teeth, it is easy to cause problems such as masticatory muscle spasm, headache, neck pain and temporomandibular joint disorders, and may also lead to shoulder and back pain. Finally, uneven teeth and uncoordinated jaw relationship certainly have a great impact on the appearance and are usually the most important issue for people. With orthodontic treatment, we can have healthy, straight teeth and a beautiful smile, and it is easier to clean and protect them for life. However, orthodontic treatment is a highly specialized and technically demanding treatment, and dentists must continue to receive systematic training after graduation to qualify as orthodontists and provide orthodontic treatment. Modern orthodontic treatment has a history of more than 100 years, and the basic treatment method is still in use today. The majority of orthodontic treatment is still orthodontic braces (commonly known as “braces”) glued to the surface of the teeth, and the metal wires provide the orthodontic force to move the teeth. Patients must have regular follow-up appointments, and the doctor will adjust the aligners and replace the wires step-by-step to move the teeth into place. Some patients with severe misalignment of the front teeth need to be treated as early as possible in childhood, usually with removable aligners that can be removed by the patient. When teeth are disordered or protruding forward, individual teeth may have to be removed to maintain aesthetics and health. Of course, the orthodontic discipline is constantly evolving and today we have many other advanced treatment options available, such as invisible braces, lingual braces (where braces are glued to the tongue side of the teeth), self-ligating braces and implant-supported braces (which allow some cases to avoid extractions), and so on. However, there are pros and cons to each treatment method, and the doctor will recommend the most appropriate treatment for the patient’s specific situation. Braces can only solve the problem of teeth, while jawbone incongruity must be treated with special orthodontic appliances. For example, adolescents with an uncoordinated relationship between the upper and lower jaws in the anterior and posterior directions can use functional orthodontic appliances to re-establish a normal jaw relationship. For severely incongruent relationships, orthodontics in conjunction with surgery can be used to treat them in adulthood. Depending on the severity of the dental and jaw problems, the duration of orthodontic treatment generally ranges from one to two years, with some complex cases taking longer. Orthodontic treatment does not really end after the aligners are removed, as the patient will have to wear retainers for a period of time to maintain the treatment, as the teeth and jaws need time to adjust to the new relationship.