The prevalence of tooth decay is quite high in the modern population due to diet and hygiene habits, among other things. The incidence of tooth decay may be even higher in patients with misaligned teeth. So how is tooth decay handled in orthodontics? The general principle is that if a patient has decided to undergo orthodontic treatment and tooth decay exists in the mouth, he or she should generally see an orthodontist first, and if the decay that exists will not need to be extracted as a result of the orthodontic treatment, then restorative treatment should be carried out on the decayed tooth prior to orthodontic treatment. Sometimes there are severe cavities in the mouth (which have developed into pulpitis or dead pulp teeth), and these teeth are not in the best position for orthodontic extractions, then a meeting between dentists and orthodontists is needed to determine whether the tooth still has value for preservation. Generally, the orthodontist will try to extract the bad teeth and preserve the good ones. Therefore, it is usually recommended not to treat certain suspected cavities before the orthodontist examines them. It is also common for us to encounter clinical cases where, despite treatment, cavities end up being extracted, causing unnecessary loss of time and cost to the patient (especially in terms of cost, a considerable amount of money). On the other hand, orthodontists can sometimes help to solve some tooth decay problems, such as moving wisdom teeth to the position of the extracted bad teeth to perform normal functions. Therefore, if you have cavities and are considering orthodontics, you may want to consult an orthodontist first.