The purpose of orthodontics The main functions of teeth are chewing, pronunciation and aesthetics, so orthodontics is to solve problems in these areas. The vast majority of people are trying to solve aesthetic problems, which may affect their education, job search, relationship and so on. The rest may be to solve the pronunciation and chewing problems, a high school patient once told me that after orthodontic treatment, reading English is not so awkward. There is no age limit for orthodontics People may think that only teenagers can have their teeth straightened, one reason is that the problem of uneven teeth starts to manifest itself at this time. There is also the fact that the standard of living has improved and parents are thinking about the health and appearance of their children, even if their own teeth are not good, they do not think it is important. Therefore, in cities and towns where economic conditions are not very developed, the vast majority of orthodontic patients are under 20 years old. However, in big cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, because of the different concepts and the concentration of colleges and universities, adult orthodontics also accounts for a considerable proportion. And some dental deformities are manifested only after adulthood, for example, periodontal disease can also make the teeth uneven, so that orthodontics is not the patent of teenagers, age is not an issue. The orthodontic time problem Generally speaking, the orthodontic process takes 1.5 to 2 years, and is also related to the patient’s cooperation, the severity of the malocclusion, and the patient’s responsiveness to the aligner. The timing of orthodontic treatment There are two sets of teeth in a person’s life: baby teeth and permanent teeth. 6-12 years old, baby teeth are gradually replaced by permanent teeth, and the general fixed orthodontic appliances are for permanent teeth, so the conventional orthodontic treatment time is after 12 years old. However, some dental malformations, such as jaws, still need to be corrected earlier, because it will restrict the development of the upper jaw, so that the face grows into an unsightly concave shape, even if the face shape may not be ideal after correction. The orthodontic age of the baby teeth is 4-6 years old, the orthodontic age of the teeth is 8-10 years old, and then later until after 12 years old. There are also some serious malocclusions and bad habits that can be corrected without waiting until all the teeth have been replaced. Orthodontic teeth retention problem Orthodontic teeth is the process of tooth movement, teeth in the jawbone before orthodontics is a stable state, orthodontics is completed when the teeth are unstable, there is a tendency to return to the previous position, which is a relapse. To prevent relapse, the teeth must be stabilized in their new position with appliances, which requires careful wearing of retainers.