Orthodontics is defined by the American Association of Orthodontics as, "the branch of dentistry that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities".
Stated simply, orthodontics is the art and science of positioning the teeth correctly in the dental arches while attaining optimal alignment of the jaws, through the use of orthodontic appliances and integrated approaches.
Orthodontics may be considered if there is evidence of:
Tooth and jaw size discrepancy
Narrow dental arch development
dental crowding
Oral habits such as thumb sucking, tongue thrusting
