Orthodontics

Orthodontics is the dental specialism that involves the diagnosis, planning and treatment of aesthetic and functional problems related to the position of the teeth and the bones that support them as well as their growth.

At first, orthodontics was a treatment solely for children and adolescents. However, today, and for many years, adults can also benefit from orthodontic treatment.

Our team of orthodontists is made up of our associates, Dr Mercedes Pulido, accompanied by Dr Borja Mateo and Dr Débora Reuss. Together they bring a wealth of experience in orthodontic care of both children and adults.

When should you take a child to the orthodontist for the first time?

It is important that the orthodontist sees children for the first time at around the age of three in order to be able to detect and treat in a timely manner any type of growth disorders in the lower or upper jawbone, an overbite etc.)

Corrections of misalignments/malocclusions with orthodontics

When teeth are not aligned well between the jaws, or as a result of developmental disorders which result in discrepancies in the size and position of the jaw, this gives rise to/this can lead to what are known as misalignments/malocclusions (either of the teeth or the bones). Such misalignments/malocclusions can often be perceived as merely an aesthetic problem but it can also reduce the function of the stomatognathic system which can often trigger a series of other problems such as the loss of bone support, periodontal problems and Temporomandibular Joint Disorder.

Orthodontics can resolve these problems by using a fixed or removable device that, as well as improving the aesthetic structure, can also provide conditions for a healthy function.

As in other fields of dentistry, in orthodontics one treatment is not better than another; it is about finding the most appropriate treatment for the patient.

In cases when the problem is being treated in younger patients/at a young age, when the bones are still growing, devices are used to either stimulate or inhibit the development of the jawbones (orthopaedic), correcting, or at least preventing, the foreseen misalignment/malocclusion from getting worse. These types of treatment often require a second phase with fixed devices with the objective of fixing the teeth in their ideal position once all the adult teeth have grown.

Orthdontics at the Vilaboa Dental Clinic

Orthodontics enables the correction of bad teeth alignment or the incorrect relationship between the jawbones.

Our team of orthodontists apply different techniques according to the individual patient:

Removable braces
Classic braces with metallic brackets
Aesthetic braces (porcelain or sapphire)
Self-ligating appliances, Damon system®. The team of orthodontists at the Vilaboa Dental Clinic is certified in the Damon®system
Incognito or hidden braces. The team of orthodontists at the Vilaboa Dental Clinic is certified in the Incognito® system.
Invisible Invisalign® braces. The team of orthodontists at the Vilaboa Dental Clinic is certified in the Invisalign® system.

No form of treatment is better than another; our orthodontists advise and recommend the most suitable treatment for the patient.

Orthodontics and orthognathic surgery

In certain cases, where the overarching issue is the alteration of the size or position of the bones (maxilla or mandible), the value of performing an orthodontic technique with orthognathic surgery is assessed. In these cases our team of orthodontists works together with the maxillofacial surgeon.

This treatment is only used in cases where traditional orthodontics is not sufficient to achieve the desired result.

The cases that most frequently need this type of orthognathic surgery are mandibular prognathism (over developed mandibular), maxillary prognathism or maxillary hypoplasia.

Invisalign®, invisible braces

Invisalign® or invisible braces is an ideal type of treatment for adults who want or need their orthodontic treatment to be carried out unnoticed. Our team of orthodontists has vast experience in this type of technique which is used primarily for adults.

Orthodontic treatment with Invisalign® is comfortable and it allows the patient to remove the invisible devices to eat and brush their teeth and they know precisely how long the treatment will take.