World Health Organization (WHO) defines Health as “A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” However the truth is that we tend to lay too much emphasis on the physical aspect, lot lesser on the mental aspect and very little if any on the social aspect of health. Of course it is widely agreed that the three aspects of health must be looked upon in toto as they are interrelated; and yet very little if any attention is given to the mental and social aspect of health. In this age of “prevention is better than cure” are we really doing enough to prevent diseases and provide holistic health to all?
Man is a social animal, so goes an old saying and rightly so. What differentiates humans from other animals is that we live in a highly evolved and interactive society. We meet hundreds if not thousands of people during our life time. The vast majority of them make an impression about us largely based on our looks and mannerism (body language). Because we are essentially social we expect that the people we meet and interact accept us and like us. When that does not happen, and someone is ignored, rejected or ridiculed by the society, it can become a constant source of anxiety or emotional distress.
Smile is an important aspect of facial beauty. An average looking face can look very attractive if it possesses a radiant smile on the other hand a poor smile can mar the appearance of an otherwise beautiful face. In this age of hyper communication where every small event in one’s life is magnified, shared and analysed with friends and family using social media, looking good and feeling confident about one’s appearance matters. It is not surprising that most people spend hours together to choose the best profile picture for their social media page. And therefore for someone who is not comfortable about the way he looks it can become a major source of anxiety at times leading to social withdrawal.
Many research studies have suggested that how a person looks, plays a very important role in his or her life. As a child, a good looking person draws more attention from parents and teachers, as an adolescent he is more popular among his friends and as a working adult he is more likely to be considered for promotion than his average looking counterpart. Therefore it is not surprising that today beauty products and related services have over $160 billion market world-wide. After all who doesn’t want to look good?
Thus the question that arises is, whether we as individuals can have any say in how we look? To understand this it’s important to understand the structure of our face. Our face is primarily made up of bones and teeth which are covered by soft tissues which include muscles and skin. A harmonious growth of the different facial bones especially the jaw bones and the correct positioning of the teeth are must for any face to look attractive. Now, although the genes which we inherit from our parents play an important role in how we ultimately look, the role of environmental factors before, during and after birth cannot be overlooked. Trauma to face, bad posture or deleterious habits during childhood like prolonged thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, mouth breathing, lip biting etc. if unchecked can lead to disharmonious growth of jaw bone and teeth, leading to poor facial appearance. This can become a source of constant mental trauma to the child and embarrassment to parents and family.
Dentistry has developed by leaps and bounds in the last five decades largely because of two factors. One is the introduction of newer materials and techniques incorporating the latest technologies. Secondly, the prolific research work carried out by the dental fraternity has given rise to a far better understanding of various aspects of growth and development of face. Of the various specialities in dentistry today, Orthodontics is uniquely placed to address the different aspects of distorted facial growth. An orthodontist today can correct the various aspects of facial deformity by either modulating growth in a child or by utilizing minor oral surgical procedures in an adult to harmonize the relationship of jaws and teeth to the face. With ever increasing awareness of the possibilities of orthodontic treatment and demand in the society, the speciality is experiencing tremendous growth world-wide.
Using the latest techniques it is now possible to correct the severest of deformities. The treatment can not only restore functions like speech and mastication but can also vastly improve the facial appearance and hence social acceptability of individuals. Treatment timing, however, is an important factor in severe deformities as growth modulations can be carried out only in growing age groups. For this reason, it is best to seek orthodontic treatments in adolescence. In adulthood, minor defects can be camouflaged by bringing about tooth movements whereas severe deformities are corrected by surgical intervention to bring about the desired changes in the teeth and face.
With newer technologies, today the patients have the option to choose from a variety of appliances. Traditionally large metal brackets were used during treatment which used to give a very metallic smile while the treatment was on going. However these days, brackets have become very low profile which makes it more aesthetic. In addition there is also the option of ceramic braces which, because of its resemblance to tooth colour, has even lesser visibility and hence even greater aesthetics.
Lingual orthodontics takes it a step further in providing a truly invisible appliance. In this technique the brackets and the wires are placed at the back of the teeth making it impossible for others to know whether the person is undergoing orthodontic treatment. Minor orthodontic problems are also being successfully corrected by a set of transparent aligner trays which are popular with the patients because of their comfort values and pleasing looks.
With so many different options available today it is not surprising that not only adolescents but increasingly more adults are also coming forward to address their orthodontic needs. In fact the last decade has seen a multi-fold increase in the number of adults seeking orthodontic treatment. After all who doesn’t want a perfect smile?
(The author is an Associate Professor of Orthodontics and Director at Smiles n Braces – A specialized Orthodontic Care Centre based in Jamshedpur. You can connect with him at phone +91-9546903327 or visit www.smilesnbraces.com , www.facebook.com/Smiles.N.Braces.Jamshedpur or write to him at smilesandbraces@gmail.com )