Orthodontics isn’t just about straightening smiles. It’s also about the function, health, and long-term well-being of your patients’ teeth and related systems. The American Orthodontic Society (AOS) provides courses carefully tailored to address these important areas. AOS courses train dentists to go beyond aesthetics.
Focus on Airway and Skeletal Development
One of the primary ways that orthodontics impacts overall health is through its relation to the airway. AOS courses train dentists to identify early any signs of airway obstruction, such as mouth breathing, snoring, and chronic fatigue. This is particularly important in children, where airway obstruction is closely tied to skeletal development.
As children’s jaws develop, they can have a major impact on their smiles, breathing, chewing, and speech. Understanding how to identify issues, such as misaligned teeth, crowding, and narrow palates, can help you start treatment early to address skeletal development.
Equipping yourself with the right knowledge and skills through general dentist orthodontics courses lets you better care for your patients. Orthodontics can improve breathing and sleep quality, allowing your patients to enjoy improved daily function and avoid fatigue and other concerns.
Improper jaw development and airway issues are also tied to a variety of broader concerns. They can influence head posture and musculoskeletal development, which can lead to a variety of health issues. Having the experience to identify and address such issues can help prevent these long-term problems.
Understand Growth and Development at Every Stage
AOS courses provide a solid understanding of growth and development you’ll need to provide effective treatment at every stage. You’ll learn how to properly assess and diagnose craniofacial and dental development in young patients to identify and act on issues before they get worse.
Adolescent patients will see a series of rapid changes in jaw and facial structure. This presents ample opportunities for development to go wrong. AOS courses prepare you to implement orthodontic interventions that guide jaw development to ensure healthy outcomes.
Keep in mind that orthodontics isn’t just for younger patients. Adult orthodontic treatment has become much more common recently. It presents unique challenges due to bone density and tissue response being more stabilized. AOS courses equip you with what you need to handle orthodontic treatment at any age.
Having a foundation in orthodontics at every stage helps you provide the best outcomes for your patients. Timing is critical, and spotting issues early is always better. You’ll be able to minimize your patients’ treatment time and avoid invasive treatment by equipping yourself with the knowledge and tools to identify problems right away.
Integrate Orthodontics Into Comprehensive Care Plans
Orthodontics doesn’t just offer standalone treatments. Instead, it often plays a role in larger treatment plans. AOS courses detail how you can integrate orthodontics into restorative and preventive treatment plans to improve outcomes and deliver a smoother patient experience.
With orthodontic intervention in your toolbox, you can often help patients avoid more invasive treatment options. In many cases, properly aligning teeth can prevent issues that could require a dental crown, extraction, or dental implants in the long run. You can preserve natural teeth to support your patients’ oral health.
Orthodontic treatment can also greatly improve patients’ oral hygiene and long-term oral health. Straightening their smiles makes brushing and flossing more effective, as there aren’t as many tight spaces for bacteria to hide and build up in. Your patients will enjoy a lower risk of tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease.
Learn to Communicate the Full Value of Treatment
AOS courses don’t just cover treatment techniques. You’ll also learn additional skills related to administration and communication. One of the most important skills you’ll need to have is properly handling patient communication for orthodontics.
To get patients on board, you need to provide effective patient education and case presentations. Knowing how to convey the importance of orthodontic treatment to ensure not just a straight smile, but also function and long-term health, is key. Let them know that treatment now can save them from impeded function and costly treatments later.
Because patients may not realize just how important orthodontic treatment can be, they may avoid treatment. AOS courses equip you with the proper insights into patient communication to explain concepts in a way they understand, making them more likely to accept your treatment plans. This can grow your practice and improve patient outcomes.
Get Started With Orthodontic Courses for General Dentists
With AOS courses, you’ll develop the foundation you need to provide care that supports your patients’ overall health, not just their smiles. Give them the best outcomes with a focus on function, health, and long-term well-being. You can get started by browsing upcoming courses from the AOS to take a broader approach to patient health.
To learn more about our popular orthodontics courses for pediatric and general dentists, check out one of the upcoming events below.
