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The 21st century is certainly exciting. We’ve seen many changes in society, culture, and of course, technology. The third one is most likely also the most important. Technology isn’t just restricted to the devices in our hands or to larger-scale operations. It affects us in our daily lives these days. This also happens to include orthodontics, which we’re talking about today. 

Before we begin, here’s a quick refresher on what orthodontics is. There are several different definitions, but let us keep things a bit simple. It is the study of the growth and development of both the jaws and the face. Orthodontic practices influence the position of teeth and the jaw. It also deals with the diagnosis and correction of both of these things.

Other than that, orthodontics also handles misalignment and facial growth. So if you have any sort of abnormal alignment regarding your face or teeth, you would visit an orthodontist. 

A Look Back At Orthodontics

Orthodontics dates back further than what you might initially think. In fact, the Egyptians were the one that started this whole ordeal. We know that ancient Egypt was ahead of the times, and this applies to orthodontics as well. Archeologists have located mummies that have artificially corrected teeth. 

These Egyptians used metal bands and animal skin cords to correct the teeth. That’s almost three thousand years back too!

Moving on, orthodontics started to change with Pierre Fauchard, who is credited with being “the father of modern dentistry”. Pierre used wire cribs for the alignment of the teeth. This is still what we base our studies on today.

From there, elastic bands were introduced for alignment. The same formula holds true today. However, back then the process was quite painful and uncomfortable. You had to manually remove the teeth to install the hardware for alignment. Not exactly an intuitive process.

Orthodontics In Modern Times

Orthodontics in modern times have become easier and more comfortable. It’s now easier than ever to get treatment for unaligned teeth, and according to BuyersGuide.org, products like Byte offer all-in-one kits to create teeth alignment molds at home, without ever stepping into an orthodontist’s office.

In the 1980s you might’ve been called “metal mouth” or “robot teeth” for the big, bulky metal braces used back then, but a lot of products now are invisible, or use colored stones and rubber bands to be fashionable. In fact, braces today could even be considered a trendy status symbol.

At one time, some people had to wear larger headgear for alignment. That is mostly going out of the picture in modern times, though it’s still popular to some extent. Other than that, clear alignment hardware is a major breakthrough. Invisalign is one good example. It works just like braces do, but you can take it off whenever need be. It’s more comfortable, out of the way, and as the name suggests, invisible.

With all of that said, you can’t have something in the 21st century without turning it into a “trend”. Not too long ago, braces started to come into fashion. This is because a lot of celebrities were wearing them, surprisingly. This started a fear of missing out, and people even started wearing them for cosmetic reasons.

Because of this, a whole new market started to emerge. New designs, tooth-colored options, and even flashy looks started to become a part of the culture as it is. This also has its benefits on mental health. People felt awkward and uneasy while wearing braces. These days, it is encouraged and doesn’t have the same stigma it once did. So, people are more comfortable with wearing them.