One of the terms you may come across when looking into having dental work done is ‘orthodontic technician’. If you have ever wondered what an orthodontic technician does and how they will help you with your dental needs, read on.

Orthodontics is the study and practice of aligning crooked teeth and jaws, which can be helpful both in terms of appearance and teeth and jaw functionality. An orthodontic technician is an essential part of the orthodontic team, and indeed the whole dentistry practice. Orthodontic technicians may work within a lab or within a dental surgery or orthodontic practice.

The role of the orthodontic technician

The orthodontic technician will assist the orthodontist in helping to mould and then create the right set of braces or teeth alignment instrument for you. Depending on your teeth, there are a number of solutions an orthodontic might suggest to help to correct them.

The most common correction is in the form of a brace, which may be removable or fixed, and the orthodontic technician will assist in making and fitting your brace. In some cases, headgear is required and will be designed to fit your head, again with the help of the orthodontic technician. Further treatments include orthodontic mini screws − or temporary anchorage devices (TADS) − and interproximal reduction.

Your orthodontist will explain the options and the processes to you and will ultimately decide which is the best course of action. It will be the orthodontic technician, however, working both with you and behind the scenes, who will assist greatly with the manufacture and fitting of the chosen instrument.

Orthodontic technicians usually train as dental nurses or dental hygienists and then train to be orthodontic technicians. Much of their training and experience happens within the clinical setting, where they are supported by the orthodontic team.

Finding a practice

Whether you are looking for London orthodontics or a cosmetic dental practice somewhere else in the UK, you can use the register on the General Dental Council website to find a list of qualified and specialist orthodontics. Within Central London, practices such as http://www.uksmile.com specialise in providing cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics.

The orthodontic technician is a key person when it comes to aligning your teeth. Along with your orthodontist, they will work to find the best possible outcome for you.