The chairman, Medical Advisory Committee; Prof. JBE Elusiyan, Director of Administration; Mrs Bola Alejo with Orthodontics team

Orthodontists at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife on Wednesday joined the rest of the world in celebrating the World Orthodontics Health Day. May 15 of every year has been proclaimed by the World Federation of Orthodontic (WFO) to celebrate and raise awareness about the specialty.

Orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that treats malocclusion, a condition in which the teeth are not correctly positioned when the mouth is closed, which often results in an improper bite. In simpler terms, one can say an orthodontist specializes in making teeth straight. An orthodontist can carry out procedure that aims to achieve the; closing wide gaps between the teeth, aligning the tips of the teeth, straightening crooked teeth, improving speech or chewing ability, boosting the long-term health of gums and teeth, preventing long-term excessive wear or trauma of the teeth and treating an improper bite.

The causes of malocclusion can either be environmental, genetic or it could be from the habits children indulge in, such as digit sucking. Treatment can improve the appearance of the teeth/facial aesthetics, but it can also lead to better chewing and speech function and help protect teeth from damage or decay, in some cases. To achieve these goals, the orthodontist uses a range of medical dental devices, including headgear, plates, and braces.

This year global campaign is themed “the world unites when people smile.” To this end, Orthodontist at OAUTHC embarked on outreaches to create effective awareness on the medical condition, and equally advised on both preventive and curative measures that can be taken.

During her visit to the Management, the group appreciated the Management for her bigheartedness in making the specialized treatment available for all and sundry at very affordable cost. The efforts have helped restore people’s self-esteem and made them smile again. The group further noted that OAUTHC is privileged to have three (3) specialist Orthodontists among the less than fifty (50) across the country. This is huge consideration that most teaching hospitals in Nigeria do not have qualified Orthodontists to perform this specialized procedure.

No doubt, there is need for more advocacy to increase the number of professionals in this specialty so that Nigerians could be safe from quacks that do not have the training to engage in orthodontic treatments.

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