A branch of dentistry that deals with the treatment and correction of crooked teeth and other irregularities.
Example:
As much as she dreaded braces, Jennifer decided the time had come to consult a specialist in orthodontics.
Orthodontics of some kind has been practiced since ancient times, but the elaborate techniques and appliances familiar to us today were introduced only in the 20th century. Training to become an orthodontist usually consists of a two-year course following dental school. According to a 1939 text on dentistry, "Speech defects, psychiatric disturbances, personality changes,... all are correctable through orthodontic measures." Many adolescents, having endured the embarrassment of rubber bands breaking and even of entangling their braces while kissing, might disagree.