| Orthodontics improves oral health by straightening teeth and correcting the bite. Straight teeth are easier to brush and floss, which lowers plaque, tooth decay and gum disease. A corrected bite spreads chewing force evenly, reduces enamel wear, protects front teeth from injury and eases strain on the jaw joint. |
Introduction:
At some point, most students wonder why crooked teeth bother anyone beyond the mirror.
Parents notice it first. A child smiles in a school photograph and the front teeth sit slightly forward. Somebody cracks a joke. The child stops smiling with teeth. That part hurts, and that is the part everyone talks about.
The part nobody talks about is what those crooked teeth are doing quietly. Food packs into tight gaps. The toothbrush cannot reach. Plaque settles in. Gums swell. One tooth carries the whole chewing load and wears down years too early.
Orthodontic treatment sorts out both problems at once, the visible one and the hidden one.
It is quite common to hear that braces are only about looks. A closer look at the evidence shows otherwise. Roughly 35.4 per cent of Indian children aged 8 to 15 have some form of malocclusion, going by a meta-analysis that pooled 54 studies and nearly 98,000 children.
This blog explains how orthodontics improves oral health, what the treatment involves, and how a good dental college trains the specialists who carry out this work.
What Is Orthodontic Treatment?
Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that corrects the position of teeth and jaws. The full name of the speciality is Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics.
• Teeth are moved slowly through bone using gentle, steady pressure.
• Braces, wires, elastics and aligners supply that pressure.
• The bone rebuilds around the tooth in its new position.
• A retainer holds the result in place once the teeth have settled.
The whole process usually runs between 12 and 30 months, depending on the case. In practical terms, orthodontics is slow work done with a very light touch.
Not everyone is aware that the speciality covers jaws as well as teeth. Dentofacial orthopaedics guides the growth of the jaws in a child, which is why the timing of a first visit matters so much. A jaw problem caught at nine can often be steered with a simple appliance. The same problem caught at twenty may need surgery.
Which Problems Does an Orthodontist Actually Correct?
| Problem | What It Looks Like | Why It Harms Oral Health |
| Crowding | Teeth overlap for want of space | Brush and floss cannot reach, so plaque builds up |
| Spacing | Visible gaps between teeth | Food traps in the gaps and gums get irritated |
| Increased overjet | Upper front teeth stick out | Higher risk of chipping or breaking in a fall |
| Deep bite | Upper teeth cover the lower ones heavily | Lower teeth bite into the palate and wear down |
| Underbite | Lower jaw sits ahead of the upper | Uneven chewing and strain on the jaw joint |
| Crossbite | Some upper teeth close inside the lower | One-sided chewing, gum recession, enamel wear |
| Open bite | Front teeth do not meet when biting | Trouble biting food, speech sounds change |
| Impacted teeth | A tooth stuck under the gum or bone | Can damage the roots of neighbouring teeth |
| Midline shift | Upper and lower centre lines do not match | Uneven bite forces across the arch |
Source: Dental Council of India MDS curriculum for Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics; standard orthodontic classification used in Indian dental teaching.
Why Is Orthodontic Treatment Needed at All?
Many parents and students still believe that braces are a cosmetic extra. The reality on the ground is somewhat different.
• Malocclusion ranks third among oral health problems, behind tooth decay and gum disease.
• Crowded teeth hold plaque that no brushing routine can fully remove.
• An uneven bite loads a few teeth far harder than the rest.
• Protruding front teeth break more often during sports and falls.
• Untreated bite problems can strain the jaw joint over the years.
The situation has changed considerably over the last few years. Adults now make up a large share of orthodontic patients in Indian cities. Many of them walk in during their thirties, after a dentist points out that gum trouble keeps coming back in the same crowded corner of the mouth.
Malocclusion and Orthodontic Treatment Need in India
| Measure | Figure | Basis of the Estimate |
| Malocclusion in Indian children aged 8 to 15 | 35.40% | Meta-analysis of 54 studies, 97,959 participants |
| Range across measuring methods | 28.4% to 66.7% | Dental Aesthetic Index at the low end, Angle classification at the high end |
| Overall orthodontic treatment need | About 60.4% | Pooled estimate using the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need |
| Children needing definite treatment | Over one third | Same pooled review of Indian children and adolescents |
| Rank among oral health problems | Third | After dental caries and periodontal disease |
Source: Prevalence of malocclusion among 8 to 15 year old children in India, systematic review and meta-analysis, PMC/NCBI; pooled prevalence estimates published in the International Journal of Adolescent Medicine and Health.
What Are the Main Types of Orthodontic Treatment?
There is no single appliance that suits everyone. The orthodontist picks the tool to match the case, the age and the budget.
One question that often comes up is whether clear aligners can replace braces altogether. For the most part, they cannot. Aligners handle mild to moderate crowding and spacing very well. Rotated canines, impacted teeth and severe bite problems still call for fixed appliances.
Types of Orthodontic Treatment Compared
| Type | How It Works | Best Suited To | Points to Note |
| Metal braces | Brackets glued to teeth, joined by a wire | Most cases, including complex ones | Lowest cost, highest control, visible |
| Ceramic braces | Tooth-coloured brackets with a wire | Adults who want a discreet option | Less visible, costs more, can stain |
| Lingual braces | Brackets fixed behind the teeth | Adults who want braces hidden | Invisible from outside, harder to clean |
| Clear aligners | A series of removable clear trays | Mild to moderate crowding and spacing | Removable, needs 20 to 22 hours daily wear |
| Functional appliances | Guide jaw growth in children | Growing children with jaw imbalance | Timing matters, works only during growth |
| Retainers | Hold teeth after active treatment ends | Every patient, after braces come off | Skipping them undoes the whole result |
| Surgical orthodontics | Braces combined with jaw surgery | Severe skeletal jaw problems in adults | Team work with an oral surgeon |
Source: Dental Council of India MDS Orthodontics curriculum; clinical protocols followed in Indian dental teaching hospitals.
How Does Orthodontics Improve Your Oral Health?
This is where things become interesting. The gains go well past a straight smile.
• Cleaner teeth. Straight teeth let a brush and floss reach every surface.
• Fewer cavities. Less trapped plaque means less acid attacking enamel.
• Healthier gums. Gums stop swelling once food no longer packs into tight gaps.
• Even chewing force. A corrected bite shares the load across all teeth.
• Less enamel wear. No single tooth grinds down ahead of the others.
• Protected front teeth. Teeth pulled back into line chip far less often.
• Easier chewing. Food gets broken down properly before it is swallowed.
• Clearer speech. Certain sounds improve once an open bite closes.
• Calmer jaw joint. A balanced bite eases day-long strain on the joint.
• Steadier confidence. Children start smiling with their teeth again.
One point deserves attention here. These gains hold only if the patient keeps up with cleaning during treatment. Braces give plaque extra corners to hide in, so brushing time roughly doubles while the appliance stays on. Patients who skip this end up with straight teeth and chalky white marks on the enamel, which is a poor trade.
What Changes After Orthodontic Treatment
| Area of Oral Health | Before Treatment | After Treatment |
| Plaque control | Brush misses overlapped surfaces | Every surface reachable with normal brushing |
| Gum condition | Swelling and bleeding around crowded teeth | Firmer gums once cleaning improves |
| Bite force | A few teeth carry most of the load | Force shared evenly across the arch |
| Enamel wear | Uneven, early wear on contact points | Wear slows down and spreads evenly |
| Injury risk | Protruding front teeth chip easily | Front teeth sit protected within the arch |
| Jaw comfort | Clicking, tightness or fatigue in some cases | Reduced strain on the joint and muscles |
Source: Clinical outcomes described in the Dental Council of India MDS Orthodontics syllabus and standard orthodontic teaching texts used in Indian colleges.
How Should Students Pick the Best Orthodontics College in India?
Every year, thousands of BDS graduates chase the same speciality. Orthodontics is the second largest MDS branch in the country, and competition for it is stiff.
• India has 1,112 MDS Orthodontics seats spread across 265 colleges.
• That works out to roughly four seats per college.
• Only 114 of those seats sit in government institutions.
• Karnataka leads the states with 175 seats.
Picking an orthodontics college in India on brand name alone is a mistake. The number of patients a student treats matters far above the logo on the certificate.
What Should Students Check in a Dental College Before Joining?
• Daily patient count in the orthodontics department, not the whole hospital.
• Number of bonded cases each postgraduate finishes over three years.
• Access to cephalometric X-rays, CBCT and digital scanning.
• Whether the department handles surgical orthodontics and cleft cases.
• Faculty strength, and how long the senior teachers have stayed on.
• Publication record, since a thesis is compulsory in MDS.
MDS Seats in India, Branch by Branch
| MDS Speciality | Total Seats | Colleges | Share of All MDS Seats |
| Conservative Dentistry and Endodontics | 1,171 | 268 | 15.9% |
| Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics | 1,112 | 265 | 15.1% |
| Prosthodontics, Crown and Bridge | 1,108 | 267 | 15.1% |
| Periodontology | 949 | 254 | 12.9% |
| Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery | 842 | 217 | 11.4% |
| Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry | 818 | 227 | 11.1% |
| Oral Medicine and Radiology | 547 | 176 | 7.4% |
| Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and Microbiology | 530 | 170 | 7.2% |
| Public Health Dentistry | 280 | 98 | 3.8% |
| All India Total | 7,357 | 276 | 100% |
Source: Branch-wise analysis of Dental Council of India MDS seat data for 2025-26, compiled by AspirantsOnly. India also has 27,966 BDS seats across 319 colleges.
What Do Students Learn During the Orthodontics Course?
MDS in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics runs for three years after BDS. Entry is through NEET MDS.
How Does a Dental College Train an Orthodontist Year by Year?
A well-run dental college builds the skill in layers, and the first year barely touches a patient.
Year-Wise Training in MDS Orthodontics
| Year | Main Learning | Clinical Work |
| Year one | Growth and development, biomechanics, wire bending exercises, cephalometric tracing, seminars and journal clubs | Observation, record taking, study model work |
| Year two | Case diagnosis, treatment planning, bracket placement, anchorage control, dissertation data collection | Bonding and running own cases under guidance |
| Year three | Complex cases, surgical orthodontics, finishing and detailing, retention protocols, dissertation submission | Independent case handling, final examination cases |
Source: Dental Council of India MDS Course Regulations for Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics; academic pattern followed at Indian dental teaching hospitals.
From a student’s perspective, the wire bending exercises of year one feel tedious. Ask any experienced orthodontist, and they will tell you those exercises decide how good the hands become later.
What Is the Career Scope of Orthodontics?
An orthodontic career has widened considerably over the last few years, mostly because adults now walk in for treatment as readily as teenagers.
• Private orthodontic practice, alone or on a visiting basis at several clinics.
• Consultant orthodontist in corporate dental chains.
• Teaching posts in dental colleges after MDS.
• Clinical roles with clear aligner companies and dental product firms.
• Hospital and government dental services.
• Research, thesis guidance and journal work.
• Overseas practice after clearing the licensing exam of that country.
A closer look at the Indian market shows why demand has held up. Clear aligners barely existed here a decade ago. They now form one of the fastest growing segments of dental care in the country, and every aligner case still needs a trained orthodontist to plan it and check it.
In India, a fresh BDS graduate usually starts between Rs 20,000 and Rs 40,000 a month, and experienced dentists cross Rs 1,00,000. Specialists earn above general practice rates, since specialist case fees run higher.
Why Orthodontics Is Growing Fast in India
| Market Measure | Year | Value in USD | Same Value in INR (at Rs 94.5 per USD) |
| India clear aligners market | 2025 | 223.6 million | About Rs 2,113 crore |
| India clear aligners market (forecast) | 2033 | 2,059.2 million | About Rs 19,459 crore |
| India growth rate, 2026 to 2033 | CAGR | 31.7 per cent | Fastest growing market in Asia Pacific |
| India share of the global aligner market | 2025 | 2.7 per cent | Room to grow, since adults are the largest segment |
Source: Grand View Research, India Clear Aligners Market Size and Outlook 2026 to 2033. Converted at the XE mid-market rate of about Rs 94.5 per USD, September 2026.
Where Does DJ College of Dental Sciences and Research Fit In?
DJ College of Dental Sciences and Research runs its Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics from a 75-acre campus in Modinagar, Ghaziabad, inside the Delhi NCR belt.
• Recognised by the Dental Council of India, running since 1999.
• Six MDS seats in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics.
• Nine full departments, 45 MDS seats and 100 BDS seats in total.
• An attached teaching hospital with 300 dental chairs.
• Over 3,000 alumni, with students drawn from 17 countries.
Patient volume is the one claim a dental college cannot fake, because the OPD register either shows the numbers or it does not.
For a postgraduate, that footfall matters in a very practical way. Orthodontic cases run for two years or longer. A department needs a steady stream of fresh patients if every student is to bond, treat and finish enough cases before the final examination.
Checklist Before Joining an Orthodontics Programme
| What to Check | Why It Matters | Good Sign |
| Orthodontic cases per postgraduate | Decides how skilled the hands become | A steady case flow through all three years |
| Cephalometric and CBCT access | Diagnosis rests on accurate imaging | In-house radiology, no outside referrals |
| Digital scanning and aligner work | Adults now ask for clear aligners first | A working CAD-CAM or scanning setup |
| Surgical orthodontics cases | Severe jaw problems need combined work | An active oral surgery department on site |
| Faculty to student ratio | Decides how much chairside guidance is given | Small postgraduate batches per guide |
| Research and publication record | A thesis is compulsory in MDS | Regular faculty publications and conferences |
Source: Dental Council of India MDS Course Regulations; department details published by DJ College of Dental Sciences and Research.
Is Orthodontics Worth the Time, for Patients and for Students?
• For patients, straight teeth are easier to clean, and clean teeth stay healthy longer.
• A corrected bite spreads chewing force, protects enamel and eases jaw strain.
• Roughly one in three Indian children aged 8 to 15 has some form of malocclusion.
• For students, orthodontics is the second largest MDS branch, with 1,112 seats nationally.
• Adult demand and the clear aligner boom keep the orthodontic career path open.
There is little doubt that orthodontics has moved past being a cosmetic add-on. It is now a working part of preventive dentistry.
For students comparing orthodontic colleges, the sensible test stays the same one. Count the cases, check the imaging, meet the faculty. A dental college with a busy chair teaches more in three years than a quiet one teaches in five.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. What is orthodontic treatment in simple words?
Orthodontic treatment moves teeth into better positions using steady, gentle pressure from braces, wires or clear aligners. The bone rebuilds around each tooth as it moves, and a retainer holds the final result in place.
Q2. How does orthodontics improve oral health?
Straight teeth are easier to brush and floss, so plaque, tooth decay and gum disease all drop. A corrected bite spreads chewing force evenly, slows enamel wear, protects front teeth from injury and reduces strain on the jaw joint.
Q3. At what age should a child first see an orthodontist?
Around seven to eight years is the usual first check. At that age the first permanent teeth have come in, and any jaw growth problem can be spotted early while growth can still be guided.
Q4. How long does orthodontic treatment take?
Most cases run between 12 and 30 months. The exact time depends on how much the teeth need to move, the type of appliance used and how well the patient follows instructions.
Q5. Are braces only for looks?
No. Crowded and misaligned teeth trap plaque that brushing cannot reach, which raises the risk of cavities and gum disease. Bite problems also cause uneven wear and jaw strain, so treatment serves health as much as appearance.
Q6. Which is better, metal braces or clear aligners?
Metal braces give the most control and handle complex cases at the lowest cost. Clear aligners suit mild to moderate crowding and spacing, and work only if worn 20 to 22 hours a day. The orthodontist decides based on the case.
Q7. Do teeth move back after braces are removed?
They can, which is why retainers matter. Wearing the retainer just as the orthodontist advises is the single biggest factor in holding the result over the long term.
Q8. How common is malocclusion in India?
A meta-analysis of 54 studies covering 97,959 children found a pooled malocclusion prevalence of 35.40 per cent among Indian children aged 8 to 15. Pooled treatment need using the IOTN index runs around 60.4 per cent.
Q9. What qualification does an orthodontist need in India?
A BDS degree followed by a three-year MDS in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics. Admission to MDS is through NEET MDS, and the programme includes a compulsory dissertation.
Q10. How many MDS Orthodontics seats are there in India?
India has 1,112 MDS seats in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics across 265 colleges for 2025-26. Of these, 114 are in government colleges, 834 in private colleges and 164 in deemed universities.
Q11. What is the career scope of orthodontics in India?
Private practice, consultant roles in dental chains, teaching posts after MDS, clinical roles with aligner and dental product companies, hospital and government service, research work, and overseas practice after clearing a local licensing exam.
Q12. What should students look for in a dental college for orthodontics?
Orthodontic cases handled per postgraduate, in-house cephalometric and CBCT imaging, digital scanning or aligner work, an active oral surgery department for combined cases, faculty to student ratio, and a steady publication record.
Q13. Does DJ College of Dental Sciences and Research offer MDS in Orthodontics?
Yes. The college runs a Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics with six MDS seats, as part of nine departments on a 75-acre campus in Modinagar, Ghaziabad, recognised by the Dental Council of India.
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