Clinical Services Provided by the Department of Orthodontics

The Department of Orthodontic at Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Kerem, Jerusalem, has 9 fully equipped dental units, 7 in the main clinic and one each in separate treatment rooms. The department is staffed by 18 full- and part-time as well as 4 volunteer specialist orthodontists, supported by chairside assistants, hygienists and technicians. The 7 postgraduate students are an integral part of the department and take a major share in the treatment of patients, under the close supervision of the specialist staff. The department offers consultations as well as regular orthodontic treatment and treatment in special clinics.

Consultations:

Consultations are provided for the general public, children and adults, including parents who wish to know whether their child needs orthodontic treatment and when such treatment should be carried out. This service is provided for a small fee and does not commit the department to accept the child for treatment.

Consultations are also provided for patients undergoing treatment in other departments within the Dental School, primarily: pediatric dentistry; periodontics, before or after gum treatments; prosthodontics preparatory to crown, bridge and implant treatments; oral surgery and plastic surgery.

Routine orthodontic treatment: 

Routine orthodontic treatment is provided for patients who consulted with the department and were accepted in one of our clinics, and to family members of Hadassah personnel.

Early orthodontic treatment clinic: 

This clinic offers orthodontic evaluation and treatment for children in the mixed dentition. Some types of orthodontic problems can and should be treated at an early age. These can be recognized at the age of eight years or earlier. In some cases early treatment can prevent further development of malocclusion or even solve the entire problem. To differentiate between malocclusions that should be treated early or later, an orthodontic examination is indicated at the age of eight.

Impacted teeth clinic:

Some teeth fail to erupt into the mouth, because the developing tooth is in an abnormal location or angulation, or because of an obstruction or one of several other less frequent factors. Apart from the wisdom teeth, the teeth most commonly affected are the upper canines and central incisors. In most of these cases, the problem can be successfully resolved by combined surgical treatment for exposure of the impacted tooth and orthodontic treatment for redirecting the tooth into the dental arch.

Clinic for adult orthodontics: 

Adults visit this clinic or routine orthodontic treatment clinic for a problem that perhaps was not attended to in childhood. However, treatment delivery has to be refined to include appliances that are less visible or completely hidden. The clinic is in the forefront of advanced techniques, offering the latest ceramic tooth-colored brackets, brackets on the lingual (tongue) side of the teeth, transparent splints and clear aligners (Invisalign) technology. Orthodontic implants are offered as an alternative to the use of headgear for some adults and other exceptional cases.

Adjunctive orthodontics for complex conditions involving multiple loss or drifting teeth due to decay or gum disease – and other challenging adult cases – are treated by a multidisciplinary team of specialists in periodontics, oral rehabilitation, endodontics and oral surgery.

Cleft lip and/or palate clinic: 

Active orthodontic treatment is provided at the appropriate stages in the patient’s growth and development, and may extend from shortly after birth until early adulthood. Comprehensive treatment is provided by a multidisciplinary team from the departments of orthodontics, plastic surgery, oral surgery, pediatric dentistry, oral rehabilitation, ENT and speech therapy.

Orthognathic surgery: 

Orthognatic surgery to correct serious malformations of skeletal jaw structures is a complex treatment involving close collaboration between orthodontic and maxillo-facial surgery departments. 

Malformations may fall into one of three categories. The largest group consists of patients for whom conventional orthopedic/orthodontic treatment is insufficient to correct the abnormal jaw relationship. A smaller group consists of patients suffering from Head and Neck syndromes such as Crouzon’s or Apert’s, which affect the normal growth of the jaws and skull. A third group consists of patients who suffer from tumors or growth disorders that distort normal jaw development. The nature of the malformations requires that all patients receive individualized planning and treatment.

Special needs orthodontic clinic: 

This clinic specializes in orthodontic treatment for patients with developmental disabilities – physical, mental or both. Children with Down's syndrome, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, autism or severe systemic medical conditions are treated in this clinic, in collaboration with the departments of pediatric dentistry, oral surgery, periodontics and other dental and medical departments. Some patients require sedation or even full anesthesia before undergoing complex procedures, which their medical, psychological or behavioral conditions prevent from their being performed in the normal manner. This is available in the specially equipped clinic in the orthodontic department.

The Hemifacial Microsomia clinic: 

This clinic treats patients with Hemifacial Microsomia and other asymmetry malformations from early childhood into adulthood. It may involve a functional orthopedic treatment for growth redirection; orthodontic treatment before and after surgery; or surgical procedures such as distraction osteogenesis, bone grafts and/or orthognatic surgery, which involves collaboration with maxillofacial surgeons. 

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