Specialising in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities, orthodontics is a branch of dentistry that deals with problems relating to your ‘bite’ or ‘malocclusion’. If your teeth are crooked or misaligned or if your mouth is overcrowded by your teeth, you need some form of corrective device; an appliance, such as braces, to move the teeth and/or jaws into an ideal position. Your own dentist will refer you to an orthodontist.