Orthodontics
/ˌɔːrθoʊˈdɒn.tɪks/noun
The branch of dentistry that corrects irregularities of the teeth and jaws.
Did you know?Orthodontics comes from Greek roots that literally mean “straight tooth,” and its modern name was coined in the 19th century as dentistry turned bodily alignment into a precise science.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
orthós + odoús, odont-
“straight + tooth”
Late Latin
Latin
orthodontia
“a straightening of the teeth”
19th Century
English
orthodontia
“the dental correction of crooked teeth”
19th Century
English
orthodontics
“the branch of dentistry concerned with correcting irregularities of the teeth and jaws”
Modern English
English
orthodontics
“the dental specialty focused on alignment of teeth and jaws”
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