A professional who examines, diagnoses, and treats abnormalities in development of jaws, position of teeth, and other dental-facial structures. Responsibilities include:

• Plans treatment, using cephalometric, height, and weight records, dental x rays, and front and lateral dental photographs.
• Designs and fabricates appliances, such as space maintainers, retainers, and labial and lingual arch wires, to alter position and relationship of teeth and jaws, and to realign teeth to produce and maintain normal function.