Orthodontics 101

Don’t be afraid to ask your orthodontist if you have some questions in mind. To be honest, they do really appreciate if their clients are asking them.

Here are some questions that orthodontist usually anticipates you ask:

What is the cause of your current dental condition?
What is the best possible treatment for the dental problem?
What are the healing methods that you have to go through after the treatment?
What can you do to control the condition in the future and the problem never to occur again?

Finding the answers to the questions above from an orthodontist can make you enlightened.

We have several ways that orthodontics can be used to help improve the way that a patient’s teeth align. When our parents were teenagers, it used to be that metal, obvious and often painful braces were the only solution to this type of problem.

Today, the products are much more easier to use. The braces are less difficult to care for and they are better looking. Some brace products such as Invisalign, are able to go unnoticed, too. Another thing, many people of all ages can get this type of help from kids to teens to adult. This means that you can take care of the overbite that you have.. It’s never too late!

What are removable appliances? These are created to move or hold your teeth. Having this adjusted to move the teeth can sometimes make your teeth sore. Wearing the removable appliance as instructed by your orthodontist every appointment is important. Flipping your appliance with the use of your tongue can damage your teeth. There is a tendency that the appliance will be loose or worse, it might break inside your mouth. You don’t want that to happen, right? Another thing, please see to it that you clean your removable appliance daily with a toothpaste and toothbrush. You wouldn’t want a stinky mouth.

When I was a young girl, my mom told me that I should wear braces as early as high school because I will not be able to have one when I become an adult.

One of the misconceptions of other people about braces is that only kids and teens can visit a dentist to inquire about it. The job of an orthodontist is to analyze what kind of treatment is needed to properly align the teeth. We know that you want to wear a perfect smile and no matter which age bracket you are from, it is never too late to get your own braces. It has actually been popular amongst the adults for the past few years.

Restorative teeth treatments also include whitening or bleaching features. Bleaching however, is more delicate than one would think. It is not done by purchasing ready made formula over the legitimate drug counter. We know what the commercials say and any concerned dentist would not advice you to be persuaded to do this. What most people do not know is that, teeth whitening can be unhealthy and in the long run be dangerous for the mouth bones. There is no one standard when it comes to the whiteness of the enamel. To each person, there is a particular health white meter to be followed when it comes to teeth bleaching. This is determined by the genes, we could observe this by looking at the hair and nails.

You would need to have no bruxism issues (clenching and/or grinding the teeth). Such a habit would damage the teeth which met the veneered teeth when your mouth was closed. That’s because porcelain is stronger than tooth enamel. You would also need to have no decayed teeth or periodontal disease. Most problems can be overcome; however, with veneers attached as an ending procedure.

The Procedure

1. An impression is taken of your teeth and gums and sent to the lab
2. You are given temporary veneers to wear until the permanent ones are ready
3. The lab models your veneers on the impression (also called a mold) and sends them to your cosmetic dentist
4. In a second visit, your dentist temporarily attaches the veneers and with your input, makes any small adjustments needed
5. Your cosmetic dentist bonds the veneers permanently to your teeth

There are many habits children have that can develop into bite issues like overbites, underbites, and crossbites during their teenage years. These habits are sucking on thumbs, grinding teeth or jaws (usually occurs while they sleep), biting fingernails, and biting lips. Once you spot your child with these habits, do your best to intervene and stop before it leads to a more serious bite problems.

Children who have bite problems should get orthodontic treatment as early as ten years old because at this age, their jaws are still more soft and malleable. Braces usually help correct bite problems but more serious cases require expensive surgical treatment. You may use insurance to cover the costs of surgery but some companies view this as a cosmetic operation and won’t cover it unless you have proof that it’s a medical issue.

Porcelain veneers are about as thick as a contact lens. Despite the slimmest of profiles, and despite the fact that by itself, porcelain is brittle, they are extremely strong and durable when bonded to the teeth. And because of their glass-like ceramic composition, which adds a lustrous translucency to them, they ressemble tooth enamel.

Porcelain veneers are a speedy way to remedy some orthodontic problems that once took many months, even years to resolve. Gaps and misalignments that once could only be fixed with a mouthful of metal braces can now be made to disappear “instantly.” In only a few visits over a span of two to three weeks, the entire process can be completed and you can look into the mirror at a stunningly beautiful new smile.

The Instant Orthodontics procedure is, simply, a porcelain veneer procedure specially designed to create a straighter, more even appearance to the teeth.

During your first visit, your teeth will be shaped and a precise impression taken of your teeth that will be used to fabricate your custom porcelain veneers. You will also be fitted with temporary veneers to wear until your final veneers are complete.

At your second appointment, your permanent veneers will be tried in and checked for fit and appearance. Then the veneers will be permanently bonded to the surface of your teeth.

You can take better care of your teeth and braces by using a specialty product like a braces toothbrush. If you’re wearing braces right now, you probably already know difficult it is to maneuver a regular toothbrush around the bands and wires of your braces. It’s essential for your treatment to keep your teeth and braces clean but you can’t do this as thoroughly with a regular toothbrush.

Braces toothbrush have an angled handle and head for easier maneuvering, as well as softer, finer bristles with round ends that are perfect for brushing your gums. Brushing with a braces toothbrush might take longer than using a regular toothbrush. Hold the toothbrush against the gums then wriggle the head in small circles to remove plaque or food bits that get stuck at the base of the teeth. Then brush under the wires starting from above before moving down.