If you’ve been wearing your braces for the last year and a half (or much longer) and you are about to have them taken off, congrats! The end is in sight. You’ve put in the diligent effort to keep your teeth clean and take care of your braces so you can enjoy a beautiful, straight smile. But now that your mouth is metal-free, what should you expect? Minor pressure from removing the brackets and remaining glue Possible sensitivity of teeth and gums Squeaky clean teeth! When your braces first come off, your teeth may feel slimy, after having been used to feeling metal brackets and wire on them for so long. You may suddenly feel like you have more room in your mouth than you were used to. But you will definitely feel proud of your efforts and excited to flash your new smile. Getting Fitted For Your Retainer One of the first steps after [...]

A misaligned jaw, while not the most severe orthodontic issue you can experience, is certainly one of the most frequently experienced issues with orthodontic treatment. Misalignment can come in the form of an overbite, where your top row of teeth hang far over your bottom row, or an underbite, where your bottom teeth jut out further than your top row of teeth. You may also have a crossbite where your upper and lower jaw crosses over each other. Whichever issue you find yourself faced with, you know that the misalignment of your teeth at the least is uncomfortable and perhaps has even caused issues with your ability to bite, chew, and maybe even speak. Luckily there are options to help correct a misaligned jaw: Braces Palatal Expanders Orthognathic Surgery If left untreated, misaligned jaws can go on to cause more serious issues, even affecting the quality of your sleep and breathing. In addition to the physical issues a misaligned jaw [...]

If you feel like you missed out on orthodontic treatment as a teenager, don’t worry, it is not too late! Orthodontic treatments have been growing in popularity for adults over the years and options are better now than they ever have been before. Statistically, one in four orthodontic patients are adults. No matter how far into adulthood you are, or what your needs may be, there is a treatment option that is right for you. Whether you opt for the traditional metal braces, ceramic braces, or invisalign treatment, there is a treatment option that will suit your needs and your desires. One benefit to having orthodontic treatment as an adult rather than a teenager or kid is that your teeth are done growing in and have eased into their position. You can be confident that aligning your teeth as an adult will have lasting impact and that you will be more diligent in their care than you would have [...]

You may consider yourself to be an overall healthy person as far as nutrition and physical fitness go, but are you aware of how important your oral health is to your body? If you have issues with your jaw due to misalignment, trauma or injury, you may be a candidate for orthognathic surgery. Orthognathic surgery is a corrective jaw surgery in which an oral or maxillofacial surgeon who is trained in specific correcting techniques can improve the position and alignment of your jaw so as to relieve dental issues and deformities of the jaw and face. Is Orthognathic Surgery Worth it? Surgery is a big decision, as well as a big time commitment. In most cases, it’s recommended that you account for about two years to bring the full process to fruition, including six months of pre-surgical orthodontic treatment to prepare the mouth for surgery, followed by surgery itself within three months of the first phase of [...]

Caramel apple suckers, taffy, milk duds. Halloween brings around so many treats that you know aren’t safe for your teeth or your braces, but you still want to enjoy some sweets this Halloween season! Taking care of your braces enables your treatment process to be smooth and may even lead to having them taken off more quickly. So what are you to do when the time for trick or treating comes around and you are faced with caring for your braces or indulging in your sweet tooth? Luckily, there are Halloween candy options that are still tasty and won’t go breaking your brackets!Safe Halloween Candy With BracesIt is okay to enjoy a sweet treat while wearing braces, but keep in mind that any kind of candy can pose a threat to your braces if you aren’t mindful of how much, how often or what kind of candy you choose to eat. If your sweet tooth cannot be contained, here are some [...]

If you’re honest with yourself, you can probably remember many decisions you made as a child or a teenager that, if given the chance, you would do differently. As an adult, you are probably more responsible, more conscientious and more aware of how you are caring for yourself.  If your smile is something you are unhappy with, take comfort in knowing that it’s not too late for braces. In fact, you might be at the perfect age to care for your teeth responsibly and appreciate the outcome braces will provide!Treatment Options For AdultsIf you are considering getting braces as an adult, you might be hesitant to go to your job, travel, or meet new people with a mouth full of metal. After all, how often do you associate braces with puberty? Probably quite frequently! But did you know that the standard metal braces are not the only option available for straightening your teeth? Orthodontists can offer several options to suit your [...]

Does this sound familiar? You’re often so tired that you can’t get through the day without dreaming of a mid-afternoon nap. You have ongoing respiratory illness and you’re fed up to find that yet again you wake up with a dry mouth. But perhaps the worst of it is that you’re tired of being woken up by your partner whacking you to stop snoring! So what do you do? You go to your phone and you start browsing…orthodontic treatment? Yep, you got that right!  Never before had it occurred to you that you have sleep apnea, let alone that it can be alleviated by orthodontic treatment. Read on to see whether orthodontic treatment could be the key to your sleep issues.  What Exactly is Sleep Apnea? Sleep apnea is a condition in which a sleeping person wakes intermittently throughout the night due to a blocked airway. When you hear about sleep apnea you may be tempted to envision your [...]

Congrats! You are well on your way to your new smile. Hopefully you are adjusting to the pressure your braces create. You might be wondering how you can take care of your braces and your mouth in the coming months to have the best results possible. Caring for your new braces may be intimidating, but we are here to provide advice and encouragement as you start on this new journey.  Look no further than these simple tasks to care for your braces and set you up for your brand new smile! Consistent Appointments One of the best things you can do while your braces are on is to show up faithfully to your scheduled appointments. While time is the legwork that improves your smile outside of the office, braces need to be tightened every three to six weeks at your appointments. Since braces move your teeth slowly over time, the tightening is what pushes the [...]

As a parent, you are always looking to provide the best for your child. Children also don’t deal very well with constantly changing environments, and the same can be said about their dental care. It’s recommended to establish a “dental home” for your child by the time they are one year old. Having a long-term dentist keeps their treatment environment familiar and consistent. You are able to build a rapport for you and your child with your dentist. Your child will benefit from having a consistent environment for their dental care that helps to keep them calm and comfortable. What Is Pediatric Dentistry? So what is pediatric dentistry? Isn’t it just regular dentistry? Well, not quite. A pediatric dentist focuses solely on providing dental treatment to children. They have the education and experience of a regular dentist, with the added benefit of centering their attention on treating children. What’s The Difference Between General Dentistry And Pediatric Dentistry? [...]

Some abnormalities in the jaw and its alignment require more than just typical orthodontic treatment. It’s not extremely common but orthognathic surgery, commonly referred to as corrective jaw surgery, is the last resort option that is available. Of course when it comes to any type of surgery, you’re going to have a lot of questions. Corrective jaw surgery is used to correct abnormalities and misalignments in the jaw and teeth. This surgery can even provide a slight difference to your facial appearance because of the new jaw position. While other orthodontic treatment aims at correcting misalignments in the jaw, orthognathic surgery is used in the most severe cases where other methods won’t work. Who Needs Orthognathic Surgery? There are many different reasons why someone would need orthognathic surgery. Keep in mind that the issues and reasons discussed here are due to severe cases, not mild ones that can be corrected with other orthodontic treatment. Here are some [...]