Getting straight teeth is only half the battle when receiving orthodontic treatment. Keeping them straight is the other half! Many patients are surprised and disappointed when they hear they’ll need to wear a retainer for the rest of their lives to keep their straight teeth. The fact that our teeth change positions with age should not surprise anyone. Can you name another part of your body that does not sag or wrinkle as you get older? Teeth are no different. What determines the position of our teeth? Why do teeth move after the braces come off? Is it possible to keep the teeth exactly ..read more

    Brushing your teeth without braces is hard enough. Trying to keep things clean with braces glued to every tooth is even more challenging. The purpose of this post is to share a few secrets that will help you keep your teeth and gums healthy during your orthodontic treatment without breaking the bank. Dental Plaque Is Responsible for Decay and Gum Disease At the root of most dental problems is plaque. Dental plaque is comprised of sugars and proteins found in the food you eat, along with menacing bacteria that love the "leftovers" you leave behind. Dental plaque is harmful becau ..read more

Many patients have “only one crooked tooth” that bothers them, and they come in hoping we can fix it without messing with the rest of their smile. Even on the rare occasions where there is just one tooth out of alignment, fixing it is often more involved than it appears at first glance. Here’s why… Teeth Exist as Part of a Set Each tooth exists as part of a set. Not only does each tooth have teeth on either side of it, but it also has teeth opposing it in the other arch (the upper teeth bite against the lower ones). Orthodontists must consider how the crooked tooth interacts with the others t ..read more

We have recently had an unusually high number of people in our practice asking questions about tongue-release surgery. This article aims to provide information so that patients and parents can better discuss this topic with their doctors. (NOTE: This is the second of two articles on tongue ties and tongue release surgery. Click HERE for the first half.) What is tongue-release surgery (frenotomy)? Tongue-release surgery, formally known as a frenotomy, involves cutting the lingual frenulum to increase the tongue's mobility. Variations of this procedure include the frenectomy and the frenuloplas ..read more

We have recently had an unusually high number of people in our practice asking questions about tongue ties. This article aims to provide information so that patients and parents can better discuss this topic with their doctors. Who are the experts when it comes to tongue ties? As of 2023, perhaps the most authoritative article on tongue ties is the Clinical Consensus Statement: Ankyloglossia in Children, published by the American Association of Otolaryngology in 2020. Otolaryngologists (ENTs) are the experts in this field, and this paper represents their current "standard of care" for diagnos ..read more

When Is the Best Time to Start Orthodontic Treatment? The timing of interceptive orthodontic treatment is important. If treatment begins too early, the total time in braces may take longer than if the starting time is delayed until the patient has all of their permanent teeth. Although there are exceptions, the best time to begin full braces is usually after the last of the baby (primary) teeth are gone, and all the 12-year-molars are at least starting to break through. (Exceptions include impactions, severe malocclusions, bullying, etc.) The most common age to get braces is 12 or 13. Why Sta ..read more

  One of the most common reasons patients seek treatment is crowding. Although some patients have big teeth, most crowding exists because the jaws are too small. Crowding in the front of the mouth is obvious – the teeth overlap and are crooked. Crowding at the back of the mouth, especially in the lower jaw, is less obvious and commonly goes undiagnosed. This orthodontic condition is known as posterior crowding. Problems with Lower 12-Year-Molars When the lower jaw is smaller than the upper, the most common manifestations in the front of the mouth are excessive “overbite” and crowded teet ..read more

I recently dined at one of my favorite restaurants. Following the meal, the server asked if I wanted the rest of my drink in a to-go cup. I had done that many times, so I didn’t think anything of it. For some reason, the size of the lid that came on the Styrofoam cup was just slightly too small, so it wouldn't seal or stay on correctly. To get it to fit, I had to stretch the lid slightly or wrinkle up the cup below. No matter what I tried, the top just popped back off after a few seconds. Upper Teeth Must Be 23% Wider than Lower Teeth Your upper and lower teeth are a set, just like a cup and ..read more

  There is no question that the introduction of clear aligner therapy (Invisalign) back in the late 1990’s changed the orthodontic landscape forever. Not only did the technology extend orthodontic treatment to patients who didn’t want braces (mostly adults), but it also expanded the number of providers since at first glance clear aligners appear easier to use. Not only did many general dentists begin offering orthodontic treatment in their offices, but several direct-to-consumer (DTC) companies also appeared that offered to straighten teeth through the mail. While non-specialists may be ..read more

  About 60% of orthodontic patients in the United States have an “overbite” (officially called overjet). Although the upper incisors are normally in front of the lower ones, most patients do not like their front teeth sticking out much further. What causes an overbite, and how can orthodontists correct it? Two Kinds of Overbite There are two kinds of overbites, dental and skeletal. A dental overbite occurs when the upper teeth stick out too far relative to the lower ones, but the jaw structure is normal. One common cause is thumb or finger sucking. Sucking the thumb or fingers can push t ..read more