Palatal Expanders: What Are They and How Do They Work A palate expander is an orthodontic appliance designed to widen the upper jaw (maxilla). It is mainly used for correcting the posterior dental cross bite, relieving dental crowding, widening the smile arc, and widening the floor of the nasal cavity to improve the nasal airflow. A Palate expander can be used on its own, or in combination with other orthodontic appliances such as Braces, Functional Appliances, or Headgears. There are two types of palatal expanders – fixed expander (glued to teeth), and removable expander. Each type has its ow ..read more

When should my child see an orthodontist? One of the most common questions we get asked is how early is too early to get braces? While people of any age can benefit from braces, The Australian Society of Orthodontists recommends children visit a registered specialist orthodontist for an assessment between the ages of 8-10 years old. This allows the orthodontist to evaluate your child’s teeth and determine if they may need early treatment. Your orthodontist’s assessment will cover existing teeth as well as those that are yet to break the surface to help predict their fu ..read more

Now you have started your smile journey with Geelong orthodontic specialists Fresh Smiles it is important to know how to care for your braces. First Visit To get through your treatment with the least hassle possible there are certain things you need to know about managing braces daily: Here are some helpful tips from your friendly Orthodontist in Belmont to avoid discomfort and breakages over the holiday period. Practice Good Oral hygiene: If you can, brushing after every meal makes sure there is no extra food particles around the brackets and teeth.  There are some additional tools ..read more

What is a retainer? There are many different types of retainers but they are a custom made appliance that holds your teeth in place after active orthodontic treatment. Why are they important? Retainers after orthodontic treatment give your teeth support while helping them settle into their new positions.  The gums and bone that support the teeth need time to “heal”. Teeth move continuously throughout your life and will have a tendency to move back to where they started.  Your teeth will always change and move slightly over time – it is part of the ageing process of life. But if you w ..read more

If you’re looking to straighten your teeth discretely and quickly, then you will love the Invisalign system! This orthodontic treatment uses a series of clear aligner trays to improve your bite and align your teeth. Just by taking great care of your aligners and wearing them throughout the day, you will see an astounding transformation in your smile. Thankfully, taking care of your aligners can be quite easy—simply follow these steps! Get into the habit of cleaning your aligners regularly using Align Bright.  Get straight into a routine! Avoid using abrasive materials when cleaning your ..read more

Sleep Apnea Photo Quality sleep is essential for your general and mental health and for you or your child to develop and stay healthy. Obstructive sleep apnea  (OSA) is one of the most common sleep disorders and has an increasing occurrence in young children with enlarged adenoids and tonsils along with adults later in life. It is often associated with snoring, awakening a night, headaches, grinding and daytime sleepiness.  If not diagnosed and treated can lead to depression and mood change along with more serious health risks. There are many treatments that can help improve OSA  ..read more

Oral health plays a big role in your orthodontic treatment, it also is a big contributor to your overall general health, which is why it is so important to take good care of your mouth! It is important to remember that even when in orthodontic treatment, you need to keep up with your general dental check-ups. We will see you every 6-10 weeks depending on your treatment plan, but at these appointments our orthodontist is looking for orthodontic changes and is paying attention to the alignment of the teeth and structure of the jaws. An oral examination must be completed by a dentist where they c ..read more

Wisdom teeth are the third last molars found at the very back on each side of the upper and lower jaw, generally. Not everyone will have wisdom teeth, or they may not have all four. Wisdom teeth will start to appear in the mouth later in life in your teens or early 20’s and our patients always have many questions around wisdom teeth and how they may affect their orthodontic treatment. When you start your orthodontic treatment with us, we will update records including radiographs, these x-rays will show us if wisdom teeth are present. Wisdom teeth won’t always erupt, meaning that they may stay ..read more

Depending on how extensive the treatment required is will depend on the total investment. Invisalign treatment has a number of different levels, this is to cater for the different levels of treatment and care the patient requires or is wanting. Invisalign Comprehensive, Invisalign Moderate, Invisalign Lite and Invisalign Express are the different tiers of treatment that Invisalign have on offer. Each tier will allow for different levels of tooth movement and bite correction. To determine what treatment may be required, our orthodontist Dr Vanessa Hawkins, will complete an initial complime ..read more

When it comes to straightening your teeth, many different factors come into play. Not only can orthodontics help you achieve a straight smile, but it is also beneficial to your overall health and wellbeing. Bite correction plays a big role in orthodontics and sometimes this means surgery is necessary. Orthodontic treatment helps ensure proper function of teeth and creates healthy smiles. A good bite makes it easier for you to chew, function and speak. Teeth that are misaligned are harder to clean and can cause abnormal wearing of  tooth enamel which can lead to other general dental concer ..read more