Getting braces off is exciting! The terminology we use for this exciting event is less so- We call this Debanding. The term Deband traditionally refers to the removal of orthodontic bands. Bands are metal rings that fit around teeth. In the past braces consisted of metal rings that went around each and every tooth. These days we don’t use these bands as much except on some back teeth. Patients often wonder, what exactly happens on the day my braces come off? That day we start by popping braces off your teeth using a special instrument. They literally make a pop or crackle sound as they come o ..read more

If you are pregnant and interested in starting orthodontic treatment, I will generally advise one of two things: 1) Seek approval from the OB/GYN to take a Panoramic x-ray, or 2) Wait until after the baby is born to start treatment. The reason is that it is important to ensure good root health and rule out any underlying surprises prior to treatment and this can only be done effectively with an x-ray. If you are already in the midst of treatment and find out you are pregnant- Congratulations!... and Do not worry! You can continue your orthodontic treatment. I do ask that you please let me kno ..read more

Unfortunately things happen. Trauma to the face can happen in an instant especially during sports, and it can be quite scary. If the soft tissue (gums, tongue, cheek) in the mouth gets cut or injured, there can appear to be a lot of blood because it mixes with saliva and looks like it is more than it is. Additionally, the soft tissue is very vascular (lots of blood vessels). Therefore, even a small injury can lead to bleeding. Luckily most injuries to the soft tissue in the mouth heal relatively quickly. When you are wearing braces, the roughness of the braces can cause additional cuts during ..read more

Why do I have spaces now that I am in treatment? The early stages of orthodontic treatment are the leveling/alignment phases. What this means, is that general lining up of teeth and alleviation of crowding is occurring. As the braces and wires move the teeth, often little spaces will develop between teeth as they are being pushed and moved around one another. This is completely normal! Some space does need to be created for teeth to have space to move. I remember being a patient myself and wondering why I suddenly had a huge gap between my teeth! Once I realized that this was a normal part of ..read more

You might be surprised to know that there are a LOT of different kinds of braces. There are many different companies that make braces, and each kind has small differences. In addition, companies make metal and ceramic braces so they come in these various materials as well. Every orthodontist has his or her own preferences in regard to the kind of braces they use in their office. I was trained on about 6 different bracket systems, which was wonderful because it allowed me to pinpoint what I personally felt worked best working through case after case with the different systems. Interestingly, o ..read more

As I have mentioned before, the AAO recommends that children be examined by an orthodontist starting at the age of 7. For young kids that need early Phase I intervention for one reason or another, this is great. But what about the majority of the kids who don’t need anything right now? In our office we have a complimentary Junior Observation program. Children who do not need a Phase I intervention are followed on a regular basis- often times yearly or every 6 months depending upon their particular needs or where they are in dental development. These are generally quick check-ups, so parents o ..read more

Orthodontic treatment today is more streamlined, comfortable, and all around better than it ever was. As a result, orthodontists prescribe less permanent tooth extraction than perhaps many years ago. With that being said, a good portion of patients still benefit greatly from extracting permanent teeth. This doesn’t mean that the treatment plan is ‘old fashioned’. Tooth extraction is also not done to make treatment ‘easier’ for the orthodontist. It is quite the opposite I find. Most of my extraction cases are more complicated cases from the get-go and take longer than non-extraction plans. The ..read more

Baby teeth (primary teeth) are meant to come out on their own. So then why would an orthodontist recommend extracting baby teeth? There are a variety of reasons why it might be recommended to extract a baby tooth. I generally leave it up to the patient’s pediatric dentist or family dentist to extract a tooth based upon decay. But, if there is a space issue, or if the adult tooth underneath is not developing straight and appears to be at an angle, it can be highly recommended to extract the baby tooth. One common scenario centers around the development of canine teeth. Especially on the upper ..read more

Summer is coming up, which means traveling and vacations. Don’t forget to take care of your braces or Invisalign while on vacation, and maybe take a few items with you to help along the way! Items that are handy to have when traveling: · Toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss! · Advil, Tylenol, or other pain relievers. If you are traveling internationally or camping far away from a general store, you might want to have this on hand. · Fingernail or toenail clippers. Most of our wires can be clipped with a good pair of nail clippers. If something is pokey, you can very carefully clip and remove the ..read more

I cannot speak for all Orthodontic offices, but in our office we understand that everyone has a different budget and different monthly expenses. That is why we have very flexible payment options so that a comfortable payment option or plan can be made for each patient or family. Some of our patients prefer to make one payment at the start of braces. Some of our patients like to receive points back on their credit card or have flex spending accounts that make this option very appealing. Many of our patients choose an extended plan where a down payment is made upon starting treatment, and then ..read more