In most cases, you have probably either had braces, need braces, or know someone with braces. When you need orthodontic treatment, you often receive a great deal of information. Having a basic knowledge about the world of orthodontics will help you make educated decisions for yourself or a loved one.
What is orthodontics?
Simply put, orthodontics is the dental specialty focused on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental or facial irregularities.
How is an orthodontist different from a dentist?
While all orthodontists are dentists, not all dentists are orthodontists. In addition to successfully completing dental school, orthodontists must also take another two to three years of advanced training.
Can I tell if braces are needed?
The best way to determine if you or a family member should seek orthodontic treatment is through an evaluation with an orthodontist. If you notice buck teeth, an overbite, under bite, or open bite, orthodontic treatment is a likely course of action.
What’s the difference between Phase I and Phase II?
With Phase I, or early interceptive treatment, patients are between 6 and 10 years old, and all their permanent teeth have not yet erupted. Certain problems are easier to treat when children are younger and they are still growing. Also called comprehensive treatment, Phase II happens once all permanent teeth come in and usually involves a full set of braces.
What are my treatment options?
That answer depends on your age and your specific case. Typically, younger children respond well to traditional metal braces. Older teens and adult patients often like less conspicuous choices. Ceramic brackets, clear aligners like Invisalign, and lingual braces can straighten your smile and allow you to maintain a professional image.
Find an Orthodontist in Sherman Oaks CA
While braces are a fantastic way to achieve a beautiful and perfectly aligned smile, they also can create difficulties in keeping your mouth completely clean and healthy. It can be tricky to clean effectively around the metal wires and brackets, and if you don’t realize the importance of maintaining a clean mouth, you may be destined for developing gum disease while you are wearing braces.
The best way to keep your mouth clean is to brush and floss regularly. While wearing braces, this often means several times a day for the best results. When you eat, the food gets caught in the wires and brackets that are part of your braces. Without brushing and flossing the trapped food away, it remains trapped and collects bacteria. This means that the bacteria combines with the acid in your mouth and can begin attacking your teeth and gums.
The more plaque and bacteria that attacks your gums, the greater your risk of developing gum disease. It starts out in the minor stages as gingivitis, but if left untreated will advance to periodontitis. If gum disease reaches this advanced stage, tooth loss can result. Your orthodontic treatment won’t be worth it if you end up losing your teeth!
Instead of fighting the battle of trying to regain healthy gums once you’ve developed gum disease, the better approach is to combat it in the first place. This means making time to brush and floss your teeth so that your mouth is kept clean. You’ll end up with a healthy mouth and an attractive smile, which was the goal of wearing braces in the first place.
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Unlike traditional methods of straightening your teeth, the innovative technology of Invisalign allows orthodontic patients to obtain a beautiful smile without all the hassles. Invisalign straightens your teeth and aligns your jaw with very little impact on your daily lifestyle. This type of orthodontic treatment offers advantages that other treatments cannot.
Appearance
One of the most obvious benefits of Invisalign is the fact that there are no wires or permanent appliances in your mouth. Instead, a series of removable clear aligners are worn over your teeth that are virtually invisible. You will not attract unwanted attention to your mouth when wearing Invisalign.
Comfort
The aligning trays are customized for your mouth, and progressively straighten your teeth without the need for unpleasant metal brackets and wires. Invisalign provides a relatively comfortable way to straighten your teeth without the irritation of traditional braces.
Removable
The fact that the aligners are removable is an appealing benefit. This allows you to remove them for important occasions like events or pictures. Keep in mind that the trays should be worn as much as your orthodontist advises for ideal treatment, but removing the appliances for certain occasions is possible.
No food restrictions
There are no restrictions about the kinds of food you may eat during treatment. You can still enjoy your favorite foods without risk of breaking wires or getting food particles lodged in your braces.
Oral care
Taking care of your teeth and gums is easy with Invisalign. You simply take out the aligners to brush and floss as usual. Also, there is no worry about food becoming caught in your braces. This helps alleviate the concerns of excessive tooth decay, bad breath, and other dental hygiene issues.
Invisalign dentist in Sherman Oaks, CA – schedule an appointment today with an Orthodontist for your Invisalign.
Achieving perfect teeth so that you have a beautiful smile is a goal for many people. But straightening your teeth also brings benefits in addition to an attractive appearance. Straight teeth can reduce your risks for tooth and gum problems. The inability for you, or even your dentist, to remove plaque and bacteria from your teeth and gums can increase your risk of developing gingivitis or periodontal disease.
Problems
- Overcrowding – teeth that are too close together are hard to clean, which leads to accumulation of plaque, tartar, and harmful bacteria.
- Malocclusion – teeth that aren’t aligned correctly are referred to as malocclusion. Sometimes this means that teeth hit each other improperly when they bite together, which may cause wear or chipping. With time, damaged teeth can expose the bottom tooth layer called dentin. This creates sensitivity and promotes decay.
- Traumatic occlusion – injury to parts of the mouth can result from closing the jaw repeatedly and with excessive force. It can cause undesired spaces to develop between the teeth, which leads to food buildup and tender gums. If not removed completely, tooth decay will occur.
Solutions
Attempting to create a straight smile with restorations like veneers or crowns may not be the best choice, because they don’t address the underlying problem. Your dentist may suggest straightening your teeth with orthodontic treatment. This may involve traditional braces, Invisalign, retainers, appliances, or a combination of treatments. The goal is to correct your teeth so that it becomes easier to maintain good dental hygiene, and therefore lower your risk of gum disease or tooth decay.
Dr. Fotovat is an Orthodontist in Sherman Oaks, CA
Sure, you get braces because you want a pretty smile full of straight teeth. There’s more to orthodontic treatment than merely your appearance though. Successful treatment can improve the health of your mouth, making it more likely that your teeth and gums will reap the benefits of braces for many years to come. What are some of the main reasons to seek orthodontic treatment besides just straight teeth?
Improper alignment
When teeth don’t line up with one another properly, it’s called malocclusion. Uncorrected malocclusion can cause your teeth to wear inappropriately with time. It can also damage the muscles that support your jaw, causing pain and stress. Misaligned teeth may cause bone loss, and eventually tooth loss as well.
Overbite
An overbite occurs when your upper teeth overlap your lower teeth, sometimes even causing you to bite into your palate. This causes excessive wear on your bottom teeth, which can even chip and require dental repair.
Teeth spacing
It is difficult to properly clean crooked or overlapping teeth, which often leads to tooth decay and cavities. It also promotes gum disease when you can’t thoroughly clean between your teeth and gums. Gum disease is linked to receding gums and bone loss, plus the loss of teeth in advanced stages.
Tooth function
Orthodontic treatment can correct the way your teeth function. The wear patterns of your teeth can be improved, and jaw pain may be relieved when your teeth work together appropriately. Corrected tooth function can aid the long-term health of your teeth and gums.
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Just because you’re an adult, it doesn’t mean that you have to continue through life being unhappy with your smile. Many grownups today are taking the plunge into orthodontic treatment, but not in the traditional way you might think. Invisalign is an option that many adults choose to straighten their teeth, but without impacting their appearance or self-esteem while undergoing treatment. Read on to see if Invisalign might be just what you need.
How does Invisalign work?
This method involves wearing a series of clear plastic aligners to move your teeth. The removable aligners are worn for a total of one to two years, with your orthodontist monitoring your progress and determining when to change to a new aligner during the process. Invisalign gradually shifts your teeth so that they align perfectly.
Will others be able to tell I’m doing it?
One of the greatest advantages of Invisalign is that others don’t even have to know you’re wearing the aligners. The small invisible trays fit over the tops of your teeth, and are often hard to see. They also do not affect your ability to speak or eat. This means that you can continue your normal routine of business meetings and socializing without feeling embarrassed about a mouth full of braces. Many adults appreciate the idea that others do not even realize they are undergoing orthodontic treatment. You even have the option of removing the Invisalign trays for an important meeting or special event.
Is there special care required?
Another key benefit of Invisalign is that no special care is needed. You take the trays in and out of your mouth as desired, so you can brush your teeth normally. There are no issues with trying to clean your teeth around metal wires and brackets. Also, you are able to eat whatever you like because there is no danger of damaging your braces. These are all reasons that Invisalign is not just appealing to young people, but a fantastic solution for teeth straightening in adults.
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