One of the tools orthodontists may use to help you achieve a perfect smile is called a palatal expander, which is an appliance that gently widens the upper jaw so that it fits properly with the lower jaw. The goal is to expand the jaw to avoid overcrowding of the teeth. Not every patient needs an expander, but if you do here are some common questions answered.
Who needs an expander?
Your orthodontist will evaluate if your jaw needs to be widened in order to get the results you desire. Expanders work best for people under age 15, because the jaw bones are still pliable and the roof of the mouth has not completely finished growing.
How does it work?
The palatal expander is made up of a screw attached to your upper teeth by bands secured around your molars. It is activated by turning the screw with a key. You will do this yourself after specific instructions from your orthodontist. The expander remains attached in your mouth until your doctor indicates it’s time to remove it.
Does it hurt?
As with many treatments for your mouth, it will take a few days to get used to the palatal expander. There may be some lisping at first, but your speech will return to normal as you get used to the device. You might feel slight pressure when the expander is activated with the key. Pain is rarely experienced, but over-the-counter pain medication usually relieves the discomfort.
How long do I have to wear the expander?
Treatment length varies among patients, but often expanders remain in place for 3-6 months. It is vital to follow your orthodontist’s instructions for activating the expander, in order to achieve the desired results within the anticipated timeframe. You will have periodic visits to your doctor to make sure the appliance is in the right place and is tight enough.
It’s not enough just to wear braces on your teeth; you have to hold up your end of the bargain. You must care for them as your orthodontist instructs, and that includes sticking to the diet guidelines. Some foods can loosen or break braces, which will probably mean you’ll have to wear the braces for a longer period of time. Follow these rules to achieve quicker treatment and a great smile.
DON’T eat hard foods
Anything hard cannot safely be chewed with braces. Avoid items like raw apples and carrots, popcorn, nuts, hard candies, crunchy chips, corn on the cob, and ice.
DON’T eat sticky or chewy foods
Braces can be pulled apart by sticky foods. Don’t eat foods like taffy, caramels, gummy candy, jelly beans, caramel apples, and peanut brittle.
DON’T eat sugary foods
Braces make it harder to keep your teeth clean, and sugar can cause cavities, tarter buildup, and stains. Eat sparingly foods like soda, fruit juices, ice cream, candy, cake, cookies, and pie. If you do eat foods high in sugar, brush your teeth immediately afterwards.
DON’T eat highly acidic foods
Items high in acid content can lead to permanent stains and tooth damage. Avoid items such as sodas (even diet ones), citrus fruits, and lemon juice.
DON’T use your front teeth to bite foods
You can loosen your brackets by biting into foods with your front teeth. Cut meat off the bone from ribs or fried chicken, use a knife to cut corn off the cob, and tear or cut pizza into bite-sized pieces.
Nearly 4 million children under the age of 18 in the United States and Canada are currently wearing braces. How do you know if your child should be one of them? Here are some guidelines to help you decide.
Purpose
Braces are used to move teeth into the best position, but remember that braces are not only about appearance. They fix minor problems from slightly crooked teeth to serious issues like jaw disorders. With treatment, your orthodontist can repair overbites, underbites, and reposition teeth. Orthodontics may also correct problems like speech impediments, TMJ pain, and teeth grinding.
Age
The American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) recommends that kids have their first orthodontic consultation by age 7 so that your orthodontist can take preventative actions and possibly avoid the need for braces in the future. Usually, children get braces between the ages of 10 and 14 because kids in this range have some permanent teeth and are still growing. Your dentist is a great resource for telling you if your child, regardless of age, should see an orthodontist. Because 25 percent of today’s orthodontic patients are adults, any individuals with concerns should schedule an orthodontic consultation.
Warning Signs
You may observe some obvious signs that braces are in your child’s future, such as very overcrowded or crooked teeth. Some kids may have trouble chewing or closing their lips over their teeth. If children grind their teeth or have a history of thumb-sucking, orthodontic problems may arise. Early or late tooth loss is another sign that braces may be necessary as your child grows.
Recommendation
Keep in mind that a dentist’s or orthodontist’s recommendation does not mean that you have no choice about your child’s treatment plan. Make sure you understand the reasons for the suggested treatment, and ask any questions you may have. Don’t hesitate to get a second opinion so that you are completely confident in the decision you are making about your child’s smile.
Your braces have been removed and your teeth are perfectly straight! It’s time to just enjoy your new smile since treatment is complete, right? Wrong! It’s time to wear your retainer so that your teeth stay in their new positions. A retainer is a custom-made appliance that continues to train your teeth to remain in place after your braces have been removed.
There are three types of retainers that orthodontists use to secure your new smile:
• Hawley: The most popular style, this is the traditional metal wire attached to an acrylic piece that fits in the roof of your mouth. You can take it in and out as desired.
• Essix: This type of retainer looks similar to Invisalign braces or to whitening trays. These are less noticeable than the traditional type, but are also flimsier and more breakable.
• Bonded: This permanent retainer consists of a wire being glued to the back of your teeth, and it cannot be removed by the patient. Your orthodontist will decide how long it remains in place; some remove the retainer dependent upon wisdom teeth removal, and others keep the retainer in place forever. One downside to this retainer is that tartar is difficult for dentists to remove with the retainer in place, so it’s very important to brush and floss properly and to see your dentist regularly.
Your orthodontist will help you decide which retainer is best for you. No matter what kind it is, the key is to wear it regularly for the recommended timeframe. Initially, that will be all day long for a number of months. Later, you’ll be able to only wear it at night. Remember, if you stop wearing your retainer, your teeth will shift. It may be the last step of your orthodontic treatment, but it’s also one of the most important.
If you wear braces on your teeth, there’s a chance that you will be one of the many orthodontic patients who must wear rubber bands as part of their treatment. They play an important role in achieving a perfect smile.
How do rubber bands help?
Braces by themselves only move teeth along the upper or lower sets of teeth, but rubber bands apply constant pressure to move the lower jaw and upper jaw into proper alignment with each other. The goal of rubber bands is to achieve a perfect bite. Repairing the bite is often the longest and most difficult phase of the orthodontic process, but rubber bands help move your jaw into the correct position more quickly. The way that the bands are attached to the braces is customized to each patient to direct tension in the best way for you.
How much should I wear them?
Orthodontists recommend that you wear rubber bands all day, removing them only to brush, floss, replace with new bands, or occasionally to eat. Most of the time you should eat with them in place, as it is helpful for your mouth to learn to work with that tension. Rubber bands should be worn when sleeping and playing sports. Leaving them off for even just one day can erase progress you’ve made.
Will I get used to them?
It takes a few days to learn to take the rubber bands in and out, but after some practice it becomes simple. It’s normal for your teeth, jaws, and mouth to be a bit sore at first, but that goes away. However, if you do not wear your rubber bands consistently, you will have constant discomfort because your mouth won’t get used to them.
What if I don’t wear them consistently?
To achieve the best orthodontic results in the shortest amount of time, you must be committed to wearing your rubber bands as your orthodontist has recommended. Wearing them intermittently will negatively affect your progress, so it’s vital to wear them full time.
Pacifiers have been used by parents for many years to soothe babies, who are born with a strong sucking reflex and find security in the pacifier. It is a normal part of development, but parents often wonder how long it is appropriate to allow their child to suck on a pacifier. One of the concerns is that it can negatively affect a child’s dental health. Here are some things to consider about long-term pacifier use.
Age
Most children stop sucking on pacifiers between the ages of two and four. Pacifier use after age four may lead to dental problems, with the risk becoming greater the older the child becomes.
Teeth
Dentists say that older children who use pacifiers have increased risk of protruding front teeth, described as teeth that slant outward. Also, the bottom front teeth may tilt in. Longer pacifier use can delay losing the front baby teeth at a normal time, and may postpone the emergence of permanent teeth.
Jaw alignment
Prolonged pacifier use may increase the risk of an improper bite. Often this means narrowing of the upper jaw compared to the lower jaw, which is commonly called a cross bite. Another common effect is an open bite, which is a gap between the upper and lower front teeth when the mouth is closed. Also, there is an increase of overjet, described as a horizontal projection of the upper teeth past the lower teeth.
Correcting problems
For many children, the effects of prolonged pacifier use is self-correcting, but only if the child stops using a pacifier before the permanent teeth emerge. Orthodontists say that teeth tend to go back to their ideal positions if the habit stops before the adult teeth come in. However, some of the more severe outcomes such as cross bite do not correct on their own. Orthodontists can use a variety of appliances to coax the teeth and jaw into proper alignment.
