After you finish orthodontic treatment, you should enjoy a stunning smile. Unfortunately, your teeth will naturally want to shift out of alignment. Most orthodontists have their patients wear retainers as the final phase of orthodontic therapy. These oral appliances work to keep teeth in the desired position.
What types of retainers are available?
At one point, orthodontists only used the plastic and wire retainers. This is still the most common type of retainer. Clear, plastic retainers have recently gained popularity. These devices also work well to keep teeth in place.
How long will I need my retainer?
Initially, you will probably wear your retainer about 22 hours a day. Your orthodontist will monitor your progress and let you know when you can cut the time back. Most patients will wear their retainers for several years after treatment to ensure that teeth don’t shift.
Should I wear my retainer while I play sports?
If your appliance fits well, you can wear the retainer because no risk exists to your teeth; however, the device could fall out and sustain damage. Keep in mind that retainers don’t function as mouth guards, so you still need to wear that appliance to protect your mouth.
How do I care for my retainer?
When you remove the appliance, make sure to gently brush and rinse it before storing the retainer. Always place the retainer in its case when you aren’t wearing the appliance so that it doesn’t get broken. Put the case in safe place, out of reach from young children or family pets.
Orthodontic retainers at Mehdi Fotovat Sherman Oaks Orthodontist
For a long time the only option to straighten teeth were metal braces and wires. Although this orthodontia serves a purpose, it creates a less-than-appealing image, especially for adults seeking treatment. Now, older teen and adult patients can enjoy gorgeous smiles without the hassle and embarrassment of traditional orthodontia.
Systems like Invisalign and ClearCorrect utilize custom, acrylic aligners to gently shift teeth into the desired position. Adult patients often choose this type of orthodontia because it offers advantages to metal braces, including:
Convenience
With the clear aligner systems, your orthodontist will take images and gather data so that a dental lab can fabricate your complete set of aligners. You wear each set for about two weeks and then move on to the next ones. Usually, the orthodontist will check your progress every six weeks.
Appearance
Constructed from clear plastic, Invisalign and ClearCorrect aligners are barely discernible to friends and family, allowing you to look great while you straighten your teeth. Only you and your orthodontist will know that you are undergoing treatment.
Flexibility
Because you can remove the aligners, patients are able to take them out for special events or important meetings. For optimal results, you need to wear the aligners about 22 hours a day.
Health
Often, traditional braces make brushing and flossing more difficult, which can contribute to dental issues like gum disease or tooth decay. With the Invisalign and ClearCorrect aligners, you remove the trays to brush and floss as you would normally.
Removable Orthodontic Aligners at Mehdi Fotovat Sherman Oaks Orthodontist
When most people think about orthodontics, they envision braces or retainers. Sometimes, your orthodontist may recommend a temporary anchorage device (TAD). Made of titanium alloy, the TAD is a miniature screw that serves as an anchor to move teeth in a very controlled manner. Because the TAD does not move, the tooth or teeth can move against a fixed point to create the desired results.
Your orthodontist can place the TAD in the office, with minimal discomfort. After numbing the area with a fast-acting gel and applying local anesthetic, the doctor will insert the appliance through the gums into the bone between your teeth. Most people experience a feeling of some pressure, but no actual pain. Usually, patients respond well to the procedure, with no need for even over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.
Because the device is temporary, your doctor will monitor the progress and remove the screw once the teeth have shifted as desired. Usually, patients only wear TADs for a few months. If the TAD irritates your cheeks or lips, use a q-tip to apply orthodontic wax and cover the device. Call your doctor if the discomfort persists.
For the first week, rinse the TAD with chlorhexidine two to three times daily. You will also need to use a soft toothbrush dipped in chlorhexidine to brush around the post during the initial seven days after placement. After this point, treat the TAD like a tooth by brushing at normal times. With a TAD, you may feel some loosening, which is normal. If it feels excessively loose or becomes uncomfortable, contact your orthodontist.
Temporary Orthodontic Appliances at Mehdi Fotovat Sherman Oaks Orthodontist
When people think about orthodontic treatment, they usually imagine braces. Although braces are a common form of therapy, orthodontists utilize other appliances as well. Depending on the situation, your orthodontist may recommend the following orthodontic devices:
Braces
The most recognizable orthodontic appliances, braces are the brackets or aligners used to shift teeth into the desired position. Traditional braces involve metal brackets and wires, but modern advances have provided other options such as lingual braces, ceramic brackets, and Invisalign clear aligners.
Retainers
Once you complete treatment with braces, your orthodontist will likely fit you for a retainer, which is designed to keep teeth from moving out of alignment. Usually, retainers are worn almost constantly at first and then less frequently for maintenance purposes.
Rapid Palatal Expander (RPE)
Generally used for crowding of upper teeth or on a narrow jaw, the rapid palatal expander (RPE) is placed in the roof of the mouth and turned with a special key to increase the upper jaw area. Expanders are typically in place for about four to six months.
Headgear
When patients have a severe overjet or their teeth need significant repositioning, the orthodontist may recommend head gear. Connected to the upper bands, head gear guides the jaw growth in the right direction.
Thumb Guard
As permanent teeth begin to erupt, thumb sucking can create issues and cause alignment problems. A thumb guard, which is positioned in the roof of the mouth, stops the thumb from pushing up against the front teeth.
Common Orthodontic Appliances at Mehdi Fotovat Sherman Oaks Orthodontist
Affecting one of every 700 babies annually, a cleft palate is a common birth defect that results in facial or oral malformations. With a cleft palate, a split or opening occurs in the roof of the mouth and can impact the hard and/or soft palate. A cleft lip is a split or separation of the two sides of the upper lip. These defects can occur on one or both sides of the mouth. In fact, patients can have a cleft palate without a cleft lip, a cleft lip without a cleft palate, or both a cleft lip and cleft palate.
Most of the causes of a cleft defect are unknown. These issues typically occur very early in pregnancy. A cleft palate or cleft lip develops when not enough tissue is present or the tissue does not join together properly.
Because cleft defects create an obvious physical manifestation, diagnosing these deformities is usually easy. Sometimes, an ultrasound will pick up a cleft palate or cleft lip. If that doesn’t happen, the physical signs are often identified and confirmed at birth.
Cleft palates and cleft lips can cause difficulties such as eating problems, hearing concerns, speech delays, and dental issues. Children with cleft palates or cleft lips often have an increased risk of cavities as well as extra, missing, or malformed teeth. Part of treatment involves addressing oral health concerns.
Treatment for cleft palate issues begins in infancy and can continue into adulthood. Usually, children diagnosed with cleft palate deformities will have a team of doctors and specialists, including:
• A plastic surgeon to address the physical appearance
• An ear, nose, and throat doctor to evaluate and treat hearing issues
• An oral surgeon to reposition the upper jaw as needed and repair a cleft impacting the gum area
• An orthodontist to straighten the bite and teeth
• A dentist for routine dental care
• A speech pathologist to identify speech and feeding problems
• A speech therapist to work on language development
We care about your smile at Mehdi Fotovat Sherman Oaks Orthodontist
Choosing orthodontic treatment for yourself or a loved one is a big decision. Before taking this step, you need to gather detailed information about what this process entails. Getting answers to your questions will help you determine the best treatment and find an orthodontist you can trust to create a flawless smile.
Consider talking about these questions with your orthodontist:
Does having braces hurt?
Many kids, and adults, worry that traditional braces cause pain. While, you may experience some initial discomfort, your mouth will get used to the brackets. Your orthodontist can make recommendations to help during the adjustment period.
How long will treatment last?
Though the answer is often dependent on the severity of the problem and the compliance of the patient, your orthodontist should be able to provide an estimated time frame.
Are there different types of orthodontic treatment?
After evaluating your mouth, your orthodontist will explain the available options. Depending on your age and the issue you want to correct, your doctor may suggest traditional braces, ceramic brackets, or clear aligners for older teen and adults patients.
Do I have to change my diet?
During orthodontic treatment, you need to protect your braces from damage, so stay away from sticky or hard substances. Ask your orthodontist for a list of foods and snacks to avoid.
Will my teeth shift after the braces come off?
Once you complete the active stage of treatment, you will need to wear a retainer to maintain those results. To protect your new smile, the orthodontist will create custom appliances and then review the amount of time you need to wear the retainers.
Orthodontic Treatment at Mehdi Fotovat Sherman Oaks Orthodontist
