Now that you have started orthodontic treatment there are many things to be mindful of while wearing braces. We have created this page to give you an idea of what to expect during your treatment.
Length of Treatment
The length of time Dr. Harvey quoted when you got braces is only an estimate and can be lengthened by factors such as missed appointments, loose or broken appliances, poor oral hygiene and poor elastic wear.
Appointments
Periodic visits are an important part of orthodontic treatment. Generally, we will want to see you every 6-10 weeks to check your progress and make adjustments. During this time you will need to keep appointments, follow instructions as well as practice good oral hygiene. If, for some reason, you cannot keep your appointment, please contact our office. Doing so allows another patient to use that time, and we can reschedule your appointment right away. If it is after-hours, please call our office and leave a message.
Dental Care
You should continue to see your family dentist at six-month intervals while in braces. If your dental hygienist prefers, we can remove the wires before each cleaning and replace them afterwards. Let us know when your next cleaning is, and we will schedule accordingly.
Common Problems that will Require Treatment
Crossbite – An individual with a crossbite will have teeth that are out of place when the mouth is closed. In most instances, one set of teeth will either fall inside or outside of the opposing set. For example, your upper teeth may sit inside of the lower teeth when the jaw is closed. Two of the biggest causes of crossbite are heredity and delayed loss of baby teeth.
Misaligned teeth can cause premature wear and muscular problems in the jaw.
Treatment for crossbite depends upon the severity of the problem and the age of the patient. Children are often easier to treat because their teeth are still in the process of developing.
Eliminating crossbite can take over a year of braces. We can formulate a treatment plan based on your individual concerns and desires.
Open Bite – Open bite is an oral condition that occurs when certain teeth, usually your front teeth, do not make contact with each other. Open bite gives the illusion that a person’s mouth is never really closed, because there is always space between the teeth.
For patients that have moderate to extreme open bite, treatment is important since the condition can affect eating and cause excessive wear of the back teeth.
Thumb sucking and tongue thrusting are habits that can create an open bite. Speech problems such as lisping can also create and open bite; and genetics can create a situation where the upper and lower jaws are misaligned.
While an open bite can often be treated with braces, in extreme cases a more complex solution such as surgery may be needed. We can formulate a treatment plan based on your individual concerns and desires.
Crowding – If your teeth are crooked, turned, or overlapped, you are not alone; virtually 90% of the population has an orthodontic condition known at crowding. Generally caused by genetics or by habits such as nail biting and thumb sucking, crowding is easily fixed with braces.
When crowding is detected in young children, when baby teeth are still present, early treatment in the form of space maintainers, limited braces or extractions may be indicated. This interceptive treatment is designed to provide room for the emerging permanent teeth.
Spacing – Spacing is the exact opposite of crowding; there is too much space between your teeth. Like crowding, spacing may be caused by genetic factors or thumb sucking and can be easily corrected with braces.
Gummy Smile – A “gummy smile,” or excess gingival display, is a condition where too much pink tissue can be seen when a person speaks or smiles. Gummy smiles are usually associated with an enlarged upper jaw, a short upper lip, short upper front teeth, or a forward position of the front teeth. This condition may also result from disproportionate lip length or tooth height.
A gummy smile can be corrected by orthodontic treatment, periodontal surgery, jaw surgery, or a combination of these procedures.
Tongue Thrust – Swallowing occurs 24 hours a day and about 2000 times a day. Each time you swallow, one to six pounds of pressure is applied to the inside structures of the mouth by the tongue. Normally when a person swallows, the middle section of the tongue is placed on the roof of the mouth. When the tongue is placed between and behind the teeth, this pressure pushes the teeth apart and about, causing distortions of the face and teeth. This abnormal swallowing motion is known as “ tongue thrust.”
Myofunctional therapy (with a speech therapist) is a popular method of treating tongue thrust. As with any orthodontic treatment, the earlier a problem is detected, the less time is required for treatment.