Education

Orthodontists are dental professionals who specialize in straightening your teeth. They can help you with jaw alignment, bite problems, and misaligned or crowded teeth.

A narrow maxilla bone doesn’t only create crowding within the mouth, but can also impact facial structure, create an obstructed nasal passage, and cause obstructive sleep apnea.

Teeth erupt into the mouth when they’re developed and there is room. Most adult teeth push out the baby tooth’s roots and then take their place. On rare occasions, the tooth cannot come in completely due to lack of space; this is called an impacted tooth.

Many people hold off on orthodontic treatment because they’re concerned about what they’ve heard. Luckily, many of the negative connotations around braces and orthodontic treatment are myths! Here are a few of the more common myths about braces broken down and debunked.

How do braces transform crooked teeth into beautiful smiles? Pressure. Braces or Invisalign keep your teeth under constant pressure making them move.

An orthodontist can tell a lot about your jaw and teeth just when you smile. But, there’s a lot more than meets the eye underneath the surface of your teeth and gums.

While using pacifiers or sucking on fingers is normal for babies and young children, The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) recommends that parents should wean their children from non-nutritive sucking by age 3.

Breathing problems are fairly common, but they can be difficult to diagnose. A person's breathing problems can be caused by a variety of factors, including dental issues.

Although braces themselves apply forces to teeth to modify their alignment, they only work well in patients who have solid support around the roots of their teeth. In other patients, TADs can be used to provide additional support until the desired tooth movement has been achieved.

As children develop, their teeth and facial bones develop their “bite.” When a bite is not considered perfect, meaning anything other than the teeth lining up and resting together when the mouth is closed, is considered a malocclusion.

Wearing a retainer is actually the most important part of your orthodontic treatment. If you don’t wear it as instructed, your teeth will possibly drift; making all of your previous orthodontic treatment pointless.

If your child is around 7 years old, it’s time for orthodontic x-rays and a quick exam. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children be screened by an orthodontist at age 7.