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Get the Most out of Your Retainers

Posted on by Dr. Carlyn Phucas

BRACES OFF DAY will be here before you know it, and we’re just as excited to get there as you are, but keep in mind that it won’t be the end of your orthodontic treatment. It takes time for teeth to get used to their proper alignment, and the way we make sure they stay put is with retainers.

Keeping Retainers Clean

Retainers accumulate bacteria, plaque, and tartar while you wear them, just like teeth do, and that means they need regular cleaning, also just like teeth do. No one wants to wear a retainer that smells bad, tastes bad, is discolored, and is covered in gunk!

The cleaning process will vary a little depending on what type of retainer you have. If you have a removable retainer, rinse it in cool water and brush it at least once a day. If you have a bonded retainer, we know it can make flossing a little tricky, but it’s worth it. Tartar really likes to accumulate around a bonded retainer. Floss threaders or a water flosser can make this much easier.

Give Your Retainer the Occasional Deep Clean

Daily cleanings are important, but retainers need a more thorough cleaning every once in a while to stay in good condition. The hygienist can take care of that for a bonded retainer at your regular dental appointments, but you can clean a removable retainer at home, and it’s cheap and easy.

Either purchase special retainer-cleaning tablets or simply soak the retainer in a mixture of cool water and baking soda. Water and vinegar also work, or some hydrogen peroxide. Leave the retainer to soak for a few minutes, then rinse it and let it dry. However, make sure you never use hot water (which can warp the retainer) or harsh chemicals like bleach.

Storing a Retainer Between Uses

There’s a good chance you’ll only need to wear your retainer overnight, so what’s the best way to store it during the day? Keep in mind that harmful bacteria thrives in enclosed environments that are dark and damp, so it’s best to store a retainer somewhere dry and open to the air. (This applies to toothbrushes too.) There are some types of retainers that need to be soaked while not being worn, so check with us on the specific needs of your retainer.

Do Retainers Really Matter This Much?

Absolutely! We touched on this before, but the reason we need retainers after braces is that the supporting structures around our teeth aren’t immediately used to their new position when the braces come off. The jaw bone and periodontal ligament need time to finish adjusting. Patients who don’t bother to wear their retainers might end up needing braces again before long. Nobody wants that to happen.

Bring Us Your Retainer Questions

Whether you’re still in braces and want to be prepared or you’re already in the retention phase of treatment; whether your retainers are made of wire and acrylic or clear plastic, we want you to have all the information you need. The more you know, the easier it will be to maintain a great result for your smile!

Congratulations to every patient moving from braces to retainers!

 

 

 

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Lip and Tongue Ties

Posted on by Dr. Carlyn Phucas

DID YOU KNOW that it is possible to be tongue-tied in a medical sense? That’s right, it’s not just an expression. Lip ties and tongue ties are what we call it when the thin pieces of tissue that connect the upper lip to the gums and the tongue to the floor of the mouth are thicker and tighter than usual. These pieces of tissue are called frenula (frenum singular).

What’s Normal for a Frenum?

A normal frenum is supposed to be thin and highly elastic. This allows free mobility of the lips and tongue, which we need in order to chew, swallow, and talk normally. When the frenum under the tongue is too restrictive, it makes it harder to pronounce words correctly or chew effectively. Some people with tongue ties can’t even touch their tongues to the roofs of their mouths! They also can’t use their tongues to clean pieces of stuck food away.

A lip tie affects the frenum between the upper lip and the gums. Infants with lip ties may not be able to effectively latch when breastfeeding, and it can cause a large gap between the front teeth when they grow in as well as increasing the risk of gum recession.

Frenectomies: Untying Lips and Tongues

Fortunately lip and tongue ties are easy to correct, thanks to a simple surgery called frenectomy. A frenectomy removes or reduces the abnormal frenum. It can be done quickly and there isn’t a long recovery period afterward. The doctor simply numbs the area and makes a small incision in the frenulum to release the lip or tongue. One technique to make recovery time even shorter and further reduce the risk of complications is to use laser surgery.

This procedure is one worth learning more about if you believe you or your child might have a lip tie or a tongue tie, particularly if it’s causing pain or discomfort, in addition to the complications mentioned above. After the surgery, make sure to follow the doctor’s instructions carefully so that recovery will be as quick and smooth as possible!

Who Can Diagnose a Tongue or Lip Tie?

Most of us are fortunate enough to have thin, stretchy frenula that don’t get in the way of the movement of our lips and tongue, but if you or your child are having difficulties, a dentist is a good person to see to get a diagnosis. The dentist can then determine whether a frenectomy would be a good solution.

 

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

A Quick Round of Orthodontic FAQs

Posted on by Dr. Carlyn Phucas

A LOT OF PEOPLE don’t know very much about how orthodontic treatment works, which means that we tend to hear a lot of the same questions from our patients. Let’s head some of those off with a quick Q-and-A session, but make sure you bring any questions we don’t cover here to your next appointment!

What is a malocclusion?

“Malocclusion” means “bad bite” in Latin, and it’s the umbrella term for the following problems:

  • Overbites: the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth more than they should when biting down
  • Underbites: the lower teeth cover the upper teeth when biting down
  • Crossbites: some upper teeth are in front and others are behind when biting down
  • Deep bites: an overbite so extreme that the lower teeth touch the gums behind the upper teeth when biting down

Each type of malocclusion comes with a different set of dental health risks and other problems (including interfering with speech and chewing), and the only way to correct them is with orthodontic treatment.

Can orthodontic patients still play musical instruments?

Trumpets, flutes, and other instruments with a mouthpiece aren’t the easiest to play with braces, but it’s certainly still possible. Expect an adjustment period and a few extra hours of practice to get the hang of it, and don’t hesitate to talk to us if you’re still struggling. We might be able to find a solution that allows you to keep playing!

Will wearing extra rubber bands make my treatment go faster?

Every treatment plan is unique to the patient, which means your plan is already as efficient as it can be. Wearing extra rubber bands won’t shorten your treatment time; it will just cause new problems and make the overall treatment last even longer! The best way to get to Braces Off Day on time is to follow all of our instructions exactly.

Is it possible to be too old for orthodontic treatment?

As a culture, we tend to think of braces as being mainly for teenagers, and there are definitely advantages to getting orthodontic treatment as a teenager, but adults can get braces too. Don’t feel like you’ve missed your chance to get the properly aligned smile you deserve because you’re not a teenager anymore; schedule a consultation with us and we’ll see how we can help!

How long will my treatment take?

Like we said before, every patient’s orthodontic treatment is unique, so your treatment time will depend on the complexity of your case and how well you follow the orthodontist’s instructions. Simple cases may only take a few months to fix, while complex ones that involve a serious malocclusion or an impacted tooth can run closer to two years. It’s important to have realistic expectations and not compare your treatment time to someone else’s.

Did We Miss Your Question?

We don’t want any of our patients to worry over unanswered questions. Patient education is a great step towards patient confidence. If you have a burning orthodontic question that we didn’t answer here, give us a call or ask us at your next appointment!

We have the best patients!

 

 

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Impacted Teeth and Orthodontic Treatment

Posted on by Dr. Carlyn Phucas

NO TWO SMILES ARE the same, and the teeth that make them don’t always come in at the same rates. Some people get their adult teeth ahead of schedule, others get them late, and a few are left wondering if a tooth got lost on its way out. These are the impacted teeth. Most of the time, wisdom teeth are the ones that end up impacted, but not always.

Impacted Wisdom Teeth

If there isn’t enough room for an adult tooth to come in, it might remain partially or fully beneath the gums, or even headed in the wrong direction entirely. This happens to a lot of wisdom teeth, and that can mean trouble for the roots of the neighboring molars if they aren’t extracted in time. Impacted wisdom teeth don’t necessarily impact orthodontic treatment.

Other Impacted Teeth

After the wisdom teeth, the most likely teeth to be impacted are the upper canines. This issue can even be genetic. In most cases, only one of the canines will be impacted, but sometimes they both are. Why the upper canines in particular? These are the teeth affected because they come in last after the incisors and premolars that neighbor them, and there isn’t always enough room left for them.

Tooth Impaction Complications

When teeth can’t erupt like they’re supposed to, there can be complications like infections, gum disease, nerve damage, and cavities. Symptoms include bad breath or a persistent bad taste, tenderness and pain around the jaw, jaw and headaches, and swollen gums or lymph nodes. They also leave visible gaps between teeth where the impacted tooth should be.

These symptoms don’t affect everyone with an impacted tooth. If it’s the upper canine, the baby tooth might not ever become loose because the adult tooth isn’t in the right place to push on it. The canine teeth form the “corners” of the smile, in a sense, so this can have a big affect on appearance.

Pulling Impacted Teeth Into Place

Tooth impaction can’t really be prevented, but impacted wisdom teeth can be extracted and impacted canines can often be moved into place with a combination of oral surgery and orthodontic treatment. Dental X-rays will identify the impacted tooth, and then the orthodontist will make a plan for how to go forward.

Don’t Leave a Gap in That Smile!

If you have an impacted canine tooth and haven’t begun orthodontic treatment, we recommend scheduling a consultation. If correction is recommended rather than extraction, people with an impacted canine can expect their treatment to take a little longer than it would otherwise, but they’ll have a complete, straight smile in the end!

Our goal is getting our patients the straight, healthy smiles of their dreams!

 

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

Get the Most out of Your Toothbrush

Posted on by Dr. Carlyn Phucas

AN IMPORTANT PART of keeping your teeth and gums healthy is your toothbrush. That might seem so obvious that it’s not worth saying, but you’d be surprised how many basic mistakes people make when it comes to their toothbrushes. We want to make sure our patients will get the most out of their best teeth-cleaning tools!

1. Replace Your Toothbrush Regularly

Look at your toothbrush. Are the bristles frayed or bent? Are some missing? You might be well overdue for a replacement toothbrush. The American Dental Association recommends that we replace our toothbrushes at least three times a year, because old, worn-out bristles can’t do a very effective job of cleaning teeth.

2. Take Your Time When You Brush

As often as dentists everywhere remind patients to brush for two full minutes, the average is only about 45 seconds. This simply isn’t long enough to get the full cleaning effect. The repeated motions are what clear plaque and food particles away, and we shouldn’t be skimping on that. We encourage our patients to help move that average closer to the recommended two minutes! Playing a song or setting a timer are great ways to keep track of the time.

3. Brush Gently (and Use a Gentle Brush)

When we’re cleaning grout out of the tiles in the kitchen, it often requires a little elbow grease. We understand how some people might get the idea that it’s the same with teeth and gums, but that’s simply not true. Brushing hard or using a firm-bristled brush can actually result in gum recession over time. We recommend soft bristles and a gentle hand. Brushing harder does not mean brushing better!

4. Wait 30 Minutes After Eating Before Brushing

One of the most common mistakes people make with brushing is to do so immediately after a meal. This isn’t a great idea, because the acids in our food and drink temporarily weaken our tooth enamel. If we brush then, we can accidentally cause enamel erosion. That’s why waiting at least half an hour to brush is a good idea; it gives our saliva enough time to neutralize the acid and begin the remineralization process.

5. Store Your Toothbrush Properly

If your toothbrush carries a funky smell, it could be because you aren’t giving it a chance to fully dry between uses. To keep a toothbrush fresh and devoid of moisture-loving bacteria, we should always store our toothbrushes upright and give them enough air flow to dry out. No more toothbrush covers! (And also keep them as far from the toilet as possible.)

6. How’s Your Brushing Technique?

Even brushing twice a day for the full two minutes with a soft-bristled brush that you store correctly won’t be able to fully offset poor brushing technique. Keep in mind that the goal is to get plaque and food particles out of the gum-line. Hold the brush at a 45° angle to your gums and gently sweep it in circular motions. Get each area of the mouth at least fifteen times, both on the outside and the tongue side, as well as the chewing surfaces.

Bring Us All Your Toothbrush Questions!

If you’d like any more tips about how to get the most out of your toothbrush, whether you’re looking for technique pointers or recommendations on the best toothbrush for you, we’re happy to help. And don’t forget to floss each day too!

 

Make sure you’re also keeping up with your regular cleaning appointments!

 

 

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

How Braces Move Teeth

Posted on by Dr. Carlyn Phucas

 

FORMER AND CURRENT braces-wearers know firsthand how much of an effect a few pieces of metal can have on a smile with the help of a skilled orthodontist. It’s pretty incredible, but how does this process actually work? What do the different parts of the appliance do, and how do the tissues of the mouth respond?

The Anatomy of Braces

Let’s quickly go through a list of the basic parts of a typical orthodontic appliance: the arch-wires, the brackets, and the bands (sometimes called o-rings or ligatures). Depending on what the patient needs, they may have additional pieces to help with their treatment plan. A common addition is rubber bands, which help with correcting a bad bite. If your treatment includes rubber bands, make sure to follow the orthodontist’s instructions exactly! Don’t forget them or double them up, because either will result in your treatment taking longer!

The Brackets

Brackets are the metal pieces that are cemented onto each tooth. When the orthodontist places the brackets, the position has to be just right so that the pressure applied by the braces will be in the right direction and move the teeth where they’re supposed to be. That’s why a new orthodontic patient might look like their braces have a lot of zig-zags in their shape!

The Arch-wires

Once the brackets are in place, the arch-wires can go in. These are the strips of flexible metal that will attach to the brackets and be held in place by the colorful bands. The thickness of the arch-wire and the material it’s made of are important considerations in a patient’s treatment. Over time, arch-wires provide steady, gradual pressure to guide teeth into their correct positions.

The Biology of Moving Teeth

Now we know what the different parts of braces are for, but none of that would matter if the human body wasn’t as amazing as it is. Two critical types of bone cells are involved in reshaping a smile: osteoclasts and osteoblasts. When steady pressure is applied around a tooth, osteoclasts break down the bone tissue in the way to make room for the tooth to move. On the other side, osteoblasts build new bone tissue to keep the tooth’s root snugly encased within the jaw.

Just think about that. Our jaws are capable of literally reshaping themselves in response to the pressure from braces! It’s important to note that it takes more time for the new bone tissue to grow behind the teeth than it does for it to be broken down. That’s one reason why it’s so important to wear retainers after the braces come off. The new bone tissue needs time to finish growing so the teeth don’t shift back to a crooked position!

Bring Us Your Braces Questions!

Braces are our passion, and we’re happy to answer any questions you have about how they do what they do. So whether you’re thinking of getting them or you’re a current patient who wants to learn more, just give us a call!

 

No one has better smiles than our patients!

 

 

The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.

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