If your child still has baby teeth, you may wonder whether it is too early to think about braces or visiting an orthodontist. The short answer is no. A child doesn’t need to lose all their baby teeth before seeing an orthodontist. In some cases, orthodontic treatment can even begin while both baby and permanent … Continued
As long as your retainer doesn’t hurt and still fits over your teeth, you can wear it – even if it feels tight. Your teeth may have slightly shifted, and you may need to wear your retainer longer each day to prevent your teeth from moving.
Swollen or bleeding gums can be concerning, especially during orthodontic treatment. Braces can make it harder to clean around brackets, wires, and the gumline, so plaque and food particles can build up. Some temporary tooth or mouth tenderness can happen after braces are placed or adjusted. However, persistent redness, swelling, or bleeding should not be … Continued
There are plenty of things your orthodontist will tell you directly. Wear your elastics. Wear your aligners as instructed. Brush carefully around your braces. Keep your appointments. But there are also things they wish more patients understood about what is happening behind the scenes. Orthodontic treatment is about more than making teeth look straighter. Your … Continued
Getting your braces off is a big moment. Your smile has been changing for months, maybe years. Now it’s finally time to see the result. But braces removal isn’t the last step. There’s a bit more to know about what happens after braces come off, from how your teeth may feel to why a retainer … Continued
Starting orthodontic treatment brings up a lot of questions that have nothing to do with brackets or aligner trays. How long will this take? Is it going to hurt? What happens if something breaks on a Friday night? Here’s what to actually expect, from your first weeks of treatment to the day your retainer comes … Continued
If you or your child needs dental work, you may have heard the terms dentist, orthodontist, and oral surgeon used almost interchangeably. They’re not the same, though, and knowing what each one does can help you get the right care faster. Here’s a simple breakdown of each provider, where their work overlaps, and when they … Continued
If you are considering braces but want a less noticeable option than traditional metal brackets, ceramic braces may be worth discussing with an orthodontist. Ceramic braces work much like traditional braces: they use brackets and wires to guide teeth into better alignment gradually. The main difference is appearance. Instead of stainless steel brackets, ceramic braces … Continued
The goal of early orthodontic treatment is to intercept developing problems, eliminate the cause, guide the growth of facial and jaw bones, and provide adequate space for permanent teeth.
Whether you’re 8 or 80, it’s the same physiological process that moves teeth through bone. Adults do have denser bone tissue than children, but age does not keep teeth from moving.
