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Orthodontic Frequently
Asked Questions /
Orthodontic Terms Orthodontic Frequently Asked Questions
What
age should my child have an orthodontic evaluation? What age should my child have an orthodontic evaluation?
The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO)
recommends an orthodontic screening for children by the age of 7 years.
At age 7 the teeth and jaws are developed enough so that Dr. Winn can see if there will be any serious bite problems in the
future. Most of the time treatment is not necessary at age 7, but it
gives parents and Dr. Winn time to watch the development of your
child and decide on the best mode of treatment. When you have time on
your side you can plan ahead and prevent the formation of serious
problems. Why is it important to have orthodontic treatment at a young age? Research has shown that serious orthodontic problems can be more easily corrected when the patient’s skeleton is still growing and flexible. By correcting the skeletal problems at a younger age we can prepare the mouth for the eventual eruption of the permanent teeth. If the permanent teeth have adequate space to erupt they will come in fairly straight. If the teeth erupt fairly straight their tendency to get crooked again after the braces come off is diminished significantly. After the permanent teeth have erupted, usually from age 12-14, complete braces are placed for final alignment and detailing of the bite. Thus the final stage of treatment is quicker and easier on the patient. This phase of treatment usually lasts from 12 - 18 month and is not usually started until all of the permanent teeth are erupted.
Doing orthodontic treatments in two phases provides excellent results, often allowing the doctor to avoid removal of
permanent teeth and jaw surgery. The treatment done when some of the
baby teeth are still present is called Phase-1. The last part of
treatment after all the permanent teeth have erupted is called Phase-2.
Crowded teeth, thumb sucking, tongue
thrusting, premature loss of baby teeth, a poor breathing airway caused
by enlarged adenoids or tonsils can all contribute to poor tooth
positioning. And then there are the hereditary factors. Extra teeth,
large teeth, missing teeth, wide spacing, small jaws - all can be causes
of crowded teeth.
Tooth movement is a natural response to
light pressure over a period of time. Pressure is applied by using a
variety of orthodontic hardware (appliances), the most common being a
brace or bracket attached to the teeth and connected by an arch wire.
Periodic changing of these arch wires puts pressure on the teeth. At
different stages of treatment your child may wear a headgear, elastics,
a positioner or a retainer. Most orthodontic appointments are scheduled
4 to 8 weeks apart to give the teeth time to move.
When teeth are first moved, discomfort may
result. This usually lasts about 24 hours. Patients report a
lessening of pain as the treatment progresses. Pain medicines such as
acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) usually relieve the
pain.
Arch
Wire / Brackets
/
Band & Loop (B&L)
/
Elastics (Rubber Bands)
The part of your braces which actually moves
the teeth. The arch wire is attached to the brackets by small elastic
donuts or ligature wires. Arch Wires are changed throughout the
treatment. Each change brings you closer to the ideal tooth position.
Brackets are the “Braces” or small attachments that are bonded directly to the tooth surface. The brackets are the part of your braces to which the dentist or assistant attaches the arch wire.
Occasionally, a bracket may come loose and
become an irritation to your child's mouth. Call our office as soon
as possible and make an appointment to re-glue the bracket.
A Band & Loop is routinely used to hold space for a missing primary (baby) posterior (back) tooth until the permanent tooth can grown in.
At some time during treatment, it may be
necessary to wear elastics to coordinate the upper and lower teeth and
perfect the bite. Once teeth begin to move in response to elastics, they
move rapidly and comfortably. If elastics (rubber bands) are worn
intermittently, they will continually "shock" the teeth and cause more
soreness. When elastics are worn one day and left off the next,
treatment slows to a standstill or stops. Wear your elastics correctly, attaching them as you
were instructed. Wear elastics all the time, unless otherwise directed. Take
your elastics off while brushing and eating.
These are used to help modify the growth of
the jaws in children. The theory behind their action is that if you hold
a jaw in a specific position long enough, that it will grow into that
position. The result is a combination of jaw growth and tooth movement.
The headgear
is used to correct a protrusion of the upper or lower jaw. It works by
inhibiting the upper jaw from growing forward, or the downward growth of
the upper jaw or even by encouraging teeth to move forward.
Poor positioning of the teeth. Types of Malocclusion:
The alignment and spacing of your upper and lower teeth when you bite down. Types of Occlusion:
Donuts, also called O-rings or A-lastics, are little
rubber bands used to attach the arch wire to the brackets. These rings come in
standard gray or clear, but also come in a wide variety of colors to
make braces more fun. Donuts are changed frequently to
maintain good attachment of the arch wire to the bracket, enabling our
patients to enjoy many different color schemes throughout treatment.
Vertical overlapping of the upper teeth over the lower.
Horizontal projection of the upper teeth
beyond the lower.
An appliance which is placed in the roof of the mouth to widen the upper dental arch. The maxilla, or upper dental arch, is joined in the center by a joint, which allows it to be separated and spread. Temporarily a space develop between the upper two front teeth. This will slowly go away in a few days. Once this has occurred, the two halves knit back together and new bone fills in the space.
Care of appliance: Have your child use their
water pick and brush the appliance and roof of their mouth thoroughly.
A plastic or rubber donut piece which Dr.
Winn uses to create space between your teeth for bands.
Braces Care / Appliance Care / Elastics Care / Proper Diet You will be shown the proper care of your braces when your orthodontic treatment begins. Proper cleansing of your mouth is necessary every time you eat. Teeth with braces are harder to clean, and trap food very easily. If food is left lodged on the brackets and wires, it can cause unsightly spots on the enamel. Your most important job is to keep your mouth clean. If food is allowed to collect, the symptoms of gum disease will show in your mouth. The gums will swell and bleed and the pressure from the swelling will slow down tooth movement. BRUSHING: You should brush your teeth 4-5 times per day.
Look in a mirror to see if you have missed any places. Your teeth, brackets and wires should be free of any food particles and plaque. Note: If your gums bleed when brushing, do not avoid brushing, but rather continue stimulating the area with the bristles. Be sure to angle your toothbrush so that the area under your gum line is cleaned. After 3 or 4 days of proper brushing, the bleeding should stop and your gums should be healthy again. FLOSSING: Use a special floss threader to floss with your braces on. Be sure to floss at least once per day.
FLUORIDE RINSE OR GEL: May be
recommended for preventive measures.
Clean the retainer by brushing it and
soaking it in a cleaning solution (such as Efferdent). If you are wearing a lower
bonded retainer, be extra careful
to brush the wire and the inside of the lower teeth. Always bring your
retainer to each appointment. Avoid flipping the retainer with your
tongue, this can cause damage to your teeth. Place the retainer in the
plastic case when it is re-moved from your mouth. Never wrap the
retainer in a paper napkin or tissue, someone may throw it away. Don't
put it in your pocket or you may break or lose it. Excessive heat will
warp and ruin the retainer.
Orthodontic Emergencies or Problems
Loose Bracket
/ Poking Wire
/ Wire
out of Back Brace
Please feel free to contact our office if
you are experiencing any discomfort or if you have any questions. Below
are a few simple steps that might help if you are unable to contact us
or if you need a “quick fix”.
Occasionally, a glued bracket may come
loose. Call our office as soon as possible in order for us to allow
time to re-glue the bracket.
If a wire is poking your gums or cheek there
are several things you can try until you can get to the office for an
appointment. First try a ball of wax on the wire that is causing the
irritation. Sometimes, a poking
wire can be safely turned down so that it no longer causes discomfort.
To do this you may use a pencil eraser, or some other smooth object, and
tuck the offending wire back out of the way. Please call our
office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment to fix this.
Please be careful to avoid hard or sticky
foods that may bend the wire or cause it to come out of the back brace.
If this does happen, you may use needle nose pliers or tweezers to put
the wire back into the hole in the back brace. Please call the
office as soon as possible to schedule an appointment to fix this.
Poking Elastic (Rubber Band) Hook
Some brackets have small hooks on them for
elastic wear. These hooks can occasionally become irritating to the lips
or cheeks. If this happens, you may either use a pencil eraser to
carefully push the hook in, or you can place a ball of wax on the
hook to make the area feel smooth.
You may be experiencing some discomfort after beginning treatment or at the change of wires or adjusting of appliances. This is normal and should diminish within 24-72 hours. A few suggestions to help with the discomfort:
Invisalign® can give you the beautiful straight teeth you've always wanted. It works through a series of invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners that no one can tell you're wearing. So you can smile more during treatment as well as after.
What is Invisalign®?
How does Invisalign® Work?
How are Aligners Made? You'd be Amazed...
For more information concerning Invisalign® click here to go to their website. Home
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A lower lingual arch is a space maintainer
for the lower teeth. It maintains the molars where they are, it does not
move them. This is fabricated by placing bands on the molars and
connecting them to a wire that fits up against the inside of the lower
teeth. It keeps the molars from migrating forward and prevents them from
blocking off the space of teeth that develop later. This is used when
your child experiences early loss of baby teeth or when lower teeth are
slightly to moderately crowded.
