A 12. That depends. If your teeth are very crowded and they are protruding far forward (stick out), removing teeth may be an excellent choice for you. Typically, most orthodontist choose to extract two upper back teeth (premolars) and two lower premolars to accomplish the goals of treatment. Other choices may include the removal of only two upper teeth while still other cases may require the removal of only one lower front tooth. When Dr.

This is a common question and one that has to be answered on an individual basis. In general, major crowding of the teeth is best solved with braces or orthodontics, however minor to moderate crowding can also be corrected by cosmetic dentistry. This involves cosmetic bonding, placement of veneers or crowns on the teeth. These procedures do not move the teeth as do braces, but rather reshape the teeth to provide the appearance of healthy smile.

Non-extraction treatment is normally planned; however, balanced facial profiles sometimes demand the removal of teeth. Our goal is to render a service that is cosmetically pleasing and functionally acceptable.

Straight teeth and a balanced facial profile are the goal of orthodontics. New technology has provided advanced orthodontic techiniques that greatly reduce the need for removing any teeth.

According to a recent ArchWired.com poll, most people begin see changes in their teeth in the first 2 to 6 weeks of treatment.

Braces use steady, gentle pressure over time to move teeth into their proper positions. They don't look like they're doing much just sitting there. but in fact, every moment or your orthodontic treatment, there's something happening in your mouth. Something good for you. The brackets we place on your teeth and the main archwire that connects them, are the two main components.The bracket is a piece of specially shaped metal or ceramic that we affix to each tooth.

First, rinse with warm water a couple of times to dislodge any food particles. You can also use a rubber-tipped gum massager to dislodge any particularly stubborn particles that are badly stuck in your brackets. Now you can use a small amount of toothpaste and brush your teeth. It is best to use circular, vibrating motions around the gum line. Angle your toothbrush above and below the brackets. Scrub each surface of every tooth with 10 strokes of the toothbrush.

It's a little tricky at first. You must thread the floss under the arch wire between each tooth, floss under the gumline, then remove it. Repeat for each tooth. At first it will take about 15 minutes to floss all of your teeth, but with practice you will get faster and more efficient at doing it. It is important to floss EVERY NIGHT. Even if you use a Waterpik device, you should still floss.

A 11. Braces consist of brackets (mini-handles) bonded (glued) on to most of the 12 or 14 teeth in each jaw. A thin highly flexible wire is fastened to each bracket on each tooth. Suppose a tooth is incorrectly positioned; let us assume it is a tooth that is depressed inwardly and we want to bring it more forward. When we fasten (attach) the wire to all the teeth with brackets the wire flexes in to attach to the depressed tooth.

Not necessarily. Instant orthodontics is a procedure that straightens teeth using bonded porcelain veneers or crowns instead of braces. It can close large gaps between your teeth and correct overcrowding in one or two visits. Your teeth become naturally stronger by the bonded porcelain veneers. However if we feel the final results will be improved by orthodontics then we will discuss these treatment options.

Tooth removal may be required in some cases to address severe crowding and provide a more stable final result. The trend in orthodontics has been to treat more cases without the extraction of permanent teeth, but we still have to consider it as the best option for some patients. Treatment plans are customized for each patient and a number of factors determine if permanent teeth need to be removed prior to start of treatment.

Patients with braces must be careful to avoid hard and sticky foods. They must not chew on pens, pencils or fingernails because chewing on hard things can damage the braces. Damaged braces will almost always cause treatment to take longer and will require extra trips to the orthodontist’s office. Keeping the teeth and braces clean requires more precision and time and must be done every day if the teeth and gums are to be healthy during and after orthodontic treatment.

The brace will not mark the teeth. If dental plaque is allowed to become thick around the brace the plaque itself may damage the teeth. Instruction will be given on the use of special brushes. A daily fluoride mouth rinse can be used to harden areas that are very difficult to clean. Care must be taken to choose an alcohol-free, pH-balanced rinse. Certain foods and drinks may also lead to damage. You should avoid drinking lots of fizzy drinks and keep in-between-meal snacks to a minimum.

Yes. When teeth are missing, adjacent teeth will drift into the empty space. This will cause a functional, esthetic or periodontal problem. Orthodontic treatment will correct and prevent these problems from happening and will also provide proper alignment for your dentist to replace the missing teeth. [Back to top]

Getting braces put on your teeth does not hurt, and does not require Novocain injections or anything painful. For a full description of the process, read Braces Basics: When the Braces Go On.

Some patients simply cannot stand the color of their teeth and need to have the procedure done before the braces are bonded on. We are willing to do the whitening before the braces are put on and repeat the procedure at a reduced fee when the braces are removed. Yes, the fee can be paid in two payments if the procedure is being performed in two sessions (top first then bottom). If you are having top and bottom whitened at the same visit the fee must be paid all at once.