Welcome to the Blog of

The Orthodontic Clinic, P.C.

Wisdom teeth, also known as third molars, usually emerge during our late teens or early 20s, earning their name as they coincide with adulthood. However, it may come as a surprise that not everyone develops wisdom teeth, which bares the question: Are wisdom teeth genetic? Additionally, how common is it for people to lack wisdom teeth? In this article, we will be delving into these questions and help shed light on why you should seek orthodontic care for wisdom teeth-related problems when they arrive.

If you want to improve your jawline's shape, you may have come across a technique called "mewing." People who support the mewing claim it can improve your facial structure and even straighten your teeth without needing orthodontic treatment. However, the scientific evidence behind mewing is limited, and many orthodontists are skeptical of its effectiveness. Throughout this article, we'll explore what mewing is, how it works, and whether or not it's an effective method for improving your facial features. 

Invisalign is considered one of the most popular and well-recognized clear retainer options for correcting tooth alignment throughout the U.S. It can be used to correct many orthodontic problems, including overbites. But how exactly does it correct overbites? 

A diastema is a gap or space along or between two teeth. This condition occurs when there's an unbalanced relationship between the jaw and the teeth's overall size, but alignment problems, oversized tissues, and protruding teeth can also cause it. Many factors can contribute to the gap in your smile; some are genetic, and some come from bad habits such as thumb-sucking during childhood and poor oral hygiene. Today, we'll look further into how getting treatment from your orthodontist can help close that gap for good and give you a straighter smile in return. 

One of the most frequently carried out operations in dental surgery is tooth extraction. No one ever wishes to lose a tooth, but when your dentist or oral surgeon advises it, doing so can be advantageous medically and improve your mouth's general health. Despite the procedure's potential for intimidation, you can rest easy knowing that a highly skilled and knowledgeable team is handling things for you.

If your teeth aren't aligned as well as you'd like them to be, then braces are probably the first option thought of for straightening teeth. However, there are other ways to achieve fantastic tooth alignment too. Getting straighter teeth has many health benefits, and we're here to help you decide how you want to achieve a healthier smile.

Orthodontists use various techniques to help patients align their teeth in a straighter, more aesthetically pleasing position. One of the ways they organize their treatments is by providing a treatment plan for each patient. Treatment plans are your gateway to a healthier you, and your orthodontist may already have your plan in place to help you get your teeth in proper alignment. But what exactly is a treatment plan, and how does an orthodontist do it? 

Many people visit their local orthodontist to receive braces, and once they receive braces, it can be difficult to adjust to at first. Braces have many benefits, and it's essential to know how to properly care for your braces to ensure that your teeth align within the recommended time. Your orthodontists will be able to go over how to care for your braces, and we're here to provide some tips to help you achieve a straighter, healthier smile.

Rural areas continue to suffer yearly from the lack of economic welfare, and there has been a driving need for higher-paying jobs to maintain a living. However, many orthodontists graduating from college have found themselves in significant debt, making rural areas less appealing for income. However, there's a need for orthodontic treatment no matter where you go. 

Whether you're addressing concerns with a tooth needing a crown or correcting any dental misalignments, you'll need a dental professional to deliver this kind of care. However, locations may inhibit access to this crucial form of care in areas with lesser populations and reduced income. Teledentistry is a form of care working to fill that gap, making crucial care accessible anywhere patients might live.

In orthodontics, CAD/CAM technology plays a huge role in the design of fixed appliances, clear aligners, customized appliances, and other types of retainers. Due to the developments in 3D printing, all of these devices can be fabricated in a digital environment and increase digital workflow. So how does all of this apply to patients? CAD/CAM technology allows us to create three-dimensional images that can be manipulated through computer software, and it's just one aspect of today's orthodontics that has not only increased workflow but also patient satisfaction with their treatments. This is often due to its increased focus on aesthetics - where traditional methods of treatment lacked this form of precision and care, digital workflows have created an overall better environment for their patients, providing needs that go beyond just health concerns.

One of the sole goals of dentists is to replace missing teeth, and back then, osseointegration was the primary objective for oral care. However, advances in today's technology have now led us to focus on aesthetics as the primary objective because longevity and function are more predictable than ever before. When it comes to malocclusion, the absence or presence of a missing tooth often leaves many dentists wondering whether or not to leave open space for tooth replacement or close the space using orthodontics. For those in the particular scenario of choosing between implants or braces for their treatment, it might be good to know that orthodontic work may be easier than you'd think. 

Regardless of your profession, there’s nothing that ensures success like having the right materials. Your dentist understands this and makes a point of finding the best products to use in your treatment. These practitioners share a need for artistry in their profession with cosmetic surgeons. When they’re working on cosmetic and restoration procedures, they need to produce results that are effective, resilient, and attractive. Part of achieving this goal is selecting the right products for the job.

Many general dentists are seeking out more ways to help their patients, and one of the current trending ways they're doing so is by improving their areas of specialty. General dentists have begun adding orthodontics to their skill set, allowing them to produce better results throughout the smile zone and correct complex cases of malocclusion. With this form of training pervading the dental sphere, if you've begun noticing more orthodontic options at your practice of choice, then we're here to explore this ever-growing trend further and see why more general dentists are choosing orthodontics as their focus.

Having straighter teeth can bring you more confidence and more opportunities in your life, but one undiscussed aspect of straightening your teeth is white spot lesions. Most often occurring after the removal of braces, white spot lesions are light, white spots on the surface of the tooth that are the result of demineralization caused by the wear down of the enamel. If you get white spots on your teeth are removing your braces, then there are several ways it can be treated. 

Conservative care is a term often quoted by orthodontists alike, but what does it truly mean? Orthodontics is more than braces, as it focuses on the growth and development of the jawbone and makes recommendations for treatment based on those changes. However, within conservative care, treatment options focus on either minimally invasive to non-invasive procedures that help correct orthodontic problems such as tooth misalignment.

Wearing‌ ‌braces‌ ‌often‌ ‌means‌ ‌that‌ ‌there‌ ‌will‌ ‌be‌ ‌challenges‌ ‌ahead‌ ‌with‌ ‌brushing‌ ‌and‌ ‌flossing.‌ ‌

Flossing‌ ‌is‌ ‌often‌ ‌considered‌ ‌one‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌hardest‌ ‌parts‌ ‌of‌ ‌working‌ ‌with‌ ‌braces,‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌wires‌ ‌and‌ ‌
brackets‌ ‌used‌ ‌to‌ ‌align‌ ‌the‌ ‌teeth‌ ‌often‌ ‌get‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌way‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌areas‌ ‌in‌ ‌between‌ ‌the‌ ‌teeth.‌ ‌The‌ ‌
floss‌ ‌can‌ ‌easily‌ ‌get‌ ‌stuck‌ ‌along‌ ‌the‌ ‌wires,‌ ‌pieces‌ ‌of‌ ‌floss‌ ‌can‌ ‌be‌ ‌cut‌ ‌off,‌ ‌and‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌worst‌ ‌
moments,‌ ‌attempting‌ ‌to‌ ‌floss‌ ‌can‌ ‌even‌ ‌cause‌ ‌the‌ ‌wires‌ ‌and‌ ‌brackets‌ ‌to‌ ‌fall‌ ‌out‌ ‌if‌ ‌they're‌ ‌not‌ ‌
properly‌ ‌placed.‌ ‌However,‌ ‌if‌ ‌your‌ ‌orthodontist‌ ‌has‌ ‌told‌ ‌you‌ ‌anything,‌ ‌then‌ ‌you‌ ‌know‌ ‌that‌ ‌
flossing‌ ‌is‌ ‌even‌ ‌more‌ ‌crucial‌ ‌than‌ ‌ever‌ ‌for‌ ‌your‌ ‌teeth. ‌ 

Overcrowded teeth can impact our oral health in many ways; it can lead to an increased risk of cavities due to plaque development, lead to gum disease due to the pressure the teeth place along the gums, etc. even lead to tooth decay when those factors are combined. However, one under-noted aspect of protruding teeth is that it can lead to traumatic dental injuries. For children and teenagers especially, protruding teeth have an increased risk of injury compared to aligned teeth, which can have long-term consequences on their dental health. Receiving treatment for protruding teeth is one of the best ways to prevent traumatic injuries from occurs, but how do these two areas connect?