Smile Designer Blog

Do teeth ever stop moving?

2012-02-19T16:25:00.000-05:00

Teeth continue to move throughout an adult’s lifetime according to a study at Malmo University in Sweden who followed 35 adults for an average of 38 years. That's why many orthodontists urge their patients to continue to wear their retainers for a lifetime.

Lots of Study Pays Off For Tina Neaves

2012-02-11T16:23:00.000-05:00

Congratulations to Tina. She passed the Maryland Expanded Function Exam In Orthodontics at the end of January. Quite an achievement!

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2011-09-30T03:08:00.001-04:00

When should I look for the early warning signs of a bad bite?

2011-04-20T11:48:00.000-04:00

It is most important to examine your child's teeth as the permanent teeth grow in. Although children mature at different rates, there are some averages for permanent tooth arrival. Some signs that may indicate the need for an early orthodontic examination:
1)   early or late loss of baby teeth
2)   difficulty chewing or biting
3)   crowding, malpositioned, or blocked out teeth
4)   jaws that make sounds
5)   biting the cheek or roof of the mouth
6)   teeth that do not meet at all
7)   jaws and teeth that are out of proportion to the rest of the face
8)   finger sucking or pacifier habits continued beyond the age of six
9)   top front teeth stick out, protrude or are "bucked"
10) baby teeth that do not grow to full height like their neighbors
11) top front teeth grow in behind the bottom front teeth
12) top front teeth cover more than 25% of the bottom front teeth when the back teeth are biting together
13) weak chin or prominent chin
14) neighboring teeth shifting into bad positions when a tooth between them has been removed
15) centers of the top and bottom front teeth don't line up
16) teeth wearing unevenly
17) jaws that shift off center when the teeth bite together
18) excessive spaces between teeth that persist after the top permanent canine teeth appear
19) embarrassing teeth or smile often hidden by hands

Source: Frequently Asked Questions About Orthodontic Care at Orthodontics.org

Are braces necessary?

2011-04-15T11:05:00.000-04:00

No. They are elective but people seldom grow out of the more severe problems. Braces treatment can prevent other unpleasant problems from developing later in life. The newly developed brace-less Clear Aligner Therapies are an alternative to braces for some types of bites.

FAQ About Orthodontic Care at orthodontics.org

What questions should you ask a family dentist who offers to do your braces or Clear Aligner Therapy?

2011-04-11T12:17:00.001-04:00

What kind of formal orthodontic training have you had beyond dental school? Are you licensed as an orthodontist by the Maryland Board of Dental Examiners? Do you treat all orthodontic cases, even the most complex? Have orthodontists finished orthodontic work that you have started?

What should you take home from the orthodontic consultation?

2011-04-09T13:06:00.000-04:00

The reason that treatment is needed. The optimal time for starting treatment. The treatment approach that will be used. The length of treatment. The expected appearance when treatment is completed. The past success rate of the recommended treatment with other patients. The pros and cons of treatment. The treatment cost and financing options. The possible outcome if nothing is done.

FAQ about orthodontic care at orthodontics.org

Who should come to the initial consultation besides the patient?

2011-04-09T13:01:00.000-04:00

If you rely heavily on the opinion of others before making treatment commitments, you are encouraged to bring all the decision makers with you to this consultation. They can be taking notes while you listen or act as a sounding board. Your orthodontist doesn't want information lost in translation if decision maker does not come and you have to relay the consultation outcome to them.

FAQ about orthodontic care at orthodontics.org

Why do orthodontists want to screen for bad bites no later than age 7?

2011-04-09T12:37:00.000-04:00

GIRLS ARE BEGINNING PUBERTY AT A YOUNGER AGE The age at which girls begin puberty has fallen in the past two decades, and a new study shows this trend is continuing in some populations in the U.S. The study, “Pubertal Assessment Method and Baseline Characteristics in a Mixed Longitudinal Study of Girls,” published in the September 2010 issue of Pediatrics (published online Aug. 9), assessed the onset of puberty in more than 1,200 girls in three cities. Researchers found that 10.4 percent of white non-Hispanic girls had begun puberty at age 7, measured by breast development, compared to 23.4 percent of black girls and 14.9 percent of Hispanic girls. Among 8-year-olds, puberty had begun in 18.3 percent of white non-Hispanic girls, 42.9 percent of black girls and 30.9 percent of Hispanic girls. The numbers among white non-Hispanic girls represent a significant increase over rates seen in a 1997 study. What causes puberty to begin is thought to be a combination of genetics, environment and individual factors such as weight.

Many orthodontic corrections must be started at or before the pubertal growth spurt.

This is what I do. Let me create a beautiful smile for you!

2011-01-23T17:52:00.000-05:00