Category: Post

Am I A Candidate for a Retainer, A retainer is a custom-made orthodontic device that fits over the top of the teeth and mouth. It’s made of plastic or plastic and metal, and it’s very common for kids and adults to have to wear a retainer.

WHY WOULD SOMEONE NEED ONE?

Retainers are often used for the following reasons:

• After you get your braces off – A retainer can help your teeth stay in their new positions. Especially for kids who are still growing, a retainer helps control teeth that could shift as you grow. Some people have to wear a retainer all day and then only at night, while others have to wear it only at night.
• To close a space between your teeth or to move only one tooth – Since retainers can do a good job in these cases, they can help you avoid having to wear braces.
• To help with a medical problem – Retainers can help correct conditions such as tongue thrust, which causes your tongue to come through your teeth when you talk. It can also help with temporomandibular disorder (TMD), a disorder that’s usually caused by teeth that don’t fit together as they should when your jaws are closed. Retainers can also help keep your mouth from closing completely at night so you don’t grind your teeth (bruxism).

WHAT ARE SIGNS THAT YOU MAY NEED ONE?

Am I A Candidate for a Retainer, You may need a retainer if you have braces and your teeth have slightly shifted. Your orthodontist may also recommend them to prevent the chance that shifting will occur.

You may also benefit from wearing a retainer if you have gaps in between your teeth, overlapping teeth or crooked teeth. And if you grind your teeth or have “bite” problems, meaning your teeth don’t fit together properly when your jaw is shut, you may also need a retainer.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF WEARING A RETAINER?

Recommendations now suggested by the American Association of Orthodontists is to wear a retainer for the rest of your life once orthodontic treatment is completed and at night – after initial stabilization period of full time wear. The following are some benefits you’ll receive when wearing a retainer:

• More comfortable and less bulky than many other orthodontic treatments
• Maintains positive changes achieved by braces
• Effective for treating a wide variety of issues
• Easy to wear and clean
• Less noticeable than other treatments
• Custom-designed for your teeth and mouth

If you’d like to find out whether a retainer could improve your smile, make an appointment today with Amazing Smiles Orthodontist. We have convenient offices located in NYC boroughs and have provided high quality, affordable orthodontic care throughout the New York metro area for more than 30 years.

ADVANTAGES OF INVISALIGN BROOKLYN, CEDARHURST, FOREST HILLS

Advantages of Invisalign, Although traditional metal braces remain a popular method of fixing crooked or misaligned teeth, many find having a mouth full of brackets and wires uncomfortable and unsightly. Fortunately, Invisalign provides an excellent alternative to conventional braces. The Invisalign system involves wearing a series of clear aligners that slowly change the alignment of your teeth over time, providing results that are practically identical to wearing traditional braces. Here are just a few reasons to use Invisalign to improve your smile.

Appearance

The biggest advantage of Invisalign for adults is that it is much more aesthetically pleasing than wearing braces. Invisalign aligners are made from clear plastic, and they are practically invisible when they are worn. Most people won’t know that you are wearing an aligner at all.

SAFETY AND COMFORT ADVANTAGES INVISALIGN BROOKLYN

Even though traditional braces are perfectly safe when they are properly cared for, many people still don’t like how they feel. Metal brackets and wires have been known to rub the insides of cheeks and lips raw, and broken braces can cut the inside of your mouth. This is rarely a problem with Invisalign. While you will need to make sure that your aligners remain in good shape, wearing them will almost always be more comfortable – and arguably safer – than metal braces.

Convenience

One of the bigger headaches of wearing braces is having to maintain them. Food gets caught in them easily, they can make proper dental care more of a hassle, and you will need to make an appointment with your orthodontist if you need to have them repaired. With Invisalign, you can remove your aligner when you sit down to eat and when you brush or floss your teeth. You might still need to make an appointment to replace a broken aligner, but this is still much easier to handle than replacing a missing bracket or a broken wire.

As useful as Invisalign is, no one orthodontic solution is perfect for everybody. If you are interested in Invisalign and you want to know if it is right for you, contact Amazing Smiles Orthodontics today to schedule a free consultation.

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Did you know that the enamel on your teeth is comprised of 96% minerals? That makes teeth stronger than the bones in your body. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean that you can’t experience damage such as cracked, chipped, or broken teeth.

A forceful blow or wear & tear can cause chipping on a particular tooth. If you have a chipped tooth with or without braces, you need to have the chipped tooth cared for by a dentist. If your braces sustained damage from the cause of the chipped tooth, that would then be addressed by your orthodontist.

Chipping and cracking can occur for a variety of reasons, but some common causes include:

• Playing contact sports without a mouthguard
• Grinding your teeth when you are sleeping
• Eating hard substances, like ice or hard candy
• Falls or accidents

Unless it’s your front teeth that get chipped, it’s common for individuals not to notice the issue at all. Below are some signs you may experience indicating you have a chipped tooth.

• Irritation of your tongue, caused by it rubbing against the tooth’s uneven and rough edge
• Pain from the pressure on the tooth when biting, which can be intensified if the nerve of the tooth is exposed
• Irritation of the gum around the tooth

Can I Get Braces with a Chipped Tooth

The answer is yes; you can get braces with a chipped or damaged tooth. Orthodontists work closely with those practicing general dentistry to ensure that the overall health of your mouth and teeth is a priority. If the chipped tooth has been treated, there is no reason you cannot proceed with Invisalign or braces.

The overall health of your teeth is an important consideration when evaluating you for alignments such as braces or Invisalign. If you have a chipped or damaged tooth, your orthodontist may refer you to a dentist to repair the tooth before proceeding with braces. Make sure to let your orthodontist know if you have a previously chipped or damaged tooth, as they will want to take extra care in making sure the integrity of that tooth is maintained during treatment.

The goal of an orthodontist is to help you have a beautiful and healthy smile. People often wonder if corrective alignment is an option if they have chipped or damaged teeth, previous root canals, crowns, or fillings. The tools available for alignment correction have improved vastly. Your treatment provider can discuss the myriad of options you have to achieve the smile you deserve.

Chipped Tooth While Wearing Braces

Wearing braces will not increase your chances of chipping your tooth. However, if you play contact sports, grind your teeth at night, or have chipped teeth multiple times in the past, you will need to take proper precautions to ensure a blow to your mouth doesn’t damage your braces and require extensive orthodontic repairs.

Using a mouthguard during physical activities where there is the possibility for damage to the mouth is also crucial. There are also mouth guards and other treatments designed to reduce the grinding of your teeth during sleep. Speak with your dentist or orthodontist for recommendations about the best option for protecting your teeth and aligners from damage. In addition to wearing a mouth guard during sports, carry braces wax with you. The wax can help you avoid a dental emergency by covering wires or brackets that break until you can have

It is essential to make good food choices, avoid sugary foods, and use fluoride toothpaste to ensure your teeth and mouth’s overall health. If you are getting braces and worried about chipping a tooth, contact your preferred NYC orthodontist, Amazing Smiles, to discuss your options and decide on a treatment and preventative plan that will work for you!

CONTACT US

For a complimentary consultation with Amazing Smiles, check out our three locations throughout the New York metro: we are located at 100-25 Queens Blvd, Queens, NY – 2078 E 65th St., Brooklyn, NY – 545 Central Ave, Cedarhurst, New York.

What is a suitable list of things to know when getting braces? Whether you are thinking about correcting a crooked smile or an overbite. We will go through what 10 things patients should know about braces before getting them. Most patients may not know that getting braces is an option for them, this is why having a consultation with an orthodontist is necessary. By calling and setting up an appointment with your orthodontist, you will be one step closer to finding out what can be fixed or realigned with your smile.

Here are the 10 things to know when getting braces:

LIP BALM SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR DAILY ROUTINE

Lip balm is going to be crucial to your comfort during treatment. This is true even from the first day when your orthodontist applies the brackets to your mouth. This process can take a couple of hours, and there’s no way to moisten your lips while it takes place. You’d be wise to bring some nourishing lip balm with you to your appointment to avoid discomfort.

FLOSSING WILL NOT BE AS EASY AS IT WAS BEFORE

Flossing has never been the easiest activity一although it’s one of the most important一and braces don’t help. Most people who have braces find flossing to be nearly impossible. While that may be true, it doesn’t change the fact that cleaning your teeth is crucial to your health, with or without braces.

Some items that could help include flossing threaders, which help pull regular floss through the gap, or a water flosser, which uses a narrow stream of water to displace leftover food particles.

YOUR TEETH WILL MOVE A LOT WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MONTHS

Braces make quick work of reshaping the look of your teeth and smile. In just the first month alone, patients have noticed a straight set of teeth.

DEVELOPING A SLIGHT LISP IS THE MOST COMMON RESPONSE WHEN HAVING BRACES FOR THE FIRST TIME

So you may have a minor lisp when you get your teeth straightened with braces. Why? When you attach metal brackets to the teeth, there’s almost no way that it won’t impact the way you speak. Please don’t worry if you find your speech impacted after getting braces, it will only take a short while before your speech returns to normal. It just takes a little bit of time to become used to after receiving a new set of braces.

SOFT FOODS WILL BE A NECESSITY

Going food shopping before receiving new braces is the best idea. Shopping for only soft foods will not only allow for an easily accessible snack time but prevent you from reaching for candy options.

IRRITATION INSIDE THE MOUTH IS NORMAL

Experiencing irritation on the inside of your lips and cheeks from your brackets and wires is normal. The soft tissues in your mouth get tougher over the course of the first few weeks. Mouth sores from braces aren’t actually caused by the braces. Some people are susceptible to them and the braces may exacerbate the sores. To combat irritation and mouth sores from braces, make a saltwater rinse by dissolving ½ teaspoon of salt in a glass of warm water. Swish this around in your mouth and then spit it out. Repeat as needed. If this doesn’t help consult your orthodontist immediately.

WHAT IS THE NORMAL LENGTH OF TIME TO WEAR BRACES?

When you visit your orthodontist to get your braces put on, they will often give you an estimate of how long you’ll need to wear your braces. The more misaligned your teeth are, the longer you’ll have to wear them. Do keep in mind, however, that this time frame is an estimate. As your orthodontist observes how your teeth move in your mouth in reaction to the braces, he or she may adjust the treatment period accordingly. An average time range for children and teenagers can be about 2 years, however, this depends on how misaligned a patient’s teeth happen to be.

D.I.Y. IS NEVER THE WAY TO GO

While having a steady morning routine is important, deciding to do something yourself without the proper knowledge or advice can be damaging. If a band or a metal button happens to fall off, the patient should set up a meeting with their orthodontist so they can fix it. A patient should never try to reapply a piece of their braces by themselves.

ANYONE CAN GET BRACES

Orthodontic treatment has no upper age limit; if you have adult teeth, and they are misaligned, aligning them is a good idea. You do have to wait until most of the teeth are adult teeth and the 12-year molars have already erupted.

CONSULTATIONS ARE ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY

No question will go unanswered so patients can ask anything they wish! Asking your orthodontist a few questions and inquiries can help to ease the new sensation of having braces and what to expect in the next month or so.

We have more information available, we would love it if you view our other articles that detail aspects of lingual braces, metal braces, attachments, and more!

WHAT ARE INVISALIGN ATTACHMENTS?

Our latest article about Invisalign attachments covers the most common questions that are asked by patients. Check out that article here. Always be sure to call your orthodontist if an attachment falls out. This happens frequently and is nothing to worry about. Simply call and we will make sure everything is fixed immediately.

Also, if you need a ‘FAQs’ page, check out our page ‘Ask An Orthodontist.’

ORTHODONTIC CARE IS AVAILABLE IN THESE LOCATIONS

If anyone is needing to visit our orthodontic care center, visit Amazing Smiles Orthodontist with convenient locations in Long Island,  Brooklyn, and Queens, NY. Amazing Smiles honors payment plans such as payment installments, insurance, flexible spending programs, and third-party financing.