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- A misalignment such as an overbite or underbite, in which the top front teeth sit behind or in front of the lower front teeth when the jaws come together
- A lateral misalignment that prevents the teeth’s chewing surfaces from making normal contact
- Teeth that crowd together and make dental hygiene difficult
- Unsightly gaps between teeth
- Crooked teeth
- Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ), with joint strain and jaw pain related to a bite misalignment
- Genetics, where you are simply born with a jaw that is too small for all your teeth.
- Early tooth loss, where your baby teeth fall out earlier than usual, causing irregular spacing.
- Large or irregular shape teeth, where your teeth don’t quite fit together perfectly because of their size or shape.
- Extra adult teeth, where you naturally grow more teeth, which causes spacing issues in your jaw.
- Braces, which help align teeth for aesthetic as well as functional reasons (improving your bite, for example).
- Veneers, which can correct spacing issues where you have, for example, a particularly small tooth causing others to shift out of place.
- Invisalign, which are an alternative to braces that can’t really be seen but works in similar ways.
- Dentofacial orthopedics, which is a clever way of saying that your jaw bone can be realigned to correct spacing issues in teeth.
- Unsightly smile
- Damage to the teeth
- Greater difficulty in keeping the teeth clean
- Compromised chewing function
- Increased risk of injury to the soft oral tissues
Do You Need Braces? Advice From Our Richardson Orthodontist
January 6, 2022
People develop a possible need for braces at different stages of life and for different reasons. In your case, perhaps a longstanding dental alignment error has started to affect your bite, or perhaps you see signs that your child might require braces at some point. The sooner you can recognize this potential need the more effectively our Richardson orthodontist, Dr. Fleming, can tame those errant teeth.Why Do People Wear Braces?
Signs That You or Your Child May Need Braces
Getting Confirmation From the Orthodontist
Content found on this blog is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional judgement, advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please speak with a professional if you have concerns about your oral health.
Do you need an orthodontist for crowded teeth?
November 8, 2021
‘Crowded teeth’ is another way of saying that your teeth overlap or are otherwise too close together, which might mean you have problems with your bite or you get pain in your mouth or jaw. This is a common problem for patients of all ages, but the good news is that there are several crowded teeth solutions that can help you, and Orthodontia for crowded teeth is just one of them. In this post, we introduce how an orthodontist can help you with crowded teeth.
What causes tooth crowding?
Crowded teeth is a common condition, and it affects people for several reasons. The most common reasons are:
How do you fix crowded teeth?
It’s next to impossible to fix crowded teeth at home. Instead, you need to get the support of a dentist. Orthodontists are dental specialists who treat irregularities in the teeth/mouth and are experts in issues related to crowded teeth.
Typical treatments for crowded teeth include:
Where to get more help with crowded teeth
Looking for an orthodontist in Garland? Look no further than Fleming Orthodontics. We are a friendly and trusted provider of common treatments for crowded teeth and other irregular tooth conditions and will be happy to advise you on the process of restoring your smile.
Content found on this blog is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
Are clear braces an option for adults?
September 8, 2021
Clear braces – particularly Invisalign – make a great treatment option for adults looking to straighten their smiles. Invisalign is an effective alternative to traditional metal and wire braces. Our orthodontist offers Invisalign because patients enjoy its discreet appearance, added convenience, and unparalleled comfort.
How Invisalign Works
Invisalign is a type of clear braces. Instead of utilizing fixed orthodontia, Invisalign improves the positioning of teeth through translucent, plastic appliances called “aligners”. These aligners fit over teeth like a retainer. Similar to braces, aligners apply consistent pressure, which generates tooth movement over time.
Every two weeks, patients will switch to a new set of aligners. Each successive set is tighter than the one before. By the end of treatment, patients will see noticeable improvements in the positions of their teeth such as gaps closing and crooked teeth appearing upright. Invisalign can also improve a patient’s bite.
Benefits of Invisalign
Invisalign treatment offers distinct advantages. The most noticeable benefit is that clear braces are much less conspicuous than metal and wire ones. This makes navigating one’s professional and personal life less distracting.
Other helpful advantages to choosing Invisalign include increased comfort and improved oral function. Aligners are smooth and therefore will not irritate the linings of lips and cheeks the way that conventional braces do. Invisalign is also removable. This makes eating meals and performing oral hygiene easy and efficient.
When compared to traditional orthodontia, Invisalign requires less visits to our orthodontist. Invisalign doesn’t require adjustments like metal and wire braces do. For busy professionals, making it to dental appointments can be difficult so having fewer appointments is appealing to many adults.
How to Find Out if Clear Braces Meet Your Needs
Determining if Invisalign meets your needs involves an orthodontic consultation. If you desire a straighter, healthier smile, we invite you to schedule a visit with our orthodontist. During your visit, we can help you select the treatment method that suits your unique circumstances.
Call Fleming Orthodontics today to reserve your appointment.
Do I really need to wear my retainer after orthodontic treatment?
July 12, 2021
The thrill of getting your braces off after a course of orthodontic treatment is cause for celebration, but it doesn’t mean that your treatment is over. The next stage of treatment is wearing a retainer so that your teeth won’t shift back to their previous positions.
It is just as important to follow through with this phase of treatment as it is for you to see your orthodontist as directed during so-called active treatment, as there is a significant risk of relapse if you don’t wear your retainer.
Purpose Of An Orthodontic Retainer
Although orthodontic treatment does successfully reposition your teeth, those results can easily be undone if the teeth begin to shift back to their original positions. Wearing your retainer reinforces the new positioning of the teeth and prevents potential relapse.
Your orthodontist will give you specific instructions of how to wear your retainer. Typically, patients are directed to wear their retainers all day for a period of time. Eventually, you will be given the go-ahead to only wear your retainer while you sleep.
Because the risk of relapse is present for at least several years after your braces come off, you should plan to wear your retainer as directed for at least that amount of time.
Consequences Of Not Wearing A Retainer
When patients don’t wear their retainers as directed after orthodontic treatment and experience a relapse, significant consequences result. This can cause all of the same problems as the original misalignment did, such as:
Ultimately, if you don’t wear your retainer, you may eventually need to go through another round of wearing braces, which will require an additional investment of your time and energy. Furthermore, insurance is unlikely to cover a second round of braces.
If you anticipate any obstacles to wearing your retainer as directed, work with your orthodontist to develop a plan to overcome those obstacles. It is truly essential to the long-term success of your treatment.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact Fleming Orthodontics today.
Are braces an option for adults?
May 14, 2021
Although many of us associate wearing braces with youth, an increasing number of adults choose to receive orthodontic treatment every year. Some of the most popular braces for adults include invisible braces, ceramic braces, and conventional metal and wire braces. Our orthodontist provides braces for adults and children to help improve the overall appearance and health of their smiles.
What are clear braces?
Clear braces like Invisalign are a popular option for adults. Made from clear plastic, these types of braces are lauded for their discreet appearance and increased comfort. Invisalign is especially popular among working professionals because of their inconspicuous appearance and the fact that this orthodontic treatment is removable for meals and oral hygiene.
Invisible braces can correct common orthodontic issues like gapped, crooked, overlapped, and crowded teeth.
Are ceramic braces a good option for adults?
Ceramic braces are another popular option for older patients. Unlike Invisalign, ceramic braces are fixed in place by brackets. Although this type of orthodontic treatment is not removable, it is more discreet than conventional metal braces because its orthodontic appliances are tooth-colored.
Wearing ceramic braces can improve typical tooth placement issues along with a patient’s bite.
Are metal braces worn by adults?
Yes, many adults choose conventional braces to treat orthodontic concerns. While these braces aren’t as inconspicuous as other options, they do provide well-rounded benefits such as improving the placement of teeth and the position of one’s bite.
Why should adults get orthodontic care?
Orthodontic care provides more benefits than just improving your smile. While having a straight smile is certainly advantageous, there are other health benefits that patients should consider, too. Those with properly positioned and spaced teeth tend to have lower incidences of tooth decay and gum disease. This is because it is easier to brush and floss straight teeth.
Wearing braces will also improve how and where your teeth make contact during oral function. This could reduce your risk for untimely tooth wear, which often requires dental restorations to repair.
If you have questions about braces for adults, call Fleming Orthodontics to schedule a consultation with our orthodontist.
Benefits of Early Orthodontic Treatment
March 12, 2021
Early orthodontic treatment has a number of advantages for patients. In the past, most orthodontic treatment was completed in one phase with braces and other oral appliances during one’s teenage years. Today, however, an orthodontist may break treatment into two phases with one occurring during childhood. Early orthodontic treatment can prevent a number of alignment concerns, reduce treatment times with braces, and improve a patient’s bite.
Here’s some helpful information on how early orthodontic treatment might benefit your child.
Prevents Crowding and Overlapping
Sometimes, a child may have too narrow of a jaw. As their permanent teeth begin to erupt, they may become crowded and overlapped because their jaw cannot accommodate the space all their teeth need.
Early orthodontic treatment can take advantage of the fact that a child’s jaws are still developing. For example, a palate expander can be placed to widen the jaw, which will ultimately prevent emerging teeth from crowding.
Reduces Treatment Times in Many Cases
Breaking orthodontic treatment into two phases can sometimes reduce the time a patient needs to wear braces. This is because interceptive orthodontics can create more room for teeth to emerge in upright, straight positions. By anticipating certain orthodontic concerns and treating them ahead of time, braces can be worn for less time during the second phase of treatment.
Lowers the Risk for Tooth Decay and Gum Disease
Early orthodontics helps prevent spacing issues. When teeth are crowded, overlapped, and crooked, it is difficult to brush and floss them properly. Proper spacing makes oral hygiene easier and more effective. Improving the effectiveness of oral hygiene reduces the risks for developing tooth decay and periodontal disease in the future.
Corrects Improper Bites
A “bite” refers to how the upper and lower sets of teeth line up during oral function. If one has issues with the alignment of their jaws, it can accelerate tooth wear and affect one’s appearance. Correcting bite issues early on improves oral function and protects teeth from tooth wear.
If you have questions about braces and orthodontic care, call Fleming Orthodontics to reserve a consultation with our orthodontist.