How Orthodontics Can Help Your Health

The health of your teeth and mouth is important to your overall health. If your teeth are poorly spaced or crooked, you cannot chew thoroughly, which reduces the efficiency of your digestive system overall. Or you might choose not to eat foods that are difficult to chew, which could reduce your intake of fiber and other important nutrients.

Misalignment can also lead to premature and abnormal wear and tear to your teeth. If your teeth wear down too quickly, you could face tooth loss at an early age. Loss of teeth and extensive wear and tear can cause even more misalignment, causing problems to build up over time such as TMJ disorder that could require surgery to repair. Correcting your misalignment greatly reduces the possibility of these problems becoming more severe over time.

Orthodontic Treatment

The most well known orthodontic treatment is traditional braces. This treatment uses stationary metal braces affixed to the teeth and attached to each other with flexible bands. These bands gradually pull the teeth into the proper position over time. Traditional braces are commonly used among adolescents to correct issues as permanent teeth come in.

Other orthodontic treatments include porcelain braces, Invisalign, palate expanders and other treatments designed to correct alignment and be sure the teeth are properly positioned. Your orthodontist will discuss your particular needs and the best way to bring your teeth into their optimal alignment in the long term.

To find out how orthodontic treatment can help you both improve your smile and improve your overall health, please contact our office serving Wilton CT at 203-544-9338 for a consultation.

Orthodontics and Short Term Lifestyle Changes

Orthodontic treatment typically involves braces. While you are wearing braces, you must make some lifestyle changes to ensure your teeth remain healthy and your braces are able to work effectively. These changes are relatively minor, and mostly involve foods you must avoid and an increased diligence in cleaning and caring for your teeth. 

While you are wearing braces, you should avoid some foods, including:

• Sticky foods
• Hard or chewy foods
• Sugary foods

While these foods should normally be avoided because they can promote tooth decay, it is even more important to avoid them while you are wearing braces because these types of foods can break the delicate wires that make up your braces. In addition, some healthy foods should be avoided because they can break your braces or can become wedged in them, under them, or between the teeth, making cleaning more difficult.

Your teeth and braces must also be kept clean during your orthodontic treatment. Areas between your teeth are more difficult to reach, and so are more susceptible to decay than normal. Your orthodontist will provide guidelines for how to keep your teeth and braces clean and healthy throughout your treatment.

Orthodontics and Long Term Lifestyle Changes

In the long term, orthodontic treatment will greatly improve your lifestyle. You won’t have to worry about the imperfections in your smile, and will have much more confidence in your appearance. After your braces are removed, you will be able to return to your normal dietary habits without having to worry about the long term wear and tear your teeth would have experienced without treatment.

To find out more about how orthodontics can help you in the Ridgefield CT area, please contact the office of Dr. Steve Giannoutsos today.

What is a Palatal Expander?

A palatal expander is also referred to as a palate expander, an orthodontic expander, or a rapid palatal expander. It is used to widen the palate, or the roof of the mouth. It is most often used on younger patients whose palates are still growing. It can also be used with adults, but this is less common.

When permanent teeth begin to come emerge in younger patients, crowding can become apparent. When teeth are crowded, there simply isn’t enough room in the mouth to accommodate them. Because of the lack of space, the teeth often grow in crooked or overlapping. In some cases, a palatal expander can create more room in the mouth so that these teeth can come in properly.

A palatal expander can also be used to widen the upper palate when the upper and lower jaw do not fit together properly, causing problems with bite alignment. Your orthodontist can provide information on whether a palate expander is an appropriate treatment, and what kind of results you can expect to see when treatment is complete.

How a Palatal Expander Works

The palatal expander is placed on the roof of the mouth and anchored to the teeth on the lingual side, or the side facing the tongue. A key inserted into the expander allows it to be gradually adjusted so that it widens the palate over a period of time. Because the child’s palate has not fully developed, the expander can gradually separate the bony structures in the roof of the mouth. In adults, the process is more gradual.

For more information on palatal expanders and to schedule a consultation, please contact Georgetown Orthodontics at 203-544-9338.

Causes and Symptoms of TMJ Disorders

TMJ disorders occur when the temporomandibular joint becomes misaligned. Causes of the misalignment vary, but can include:

• Bite problems
• Stress
• Habitual teeth grinding and clenching

Bite problems cause misalignment because the teeth do not move in the proper relationship to each other. This can cause the TMJ to move out of alignment. Bite problems can also cause teeth grinding and clenching, which can be either a cause or a symptom of TMJ disorders.

Other symptoms of TMJ disorder include:

• Chronic headaches
• Jaw discomfort
• Ear discomfort
• Discomfort in the neck, shoulders, and upper back

These symptoms can occur due to other issues, so it is important to get an accurate diagnosis. Once you have been diagnosed with TMJ disorder, your dentist can provide treatment and recommendations for management. 

How Orthodontics Can Help TMJ Disorders

Orthodontics is one effective approach often used with TMJ disorder. If your TMJ is caused by misalignment or bite problems, braces can be used to move your teeth back into the proper position. Once your teeth are positioned correctly, the TMJ will also shift back into its optimal alignment. This will reduce or even eliminate your ongoing symptoms as well as prevent abnormal wear and tear to your teeth, which can occur when teeth are misaligned.

Other treatment for TMJ disorder can include stress reduction, muscle stimulation to reduce tension in the jaw, heat applied to the joint, or, in serious cases, surgery to repair the joint.

If you have experienced TMJ symptoms, please call our office to find out how treatment with orthodontics in Georgetown CT 06896 can help.

Young adults and professionals can realize the aesthetic advantage of being able to have their teeth straightened with the clear aligners available with Invisalign.

Traditional metal bands and brackets were once the norm when braces were needed to straighten teeth. But with the introduction of Invisalign, straightening teeth can now be completed through the use of clear, soft plastic aligners. In addition to the advantage of their transparency, Invisalign also offers the ability to:

• Remove the aligners while eating. This means all your favorite foods, as well as nutritious fruits and vegetables that might be sacrificed to wear traditional braces, can remain on your menu.
• Remove the aligners to perform daily hygiene. Flossing wearing traditional braces is cumbersome and tedious. Brushing alone might leave behind harmful bacteria that could lead to dental decay.
• Eliminate the wires used with traditional braces. Wires can break or rub against soft tissue in the mouth causing cuts and sores.
• Smile with confidence because you are straightening your teeth without a mouthful of metal.
• Eliminate uncomfortable adjustments. The aligners work gently to straighten your teeth.

Your Invisalign provider will consult with you to see if you are a candidate for this teeth straightening method. If you have an issue with overcrowding causing an overbite, cross bite, or under bite, or you have unwanted gaps or spaces between your teeth, Invisalign has a solution.

Thanks to the technology employed by the Invisalign process, a series of clear plastic aligners will be devised specifically for you. Your orthodontist will monitor your progress and update you with a new aligner every few weeks. The aligners will slowly and gently shift your teeth to their correct position. So not only are you creating a new smile by re-aligning your teeth, the transformation is completed in such a subtle fashion that your family and friends will have to ask you “what’s different?”

Invisalign aligners must be worn a minimum of twenty to twenty-two hours per day to achieve the desired goal in the prescribed time. For most adults, the process will generally take six months to two years. For the younger set and teens, the time prescribed is typically the same as traditional metal bands and brackets. Your Georgetown CT Orthodontics Invisalign solution is just a consultation away. Call 203-544-9338 today!

Overcrowding can create an overbite, under bite, or cross bite. What does overcrowding mean? Our jaw space must accommodate 32 teeth. As we mature and grow and our permanent teeth come in, they will erupt through gum tissue whether or not there is enough jaw space. If the jaw does not have room for teeth to grow naturally and straight, teeth can become impacted, grow in crooked, or misaligned. An impacted tooth grows into the gum tissue, not up through the gum tissue. It is not dangerous, and unless it presents a problem, there is no need to do anything about it. 

If teeth come in without sufficient jaw space to grow, this might impact your bite and can result in protruding teeth or teeth growing inward. This is where a consultation with an orthodontist can help you understand how braces can improve your bite and straighten your teeth.

Quite often when overcrowding is the basis of the problem, it might become necessary for one or several teeth to be extracted before moving forward with braces. Once permanent teeth have been removed, braces will slowly allow the remaining teeth to shift back into place relieving the problem of overcrowding and correcting the bite.

Extracting an impacted tooth will sometimes require a referral to an oral surgeon. The extent of the impaction and how many teeth are involved will dictate to your orthodontist whether or not you should see an oral surgeon. Quite often impacted teeth are third molars, more commonly referred to as wisdom teeth. If it is determined that impacted third molars should be extracted, your orthodontist will want to make sure your mouth has healed completely before moving forward with braces.

Removing teeth to relieve overcrowding is a very common first step in many orthodontic procedures. For children or young adults, there is an option to removing teeth. In the case of overcrowding due to a lack of jaw space, it is possible to expand the jaw with the use of a palatal expander. Although more difficult, expanding the jaw of an adult is possible, but requires surgery and more aggressive treatment.

Since each case is different, only a consultation with our Wilton CT orthodontist can determine whether or not you will need to have an extraction before moving forward with braces.

The Invisalign system, which straightens the teeth through a progressive series of clear plastic aligner trays, is more convenient than traditional braces and it’s barely noticeable, unlike its counterpart’s clunky metal brackets and wires.

Despite all of the advantages associated with Invisalign, some prospective patients remain skeptical about the system’s capabilities for straightening their teeth. Those individuals may feel that the tried-and-true method is more effective at realigning the teeth.

That’s simply not the case. The technology has improved drastically in the years since this technique was introduced, and Invisalign now can help an orthodontist straighten almost any patient’s teeth. Plus, with the clear trays, patients can see results much sooner, as the teeth aren’t hidden by appliances.

At this point, Invisalign can even be used in complex cases involving mild or moderate underbites and overbites or severe crowding. Orthodontists can use attachments and rubber bands to reposition the jaws, as well.

Of course, in order to achieve the best outcomes, patients need to wear the trays as recommended—between 20 and 22 hours each day.

In addition to the aesthetic benefits, Invisalign can also help patients keep their mouths healthier during treatment. Invisalign trays can be removed for eating, brushing and flossing. It’s easier to rinse food particles from the teeth after eating, and the patient’s regular oral hygiene routine can be maintained throughout treatment.

Although Invisalign equals the performance of conventional braces in most cases, certain problems may not respond well to the trays. For example, teeth that are significantly rotated or other severe misalignments may require a traditional approach. In older patients in whom the jaws cannot be repositioned by orthodontic forces alone, accompanying surgery may be necessary.

If you are interested in the Invisalign system, call 203-544-9338 and schedule a consultation to learn if Invisalign is an appropriate treatment for your case.

If our Ridgefield CT orthodontist intervenes when a child is at a young age, later treatment may achieve the desired goals in a shorter timeframe. Most orthodontic patients would jump at the opportunity to spend less time wearing metal brackets and wires that conceal their pearly whites.

Problems with the alignment of the teeth and jaws often emerge when the child is losing deciduous teeth and replacing them with permanent teeth, a process that typically occurs between ages 5 and 12. Baby teeth that are lost too early can make the permanent teeth come in crooked, as can baby teeth that remain in the mouth longer than average. If the bone structure prevents the permanent teeth from coming in straight, then braces or some other orthodontic treatment will be necessary to correct this problem.

To address these problems as early as possible, it’s appropriate to initiate orthodontic treatment in school-aged children. It is not necessary, or even desirable, to wait until the permanent teeth are all in place before commencing the process.

Often, orthodontists who work with younger patients will do preventive work that can eliminate the need for extensive orthodontic treatment when those patients reach adolescence. For example, the orthodontist might use devices that help to expand narrow arches, providing ample room for permanent teeth to erupt. Orthodontists can also fit children with appliances that promote proper jaw positioning to reduce the risk of developing an underbite or an overbite.

Orthodontic treatment is an investment that will pay lifelong dividends. In order to achieve the best outcomes, schedule a consultation with Dr. Steve Giannoutsos when your child is at a young age to determine if your child has any issues that need to be addressed earlier rather than later. Early planning will set the foundation for a successful orthodontic treatment.

Instead of the sour after taste of etching solution and a mouth filled wire brackets and wire, Invisalign in Ridgefield CT requires the patient to wear a series of clear trays that are called aligners. It resembles a mouthguard, but it is thinner and transparent. This is worn for two weeks and replaced by the next mold. Cases vary, but the average number of trays used range from 18 to 30.

Invisalign treatment has been used for different kinds of cases. People with relapsed dentition, crossbites, underbites, overbites and even those with abnormally large spaces in between their teeth have been successfully treated using this method. As long as you follow your orthodontist’s orders and wear the appliance religiously, you will notice a drastic change in your dentition.

Since you need to remove the appliance when you eat, there is no need to deprive yourself of the foods you love. People with braces have to stay away from peanut brittle, popcorn, corn on the cob and large pieces of steak. Don’t forget to remove your aligners when you drink beverages that have staining properties like coffee, tea, red wine or artificially colored juices.

Getting straight teeth is a breeze without wires and brackets that might take a toll on your self-esteem and social life. Benefit from this clear breakthrough in the field of orthodontics today. Invisalign therapy is comfortable, affordable and it does not irritate the cheek or gum area. If you want to learn more about what this can do to boost your confidence and improve your occlusion, call Dr. Steve Giannoutsos, your Ridgefield CT Invisalign provider, at (203) 544-9338 and schedule an appointment.

Before treatment begins, your orthodontist serving Wilton CT will evaluate your bite to determine a treatment plan to suit you best. This process can be accomplished in a few hours at most. Often, digital photographs will be taken of your dentition during this evaluation.

The second step involves taking a dental radiograph or panoramic x-ray to establish if you have any missing or impacted teeth. It will also help the orthodontist in determining if your alveolar bone is dense enough to withstand the push and pull forces that come with orthodontic therapy. Other tools can also be utilized to determine your facial profile to use for further study during the span of your treatment.

Bite impressions are then taken. Alginate is poured into little trays which are then inserted into your mouth. The impressions are used to study your bite and the placement of your teeth. It also helps the orthodontist to determine what areas to start moving, especially when dealing with complex cases.

Lastly, you will be taken to the consultation area. This is where the orthodontist discusses the plan of treatment with the patient or parent. Feel free to ask questions and if you do not understand some parts, ask for a detailed explanation. If you have overly crowded teeth and small jaws, you may need extractions. Impacted teeth will need to be extracted as well. This can be done during a separate appointment.

To learn more and to schedule your initial orthodontic evaluation, please contact Georgetown Orthodontics today.