Q & A - Orthodontics in Monterey and Watsonville California

An orthodontist is a dentist who has undergone specialized training to diagnose, prevent, and treat dental and facial irregularities in patients. Within the U.S., orthodontists are required to complete a two- to three-year advanced residency program in orthodontics following the completion of their four-year graduate dental program. Each of these programs must be accredited by the American Dental Association's Commission on Dental Accreditation. Orthodontics, also known as malocclusion or "bad bite," is described by the American Association of Orthodontics as the branch of dentistry that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental and facial irregularities.

Your Initial Exam

In order to determine your specific needs, the orthodontist will completely evaluate your mouth. This will likely include:

• Impressions of your teeth, from which models are made (these are useful for the orthodontist,  and will remind you exactly how your teeth looked before correction).
  
• Photographs of your teeth, face, and smile
  
• X-rays of your head and teeth
  
• Your medical health history and dental health history

Your orthodontist will then carefully evaluate your specific needs and provide you with a treatment plan for correction. Following the recommended plan is important for proper correction.

Spacers

Teeth normally fit tightly against one another. Spacers are inserted before placement of your braces to provide some space between teeth for attaching the bands. There are two types of spacers, small springs or plastic modules. In just a few days they gently move desired teeth slightly apart.

Spacers often cause some soreness, but this goes away in a few days. Rinse your mouth with warm salt water to relieve the irritation. Your normal chewing also helps to get your mouth feeling better.
 
If a spaceer comes out your doctor immediately for a replacement. That little spacer is making just enough room for a comfortable fit for your braces and plays an important role.

A Special Diet for Braces?

Getting used to braces also usually means making a few adjustments in your eating habits. This is because some food might damage your braces or cause problems for your teeth. Here's a list of items to avoid (or some ways they can still be enjoyed with caution):

• Apples (don't bite into a whole one! Cut it into wedges first.)
  
• Bubble gum (some orthodontists allow sugarless gum, but check with yours for approval)
  
• Candy (caramels, taffy, nut brittles, fruit-flavored chewy candies, gummi anything!)
  
• Carrots (avoid sticks, cut into thin curls)
  
• Corn on the cob (remove the kernels from the cob, then enjoy!)
  
• Corn chips/crisp tacos hard foods (they're tough on braces, causing bending and breaking)
  
• Ice (no crunching!)
  
• Lemon juice/lemons (pure lemon juice is very hard on your tooth enamel)
  
• Nuts, pizza crust/crusty breads (outer edges)
  
• Popcorn or pretzels (the large, hard varieties)
  
• Sticky foods (can bend wires and pull off brackets)
  
• Sugary foods (avoid these as much as possible; if you do eat them, brush your teeth within minutes or as soon as possible, or at least rinse your mouth with water)
  

Causes of Bad Bites

Most orthodontic problems are inherited, including tooth size and jaw size, and may lead to crowding of teeth or spacing of teeth. Overbites, underbites, extra or missing teeth, and irregularities of the jaws, teeth, and face also are inherited. Other orthodontic problems can be caused from accidents, pacifier or thumb sucking, dental disease, or the premature loss of either the primary or permanent teeth.

A number of childhood habits can lead to orthodontic problems, such as thumb or finger sucking, sucking on a pacifier, sucking on a lip, mouth breathing (often caused by enlarged tonsils and adenoids), fingernail biting, and "tongue thrust".

Braces and Dental Care...(cont.)