When someone mentions orthodontics or an orthodontist, people's minds often rush to images of orthodontic appliances. However, orthodontists offer services that go beyond orthodontic appliances, specifically in the field of teeth alignment or maxillary repositioning, although orthopedic appliances are their main specialty. Orthodontists have many treatment options and services to address common problems such as overbites, underbites, open bites, cross bites, and crowded teeth. Michael Payne of American River Orthodontics near Granite Bay, CA is here to explain the services that orthodontists provide. Traditional orthodontic appliances are made up of brackets, wires and bands that straighten the teeth and that are tightened continuously for a certain period of time.
Many patients near Granite Bay, CA use braces to align their smiles and create picture-perfect teeth. They can also be used on patients with overbites, underbites, crowds or gaps in their teeth to solve these problems. Michael Payne says that most braces are made of metal with fun colored elastics on the braces for children. However, they also come in ceramic and transparent colors for those who don't want their orthodontic appliances to be very noticeable. Aligners are a much newer orthodontic appliance compared to others, but their popularity is growing rapidly.
Aligners can be used for mild to moderate cases of overbites, underbites, open bites, cross bites, and crowded teeth. These aligners are made of a plastic material that makes them virtually invisible to others. Invisalign near Granite Bay, CA is one of the most popular aligners used by patients seeking to correct underbites, overbites, open bites, cross bites or agglomerations. Jaw repositioning devices, sometimes called splints, are used to move the upper or lower jaw so that the whole jaw closes more naturally. Michael Payne uses this device for patients with temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ).
Sometimes, the patient's lips and cheeks can put pressure on the teeth and cause some pain or discomfort. Lip and cheek protectors help keep the lips and cheeks away from the teeth and reduce or eliminate the pressure, pain or discomfort they might be causing. A palatine expander is used to widen the curve of the upper jaw. It is a plastic tray that is placed on the roof of the mouth and using screws expels bones and joints from the mouth. Michael Payne suggests using a retainer to keep your teeth from returning to their original position.
These retainers come in the form of a plate that is placed on the roof of the mouth with a metal rod that crosses the upper front teeth or in the form of a plastic aligner. Most of the time these aligners are worn overnight. Finally, orthodontists provide headdresses to patients who need to slow jaw growth. The helmet is usually a strap that is placed around the back of the head and that is attached to a metal wire in the front of the mouth. This slows down jaw growth and ensures that teeth are in the right place and fit well with the jaw. When baby teeth are lost earlier than usual space fillings should be placed so that other teeth do not grow in the space intended for missing tooth.
One of our friends at American River Orthodontics says that these space maintainers are used to keep this space open until more teeth fall out and permanent teeth begin to grow. Fixed-space maintainers work with a band that attaches to a tooth and a wire that extends through the space to the tooth on other side to stretch it and keep it open. When you think about seeing an orthodontist for orthodontic care you may be thinking that your teeth are fairly straight and you don't need braces. After all this is what orthodontists are best known for right? They can provide you with that straight smile you've always wanted but they can also offer many other treatments such as aligners, jaw repositioning devices, palatine expanders and headdresses. Walker also offers patients near Westford Massachusetts treatment with light-colored ceramic braces (for patients who don't want their appliances to be noticed) and even fun light-colored bands for his younger patients. Orthopedic appliances may also be indicated for patients with overbites underbites or overcrowded or gaping teeth. In conclusion orthodontists offer more than just traditional orthodontic appliances.
Over time they have developed many treatment options available for alignment or repositioning of teeth or jaws. Traditional metal braces ceramic braces aligners lip and cheek protectors palatine expanders headdresses and retainers are some of these treatments.
