Children As Well As Adults Are Choosing To Have Orthodontic Treatment For Several Reasons: Malocclusion (Bite Or Occlusion Is Off) Tooth Malalignment (Crooked Teeth) Unhappy With Appearance Of Teeth During The Preteen And Teenage Years, The Jaws Are Growing And Maturing, Therefore It Is Easier To Shift Teeth At This Stage Rather Than Later On In Adulthood. More Adults Are Choosing To Have Orthodontic Treatment In Order To Improve The Appearance Of Their Teeth. Since Their Jaws Are No Longer Growing, Treatment May Take A Little Longer.

For Example, You May Inherit Your Mother's Small Jaw, And Your Father's Large Teeth; If This Is The Case, Your Teeth Would Be Too Large To Fit Your Jaw.
Trauma : If You Lose A Tooth Due To An Accident, Then Teeth May Start To Drift Into The Empty Space.
Disease : You Can Lose A Tooth Early Due To Cavities Or Gum Disease; This Often Leaves A Space Which Other Teeth Drift Towards.
Malnutrition : Nutritional Deficiencies Can Alter The Growth Of The Jaws And Teeth.
Habits : Thumb-Sucking Can Shift The Teeth Out Of Alignment.

interference with normal growth and development of the jaws
abnormal swallowing patterns
abnormal facial muscle function
impairment of chewing
speech defects
susceptibility to cavities due to the difficulty of removing plaque from crooked teeth
vulnerability to accidents or fractured teeth (if your front teeth stick out, they may be more easily injured)

Orthodontics Is Not Only Used To Improve Your Appearance, But Also To Eliminate The Problems Mentioned.

Braces Collect Food And Dental Plaque Very Easily. If Proper Oral Hygiene Is Neglected During Orthodontic Treatment Both Tooth Decay And Periodontal Disease Can Easily Occur.
It Is Very Important To Maintain A Daily Plaque Control Program. This Program Can Be Determined By Your Dental Hygienist.Such a program may be as follows
A Soft Toothbrush Should Be Used. A Special Orthodontic Toothbrush Can Also Be Used To Brush Your Teeth.
An Interdental Brush Can Be Used To Fit Between The Wire And The Tooth To Remove Hard-To-Reach Plaque And Food Debris.
Oral Irrigators Can Be Used As An Adjunct To Brushing And Flossing. This Helps Remove Food Debris And Plaque.
A Mouthwash Containing Fluoride Can Be Used To Help Prevent Cavities From Occurring.
Hard Foods Should Be Avoided Since They Can Bend The Wires, Loosen The Bands, Or Break The Brackets. Fruits And Raw Vegetables Should Be Cut Up Into Smaller Pieces And Chewed On The Back Teeth.
Sticky Foods Such As Gum, Toffee And Caramel Should Be Avoided Since They Can Bend And Break The Wires And Brackets.
Foods High In Sugar Should Also Be Avoided, Since This Increases The Chances Of Tooth Decay.
Regular Dental Appointments Are Important To Monitor The Health Of The Teeth And Gums During Orthodontic Treatment.
Orthodontics Is A Lot Of Work And Taking Care Of Them Is Not Easy, But In The End, The Results Will Be Worthwhile When You Have Your New And Improved Smile.
. . . And Remember, Be Proud To Give A Silver Smile!
During Your Orthodontic Treatment We Will Suggest To You The Best Ways To Keep Your Teeth And Brackets Sparkling Clean To Ensure The Most Beautiful Teeth And Smile When You Finish. It Is Important To Follow Our Instructions, And You Can Be Sure That Your Orthodontic Treatment Will Be An Investment For A Lifetime.

Brushing
We Encourage Our Patients To Follow These Guidelines For Maximum Oral Health And Comfortable Orthodontic Treatment. Always Remember To Brush Your Braces Thoroughly After Every Meal. Remember That Even A Small Snack Can Cause Stains Or Discoloration Of Your Teeth If Food Particles Are Not Properly Removed. If You Are Unable To Brush Your Teeth, Try Rinsing Your Mouth With Water To Loosen Food.Maintain A Regular Dental Cleaning Schedule With Your Family Dentist To Ensure Optimum Oral Hygiene And Prevention Of Cavities.

We Know How Important It Is For All Our Patients To Follow A Program Of Good Oral Care. This Can Greatly Contribute To Overall Nutrition And General Well Being. You Will Be Able To Chew More Easily, Digest Food Better, And Enjoy A Wide Variety Of Nutritious Foods With A Proper Bite.
A Normal Diet Can Be Followed During Orthodontic Treatment; However, Avoid The Following:
- Dark Cola Drinks (Coke And Pepsi) These Drinks Have A Low PH Of 2.8 And - Combined With Sugar - You Are Drinking Sugar-Acid. - Chewing Gum - Bubble Gum Of Any Type. - Hard Candy - Ice - Nuts, Popcorn - Hard Breads (Pizza Crusts, French Bread Etc.) - Excessive Sweets - Especially When You Cannot Brush Your Teeth. The Food Begins To Damage Your Teeth Immediately. - Biting Any Hard Objects Pens, Pencils., Or Football Mouth Guards. Any Hard, Sticky, Gooey, Or Crunchy Foods. - Biting Apples Or Corn On The Cob (Makkai) With The Front Teeth. If You Must Eat Harder Foods Such As Apples, Cut Them Into Smaller Bite Size Pieces And Place Them On Your Back Teeth.
By Practicing Daily Oral Hygiene At Home, Eating Nutritious Meals, And Making Regular Dental Visits, You Will Be Insured Of Good Oral Health.
Not Only Is Your Diet Important To Your General Health, It Is Also Very Important To Your Dental Health. Eating A Balanced Diet Can Help Promote Healthy Teeth And Gums. Great Care Must Be Taken At An Early Age To Provide Proper Diet And Oral Hygiene Especially To Those With Developing Teeth To Help Prevent Dental Problems In Later Years.

Finally The Braces Are Gone!
No More Appointments!
No More Rubber Bands!
You're Finished! Free At Last, Right?
Well, Not Quite. What We Call Active Treatment Is Over. But There Is Still One More Important Step Called Retention. This Final Stage Of Your Treatment Adds The Finishing Touches To Help Ensure A Lifetime Of Beautiful Smiles.
The Retention Process Does Take Time, So Be Patient. Your Orthodontist Will Determine How Long You Need To Wear Retainers. The Time Varies With Individual Patients. Some Children And Adults May Need Retainers For An Extended Period Of Time To Make Sure No Shifting Of The Teeth Occurs. In Some Cases, Permanent Retention May Be Necessary.
It's Up To You. Your Orthodontist's Work Is Completed. It Is Up To You To Maintain Your Beautiful Smile For A Lifetime By Following Retention Instructions.
Be Good To Your Retainers Because They Are Good For Your Oral Health And New Smile. If Your Retainers Are To Do Their Important Job, You Must Do Three Things.
Wear Them!
That Means In Your Mouth, Not In Your Pocket Or Purse. Retainers Are Effective Only If You Faithfully Follow Your Orthodontist's Instructions.
Keep Them Clean!
After Meals, Clean All Parts Of The Retainer With A Brush As Directed. Can't Brush? Then Be Sure To Rinse The Retainers And Your Mouth. If Your Lower Retainer Is Attached To Your Teeth, It Is Important To Clean Under The Wire With Dental Floss. Your Orthodontist Will Show You How.
Handle Them With Care.
Retainers Are Easier To Lose Than You Think. They Fall Out Of Pockets And Purses. If You Take Your Retainers Out To Eat, Don't Wrap Them In A Napkin And Accidentally Throw Them Away. Place Them In Your Retainer Case For Safety.
Remember, Retainers Are Expensive To Replace.
You Have Done A Great Job So Far. It Hasn't Always Been Easy, But You Did It Anyway. Now, Don't Risk Losing What You And Your Orthodontist Have Achieved. Remember, Your Teeth Need Time To Adapt To Their New Position. Give Them That Time. Your Reward Will Be A Lifetime Of Healthy, Beautiful Smiles.