Early Signs of Orthodontic Problems

If you’re wondering if you or your child might need orthodontic treatment, there are some things you can keep an eye out for. Some of the most common warning signs of orthodontic problems are:

• Difficulty when chewing or biting
• Chronic mouth-breathing
• Sucking the thumbs, fingers, or any other oral sucking habits that continue after the age of six.
• Overbite - when the upper teeth overlap the lower teeth by more than 5 millimeters.
• Crowded, crooked, overlapped, misshapen, misplaced teeth or extra teeth.
• Crossbite - when one or more teeth tilt toward the cheek or toward the tongue causing excessive stress on the jawbone.
• The center of the top and bottom teeth don't line up.
• Pain in jaws
• Clicking in the jaw points.
• The jaw shifts off-center while chewing or biting.
• A jaw that protrudes, or recedes, too much.
• Difficulty speaking or enunciating clearly.
• Grinding or clenching of the teeth.

If you or your child are showing signs of one or more of these problems, give Orthodontics South a call at (205) 664-4140 or visit us online. Many of these orthodontic issues are easier to treat if they are caught at a young age so don't wait any longer, come see Dr. Boggan today!

True or False

For many years it's been said that gum takes seven years to digest, but this isn't exactly true. It takes the same amount of time as regular food items. The only difference in gum and other foods is that your body can not break gum down, hence where the indigestible part comes in. Just because your body can't break down gum, doesn't mean that it lingers in your stomach for seven years. Gum is eliminated as human waste in the same way - and at the same rate - as any other swallowed matter. *REMINDER: You shouldn't be chewing gum with braces. :-)

Data is courtesy of Discovery Fit & Health. Read the entire article here.

It's All About Maintaining Good Oral Hygiene!

Maintaining good oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment can be challenging for some people because food has a tendency to get trapped in the wires and between the teeth and the brackets. Some alternatives that prevent tooth decay during orthodontic treatment is by using the clear, removable aligners known as Invisalign® or use the following tips to keep your teeth healthy during orthodontic treatment:

·    Maintain a Proper Diet by Eating Braces-Safe Foods

Foods that are high in sugar or starch can cause more plaque, which is difficult to remove during your brushing. You should avoid hard foods, such as ice and pizza crust, as well as sticky foods, including licorice and caramels. These foods can damage wires and brackets. It is also important to minimize foods high in sugar content, like ice cream and cookies, and reduce the amount of sugary drinks you have. On the other hand, bananas, mangoes, milk, water, poultry, and pasta all tend to be low in enamel-busting acids.

Decalcification due to poor oral hygiene during orthodontic treatment.

·         Proper Brushing

To properly brush your teeth and prevent tooth decay, place your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against the gums in order to clean the whole tooth and brush gently in the area between the wiring and the teeth. Rinsing is important regardless, but especially important when you have braces as you need to disinfect the entire mouth, including those spots under the braces where your brush can’t always reach.

·         Ask About Special Cleaning Tools

There are special brushes, or other tools, to get under and clean your braces. Most of these items can be found at your local health and wellness store, for example, the Interdental Toothbrush. The Interdental Toothbrush can be used to clean under orthodontic wires and around braces.

Interdental Toothbrush

·         Regular Teeth Cleaning Appointments

It’s extremely important to maintain routine appointments with your dentist for a thorough cleaning twice a year or as directed. The amount of cleaning visits will be up to your dentist as some types of braces are more demanding of a regular cleaning than others. If you follow these basic tips, you should have no problem keeping your teeth from decaying during your orthodontic treatment.

How to properly brush your teeth with braces.

Maintaining good oral hygiene with braces can be challenging for some people. If that’s the case, Dr. Brandon Boggan is more than happy to see if you are a candidate for Invisalign® or Invisalign Teen®. Not only are the aligners nearly invisible, they are removable, so you can eat and drink what you want while in treatment and brushing and flossing are no problem. To see if you’re a candidate for Invisalign or Invisalign Teen, please call Orthodontics South at (205) 664-4140 to set up a consultation or click here to visit our website.