FAQs - Riverina Dental Albury

What You Need to Know About Orthodontics

Common Orthodontic Questions

What is orthodontics?

What Is Orthodontics – Benefits & Risks You Should Know

Orthodontics is the treatment of misaligned teeth or malocclusions. The word “orthodontics” can be divided into two greek words, “orthos” and “dontics.” There are several benefits that you can get from this treatment. This blog post will educate you about the benefits, risks, types, and aims of orthodontic treatment that you should know to make up your mind before visiting Dr Maloney.

Let’s get started!

Health Benefits Of Orthodontic Treatment

As a part of modern society, there are several things that you need to take care of, and your health is the first thing you should consider. With orthodontic treatment, you can ensure safety from other tooth diseases such as tooth decay, gum disease, bone destruction, chewing, and other digestive difficulties.

On the other hand, it also improves the self-esteem of a person and the functionality of better chewing and increases the speaking power.

Is It Really Important To Get An Orthodontic Treatment?

According to dentists and recent studies, it is clearly shown that orthodontic treatment can save you from several mouth disabilities. Moreover, you can enjoy the smile of straight teeth, which will boost your confidence level. Another thing which is very important for your health is gum disease which is spreading widely.

If you don’t get treatment at an early stage, you might face severe difficulties later in life.

What are we aiming to achieve when treating you?

Want to know the problems that Dr Maloney can address during orthodontic treatment?

Check out the points below!

Poor Alignment Of Teeth: The treatment includes improvement of poor alignment, which is the common reason for tooth pain and improper bite.
Open Bite: This pain occurs when the upper end of the lower front teeth are not in touch with the upper front teeth. You will experience insufficient and inappropriate chewing in this problem.
The Spacing: Did you ever see unwanted spaces in your or someone’s teeth? It happens because of missing teeth or the poor development of permanent teeth.

Two Important Tips For You After Getting Orthodontic Treatment

The first thing that you need to take care of is hygienic oral cleaning. Once you wear braces, it is important to maintain the cleaning of your mouth after every meal. You can also use the threading method to eliminate food particles.
When you wear braces, you have to eat very carefully not to feel any pain or have problems. It is a must for you to pay extra attention to prevent decay and gum disease. We recommend you not eat hard food that requires more chewing energy throughout your mouth.

How long does treatment take?

Orthodontic treatment is the alignment correction of teeth, that includes braces, for a specific period. The period depends on the situation, spacing, and alignment of teeth, which can be six months, two years, or even three years. Your behaviour also effects how long treatment takes. Here in this blog post, we will provide you with an answer to your question and a complete guide that will help you throughout your orthodontic treatment!

Stay with us!

Time Period of Orthodontic Treatment For An Average Person

As we said before, the average amount of orthodontic treatment varies between 6 months to 3 years. The circumstances of every patient are different, so we cannot figure out the exact time before your consultation. But, the good thing is that below we have mentioned some factors that can potentially impact the time. At the time of your consultation, we will be able to give you an approximate length of treatment time.

1. Condition Of Your Teeth

The first thing that matters in oral treatment is the current condition of your teeth. There are several reasons to wear braces or get orthodontic treatment. Your teeth might have wide spacing, be crowded, or may stick out. On the other hand, getting an orthodontic treatment is a must to avoid other health issues such as a cavity, gum disease, and enamel erosion.

What Is Enamel Erosion?

Enamel is the outer layer of teeth which is 2 times stronger than bones. This substance protects against physical and chemical damage. Enamel is the strongest part of the human body.

The most common symptoms of enamel erosion are tooth sensitivity and tooth stains. However, the good thing is that you can prevent or recover this issue by taking care of your teeth or getting orthodontic treatment.

2. Your Bite

Do you know that there are several variations in your bite? It is important to get a treatment for any of the following bite issues if you feel pain:

Deep bite
Open bite
Underbite
Cross bite

The extent of your bite issues will effect treatment time.

3. Type Of Orthodontic Treatment

The different types of orthodontic treatment can affect the duration of your treatment. Want to know more about the types? Check out the information below:

Clear Aligners: The clear aligners are the removable type of braces. They are plastic-like trays that need replacement after every few weeks once your teeth move into place. The good thing about this type of treatment is that you can remove them easily to clean your teeth or eat. Clear aligners however can extend your treatment time.

Lingual Braces: The lingual braces are made of metal that doctors glue behind your teeth. They are aesthetic braces that are more effective and efficient as compared to clear aligners and other types.

Metal Braces: another common type of braces are metal braces that are attached to the teeth with brackets and threaded with steel wire to connect them in a structure. This type of treatment requires you to visit our practice to tighten the wire every 3-6 weeks to align your teeth into their position slowly.

4. Your Personal Care and How Committed You Are to Your Treatment

Your diet and lifestyle are two significant factors on which every treatment depends. Please avoid those foods that Dr Maloney has advised you do not eat if you do not want to extend your treatment time.

Eating crunchy, hard, or sticky foods will break your braces, leading you to other problems. It is also important you follow all of Dr Maloney’s recommendations:

Attending all of your scheduled appointments
Following instructions given to you
Maintaining proper cleaning of your teeth, and avoiding bad habits such as smoking, drinking, and eating unclean food.

Does orthodontic treatment hurt?

Have you ever thought about getting orthodontic treatment but did not take a step forward because you’re worried it will hurt? Well, that happens to many people who considers getting braces or any other form of dental care. Braces or orthodontic treatment may indeed discomfort your mouth, but it is not that bad if you plan to see positive results in the long term. Obviously, who doesn’t want a beautiful smile on their face?

Many people have concerns that orthodontic treatment will be very painful and uncomfortable. The fact is, orthodontic treatment does not hurt that much, especially if you follow the directions and advice from Dr Maloneyr. Read this blog post until the end to obtain an in-depth clarification.

4 Reasons For Not Getting Orthodontic Treatment Because Of Fear

1. Braces/Orthodontic Treatment Can Cause Pain

If you or your child/teenager are avoiding orthodontic treatment because of a fear of pain, then you should not worry about this. Orthodontic treatment is not as painful as you think it might be. It does not include twisting or doing any complex activity with your teeth. In fact, most of our patients experience little or no discomfort at all.

You may feel slight discomfort for a short period ofter each adjustment of your braces, or each new aligner you use. However, if you or your child is particularly sensitive, pain medication such as panadol for a day or two usually resolves any pain or discomfort issue.

2. People Feel Embarrassed to have Braces/Orthodontic Treatment

Feeling embarrassed is a normal and common human reaction to many things that happen in life. But it doesn’t not mean you let it take control of you. This happens mostly to children and teengers because they are not ready to look different at school and amongst their peers. They may have a fear of getting bullied. If this stops your child from getting treatment, encourage them, show your support, normalise orthodontic treatment, and remind them of the benefits of straightening their teeth.

3.They Are Afraid Food Will Get Stuck In Their Teeth

Many people think food may get stuck in their teeth because of spacing and misaligned teeth. However, without orthodontic treatment to straighten their teeth, food will continue to in their teeth unless the problem is resolved.

4. Treatment Can Take a Long Time

Some people may have special events coming up such as their weeding, family holiday, school graduation, or school performance. Discuss there concerns with Dr Maloney, because orthodontic treatment has changed so much as we now have many different ways to straighten your teeth. These ways include removable clear aligners and clear braces. Using a combination of treatment types may also mean your special event is not compromised by wearing braces.

A Real Life Experience Of Getting Braces and Orthodontic Treatment – Expectations You Should Have

All of our patients who undergo orthodontic treatment with us have a different experience. Some feel low-grade pain for one or two days after treatment commences or eacjh adjustment, whereas others feel little to no discomfort for the duration of their treatment.

What happens if I miss my orthodontic appointment?

Once you have decided to commence orthodontic treatment, you will go on a journey that will require some commitment on your part. Part of this commitment is attending regular orthodontic adjustment appointments. As part of your treatment planning, Dr Maloney will talk to you about approximately have often you have to come in for these appointments.

We understand that sometimes things hsappen in life that can’t be avoided, which means that you miss some of your orthodontic appointments. Dr Maloney will develop a plan and goal for your treatment. The success of this plan however will depend on you attending for these appointments, so its best you attend as many of these appointments as possible. If you miss too many appointments, it will affect the length of your treatment time.

If you miss one or more appointments, the first thing you should do is get back in touch with us ASAP. We will reschedule for you and get your treatment back on track.

What foods can I eat during orthodontic treatment?

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. In eget bibendum libero. Etiam id velit at enim porttitor facilisis. Vivamus tincidunt lectus at risus pharetra ultrices. In tincidunt turpis at odio dapibus maximus.

What Age Should I Bring my Child in for an Appointment?

Some kids can not wait to get orthodontic treatment. Have you ever wondered why? It maybe because they are not comfortable with their teeth, especially if they are crooked, or too spaced out. They could be having trouble eating, are embarrased to smile, or even getting bullied at school. Some kids even want braces because they think it’s cool, or to be like their friends who are also undergoing orthodontic treatment.

The good news is, undergoing orthodontic treatment is a healthy and normal part of life, and will lead to a healthier life, a functional bite and improved self-confidence. Many parents are unsure what is the best age to bring their children in to see if orthodontic treatment is required.

This guide will help you know when is the best time to bring your child in for orthodontic treatment!

Why Do Children Need Braces?

There are several reasons for kids to need orthodontic treatment. It can be because of a bad bite, misaligned teeth, spacing issues, or soreness caused by oral disease.

Some children have injuries and accidents Your child may get an injury or an accident in which they lose their baby teeth, resulting in other consequences. Moreover, if they have habits of thumb sucking or eating plenty of chocolates resulting in cavities, what solid reason do you want?

Sign That Indicates Your Children Need Braces

Expert orthodontists say that the best time for children to get braces is when they start developing permanent teeth. But guess what? This factor is not as simple as it looks.

Let’s say your child’s permanent teeth have started growing, and he is facing a problem in chewing. This problem is indicating that he has crooked teeth. On the other hand, if your child keeps leftovers after eating a meal, then your child may have spacing.

These two are the main signs that your child needs braces.

First Orthodontic Clinic Visit

The first orthodontist visit is not a gateway to anything painful or operational day. Your doctor will examine your problems thoroughly to know how many problems you have. Based upon their prediction. The doctor will plan a goal and treatment.

Furthermore, some dentists will do x-rays from different angles to measure the difficulty of the problem you had in your mouth. We will discuss the reason behind the necessity of x-rays below!

In the end, your preferred doctor will use gooey material to make an impression on your child’s teeth. After the mold is removed, they can understand better which treatment will work perfectly for your children. However, they can consult you and recommend some medications at the first appointment.

Convince your child to visit a doctor, because above are the things that doctors commonly do!

Things You Will Learn From The First Visit To The Dental Doctor

You will get to know some essential things when you meet the doctor for the first time. Have a look at the below points to know more:

You will know about the orthodontic problem if you have any.
Your doctor will decide the best possible option for you.
If you want to remove any teeth that create problems, visiting a doctor will help you examine which one is creating the problem.
You cannot judge the time duration of your treatment. Therefore, your doctor better predicts whether the doctor will complete it in six months, one year, or two years.
Visiting several doctors in your location will give you a comparison of the overall treatment cost.

Which Time Is Perfect For Childrens To Get Orthodontic Treatment?

You might be wondering why everything is so tricky about oral treatment? Well, it is not!

There is no fixed time for your children to get an orthodontic treatment unless they feel anything unusual in their mouth. However, most children do not even need to wear braces because their actual smile is pretty beautiful. So, this fact witness that the ideal time for getting orthodontic treatment is when it is required, simple!

Furthermore, several other things matter, such as your first consultation appointment with the doctor, which you had last year, and your child may have misaligned teeth at that time. So, the year’s gap may have made teeth alignment more critical which means it will take more time to make the treatment successful.

What Kind Of Braces Your Child Should Have

There are several types of braces, each of which has its benefits and flaws. In some treatments, dentists use metal braces, brackets, wires, and rubber bands. On the other hand, dentists also use removable braces, which is only beneficial after 50% of your treatment.

There are clear and white ceramic braces available in the market with a minor color appearance and are hardly noticeable. Every doctor has their priority and the demand of treatment. In general, let your doctor decide what stands best for your child unless you are a doctor by yourself.

Does Your Child Have Some Special Needs?

Every kid is different from others, but they are more than anything to their parents. The orthodontic treatment is the sign of pure parents’ love that they care about their children. However, most parents did not care about one thing when it comes to any treatment, especially when their children are special.

Here’s what we’re trying to say!

Suppose your child has any disability such as phobia or fear of medical instruments, learning disability, a physical disability that makes him uncomfortable to get treated. Then, it is a must for you to visit the doctor before visiting with the patient and discuss the problem. In this way, the doctor and other co-workers will be prepared to handle the patient more carefully.

Your children will be accommodated in a very calm and peaceful environment that you are trying to give them.

Why Is It Necessary By Doctors For Your Child Treatment To Take X-rays?

Have you ever thought about why doctors take x-rays? If not, you should because it is an additional cost, and you should know where you are spending during the treatment.

To diagnose the problem and create the line of action. Doctors are required to take X-rays because it gives them a clear idea about the current situation of the patient’s problem. They can know what they are going to do during the treatment. Otherwise, the doctors will only treat on behalf of guessing and predictions.