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Considering an Invisalign doctor for orthodontic treatment? Here are parents’ top questions about Invisalign treatment duration, costs, and more.

Considering an Invisalign doctor for orthodontic treatment? Here are parents’ top questions about Invisalign treatment duration, costs, and more.

Considering an Invisalign doctor for orthodontic treatment? Here are parents’ top questions about Invisalign treatment duration, costs, and more.

You have been fitted with a bonded retainer. It is most common for these to be placed behind the lower front teeth; however, on occasion, these are placed behind the upper front teeth as well. Though these retainers cannot be removed, they are only permanent if they are well taken care of.

A special spring appliance has been installed onto your braces as part of an overall treatment plan prescribed by Dr. Hodges. The Forsus appliance is specifically designed to help move your teeth to your doctor’s recommended position. Forsus springs are used to correct overjet by encouraging forward movement of the lower teeth and backward movement of the upper teeth. These springs are used in conjunction with braces and are worn for 4-6 months. In some cases, this may help reduce the need for you to wear headgear, elastics, or have extractions of permanent teeth. It works around the clock, using continuous gentle forces to provide as efficient a treatment time as possible. Unlike rubberbands or headgear, you do not have to remember to wear it.

Spacers (or “separators”) have been placed between your teeth. They may be elastic (green, blue, or clear) or metal (look like a small clip). Teeth normally fit tightly against one another, and the purpose of the spacers is to move your teeth apart slightly in order to make room for bands.

Bite Turbos are small acrylic pads, mounds, or ramps that are bonded to the tongue side of the upper front teeth or on the chewing surface of any of the back teeth. At our office, they may be a natural color, red or blue color, or made of metal. Bite turbos are temporarily bonded to open your bite.

The Herbst appliance is very effective in correcting large overbites due to small lower jaws in patients who are growing. The Herbst appliance is used to enhance the growth of the lower jaw in a forward direction, while at the same time applying pressure to the upper jaw in a backwards direction. Expansion or widening may also be achieved in the upper jaw if desired.

Make sure to wear your headgear as directed by Dr. Hodges, but as a general rule, the more you wear it the better. It can be worn for 3-4 hours in the evening in addition to all night. Please make sure it is only worn during quiet times such as sleeping, reading, watching TV, playing video games or doing homework.

A palatal expander is an appliance that is attached to the upper molars through bonding or bands. The palatal expander is used to widen the upper jaw. It is typically used when the upper jaw is too narrow or the upper teeth are crowded. Activating the expander creates gradual outward pressure to cause an increased amount of bone to grow between the right and left halves of the jaw, resulting in increased width.

Clean your aligners prior to each insertion. Use a soft bristle toothbrush with water and a small amount of toothpaste. You may find it easiest to clean the outside of your aligners by brushing them while they are still on your teeth, then remove your aligners to clean the inside surfaces.

Do not clean your retainer in hot or boiling water. This will distort the retainer permanently. Rinse your retainer with warm water daily. You may use a toothbrush and toothpaste, but this may scratch the clear retainers slightly (this will not harm the retainer, it will just not be as clear). If this does not clean sufficiently, the retainer may be soaked in white vinegar or denture cleaner for 5 minutes, then rinsed clean.

After the initial placement of braces or following an adjustment, the teeth may be tender for a couple of days up to two weeks. This is not abnormal and will improve with time. An over-the-counter pain reliever such as Advil (ibuprofen) or Tylenol (acetaminophen) may be helpful in alleviating this initial soreness. Dr. Hodges usually recommended ibuprofen as the better of the two.

The reverse pull headgear is a very important part of your orthodontic treatment. A reverse pull headgear will help to move your upper jaw forward with growth, which is critical to do at a young age, thereby reducing or possibly eliminating the need for very involved jaw surgery later in life. This treatment is to be taken very seriously and followed precisely if an acceptable result is to be achieved.

The most common problem with oral hygiene while in braces is that most patients do not spend enough time brushing. Take your time and brush for 3 minutes after every meal and before bedtime. Don’t get rushed and don’t skip this important step. Red, swollen gums that bleed while brushing or flossing are a sign of infection. If you notice this, you should pay attention to brushing MORE frequently. Do not brush less, brush longer!!!

If you are having TMJ problems, eating softer foods will certainly help. This change in diet provides less stress on the muscles that you use to chew and less discomfort around the joint. Avoid certain foods like bagels, steak or taffy type candy that can require a lot of work to chew. If you sprained your ankle, you wouldn’t go run a race. Same rules apply here. When possible, cut fruits into small pieces and steam vegetables. Severe cases of TMJ discomfort may even require a liquid diet for a period of time, or at least restricting diet to soups and milkshakes for a while.