Adult Orthodontist

How to Stop The Thumb Sucking Habit

When A Habit Appliance Can Help Many families don’t think of the orthodontist’s office as a place to seek help for thumb sucking. However, an orthodontic device called a habit appliance is extremely effective at breaking the thumb sucking habit. Learn more about how to stop the thumb sucking habit with this simple appliance for your child. At Burke & Redford Orthodontists, Dr. Redford and Dr. Burke believe in educating patients and their families about the different ways we can help improve smiles and correct bites. We will examine the damaging effects of chronic thumb sucking, remedies to try at…

Correcting Bites and Making Space in the Mouth

Pendulum, Carriere Distalizer, and Quad Helix Appliances Orthodontists do much more than straighten teeth with braces or Invisalign. In fact, one of an orthodontist’s primary jobs is correcting bites, also called malocclusions (bad bites). In order to do this, orthodontists use various appliances that can correct bites, widen the jaw, and make space in the mouth. At Burke & Redford Orthodontists, Dr. Redford and Dr. Burke use a variety of appliances during orthodontic treatment. To educate our patients, we’ve been providing information about some of the lesser known orthodontic devices used in our practice. This article focuses on the pendulum,…

Herbst Appliance

Guiding Lower Jaw Growth Braces and Invisalign are not the only ways that orthodontists improve the smiles of their patients. Several different orthodontic appliances are used to help correct various issues, such as malocclusions (bad bites) and jaws that are too narrow. To help educate our patients, Burke & Redford Orthodontists has been providing information about the different orthodontic appliances that may be used during a patient’s treatment. This article focuses on the Herbst appliance. Problems Corrected with the Herbst Appliance The Herbst appliance is most often used to correct moderate or severe overbites, which is when the lower teeth…

Banded and Bonded Expanders

Appliances for Widening the Upper Jaw When most people think of the orthodontist’s office, they usually think of braces and Invisalign. However, orthodontists use a variety of appliances to achieve different goals—such as preserving space in the mouth or widening the jaw. This article focuses on appliances used to widen a narrow jaw—banded and bonded expanders. At Burke & Redford Orthodontists, we believe in educating our patients and their families so they feel comfortable with the different appliances that may be used during orthodontic treatment. Problems Caused By Narrow Upper Jaws An upper jaw that is too narrow can cause…

Lower Lingual Holding Arch and Nance Arch

Maintaining Space in the Dental Arch Although braces and Invisalign are two of the most well-known orthodontic appliances, they are far from the only ones used to treat patients. A variety of orthodontic appliances are used to accomplish different goals—from widening the jaw to preserving space in the mouth. Burke & Redford Orthodontists want their patients to feel comfortable with the appliances that might be used during treatment. Patient education is an integral part of our mission. In this blog post, we’re going to focus on two appliances that are used to maintain space in the lower and upper dental…

Orthodontic Treatment for Adults

Orthodontic Benefits for Adults Orthodontic patients have traditionally been teenagers and children. However, during the past two decades, the number of adults seeking orthodontic treatment has steadily increased. Many orthodontists now have adults comprising 25% or more of their patient base. According to the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), 1,690,000 adults received orthodontic treatment in 2016. Since then, this number has risen—with adults being the fastest growing segment of orthodontic patients. Orthodontists are even treating patients in their 60s, 70s, and 80s! Burke & Redford Orthodontists is one of the top orthodontic practices treating a growing numbers of adult patients.…

Types of Teeth Retainers

Maintenance After Braces Come Off A patient’s orthodontic journey isn’t finished once braces come off. This simply concludes the active treatment stage. Now comes the maintenance phase, which includes wearing certain types of teeth retainers. Getting a beautiful smile took time, effort, and financial investment. Patients want to protect their investment and keep their teeth aligned and stable for the rest of their lives. The key to maintaining that new smile is a retainer. Without the use of dental retainers, newly straightened teeth can shift back to their original positions. Teeth are most vulnerable for the first several months after…

Impacted Teeth

What Is An Impacted Tooth? The typical adult mouth has 32 teeth—8 incisors, 4 canines, 8 premolars, 8 molars, and 4 wisdom teeth (also called third molars). Each type of tooth has a distinct function and location. Impacted teeth can happen for many reasons. Incisors (the middle front teeth) cut food into small pieces. Canines (the pointed teeth next to the incisors) grip and tear food. Premolars (located between canines and molars) crush and tear food. Molars (flat teeth at the rear of the mouth) grind food. If a tooth doesn’t grow in as expected, it is called an impaction.…

Interceptive Orthodontics

Early Orthodontic Treatment Shapes a Healthy Smile An orthodontist does much more than straighten teeth. The primary focus of many orthodontic treatments, especially for younger children, is fixing malocclusions (bad bites) and ensuring all teeth erupt normally and safely. Early orthodontic treatment is called interceptive orthodontics. The goal of interceptive orthodontics is to fix developing problems earlier rather than later. This means patients normally do not need to undergo more extensive interventions when they get older. Also, orthodontists can easily and predictably accomplish some things in younger children that aren’t always possible with older patients. Since 1991, Burke & Redford…

Dentist vs Orthodontist

What Is An Orthodontist? Many people are unsure about the difference between dentists and orthodontists. Although there are similarities between the two, significant differences relate to education and services provided. We want to help our patients understand the difference between a dentist vs orthodontist. Dr. Redford and Dr. Burke believe it is essential to know what distinguishes an orthodontist from a dentist. This knowledge allows patients to make educated decisions and choose the best provider for their needs. Educational Differences Between a Dentist and Orthodontist The first thing to understand is that all orthodontists are dentists. However, not all dentists…

Adult Orthodontist

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