Invisalign Clear Braces
A Comprehensive Overview for Orthodontic Treatment Orthodontic treatment has come a long way in recent years, with advancements in technology and techniques leading to improved patient outcomes. Among the various approaches, functional appliances have proven to be an effective method for correcting malocclusions and promoting proper jaw development in growing children and teenagers. Twin Block and Bionator appliances are two of the classic functional devices used by orthodontists, although not used commonly in our practice. At Burke & Redford Orthodontists, with offices located in Temecula and Lake Elsinore, California, we more typically use other functional appliances that achieve a similar…
What happens when a patient’s lower teeth are significantly crowded, but there are several baby teeth still present, and the family does not want to have two separate sets of orthodontic braces? As an example, for 10-year-old Charlie, this was his reality. His orthodontist recommended an orthodontic lip bumper as the ideal way to resolve lower crowding as a tween, so his braces treatment at around 12 years old was less invasive and more straightforward. Many dentists refer their patients to Burke & Redford Orthodontists in Temecula and Lake Elsinore, California, when they need a lip bumper appliance or any…
What Does a MARA Appliance Do? A MARA appliance is a dental device used to correct overbites. It works by encouraging the patient to reposition the lower jaw forward into its correct position, putting differential pressure to move the upper teeth backward and the lower teeth forward. This helps to correct excess front to back overbite that is seen in many young patients. The MARA appliance has many other benefits including improved speech clarity, reduction in front tooth protrusion, broadening of the smile, and better facial aesthetics. What Type of Condition Does a MARA Appliance Treat? The MARA appliance is…
BSSO Bilateral Sagittal Split Osteotomy, or BSSO, is a surgical procedure used for patients who need jaw repositioning. It has become very popular as it offers significantly better results with a lower risk profile than older, more traditional surgery methods. This article will explore what a bilateral sagittal split osteotomy is and how it benefits patients. The first paragraph of this article will outline the basics of BSSO, so patients can understand exactly what the procedure entails. The second paragraph will provide a detailed description of how the procedure works and its advantages compared to other treatments, while also addressing…
The day a patient’s braces are removed is cause for celebration. However, many patients are excited to move to the next step – making sure their teeth are sparkling white once the braces come off. There are steps you can take when it comes to whitening teeth after braces and have a beautiful smile. Yellow teeth after wearing braces are common, especially among patients that had less than stellar oral hygiene while wearing the braces. In other cases, patients may have natural intrinsic color variation that makes the color of their teeth uneven or off-white. Although Burke & Redford…
What Is an Asymmetrical Face? Symmetry is generally defined as “balanced proportions.” When it comes to human faces, symmetry means that the two sides of a face are in balance. In other words, the right side of the face looks like the left side of the face, or the top half of the face is in proportion to the lower half of the face. However, most people do not have perfectly symmetrical faces. Most people have slight differences, such as one eye being bigger than the other, ears of different sizes, or eyelids that do not match. Although facial asymmetry…
Orthodontic Appliance One of the primary tasks of an orthodontist is to address issues related to malocclusions. Malocclusion is a fancy term for “bad bite.” To correct bite issues, orthodontists use orthodontic appliances (devices) to widen the jaw, make space in the mouth, and move teeth into optimal positions. One such appliance is the fixed pendulum appliance (FPA). What Does a Pendulum Appliance Treat? A pendulum orthodontic appliance helps to create more room in a patient’s mouth by widening the upper jaw and shifting a patient’s top molars back to provide more room for crowded teeth to move into alignment.…
What Is a Nance Arch? Orthodontists use a variety of specialized appliances to treat specific orthodontic issues. Some of these appliances—such as the Nance holding arch—are used to preserve space in the dental arches. The dental arch is the curved structure that contains teeth, gums, and supporting bone. Every human has two dental arches—an upper arch and a lower arch. The Nance Holding Arch is a space maintainer used in the upper jaw. The device itself is comprised of a few parts, which include: Two stainless steel rings (called bands) that are fixed to the upper 6-year molars with orthodontic…
Quad Helix Appliance The definition of quad helix appliance is an orthodontic appliance that is used to gently and gradually widen a patient’s jaw. This type of device falls under the category of palatal expander. Because the quad helix expander is used on the upper teeth/jaw, it may also be called a maxillary expander. Maxillary is the term used when referring to the upper jaw. When referring to the lower jaw, the term mandibular would be used. The quad helix appliance can be removable, but it is usually bonded to the teeth with orthodontic cement. The appliance consists of stainless-steel…
What is a Lower Lingual Holding Arch? A lower lingual holding arch is an orthodontic appliance that helps to maintain space in the mouth. A less technical term would be space maintainer. When the terms are broken down individually, the meaning and use of the appliance become clearer. Lower means that the device is attached to the lower (or bottom) teeth. With this appliance, two stainless steel rings (called bands) are affixed to the first molars. A stainless steel wire then runs along the inside of the lower teeth to connect the bands. Lingual is the medical term for the…