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Monthly Archives: January 2021
What Services Does An Orthodontist Provide?
What are the different services that an orthodontist provides? Orthodontists hold great importance in the world of dentistry and play a major role in the fixation of our teeth and jaw issues. But these professionals are among the few people many of us never want to see or have contact with. Let’s face it; every one of us has a dental phobia to some extent. We get scared, finding out we have a dental problem that requires frequent visits to the dentist.
It gets scarier when there is a problem that requires dental surgery or any other corrective procedure. But, an orthodontist is the first health professional that you must take your child to around the age of seven to check for any dental issues that may lead to more problems in the future.
If you still haven’t visited an orthodontist or want to learn more about their services, you’ve come to the right place. Many people think that orthodontists only deal with the placement of braces. Well, that’s not the case. Mentioned below are the different types of services an orthodontist provides.
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1. Installation of Braces
One of the main tasks orthodontists perform is the installation of braces. They also perform some tests and take assessments that let them know if you require braces or not. An orthodontist will recommend braces when you have teeth alignment issues and issues with your gums.
Braces consist of metal wirings and brackets smoothly fixed on your teeth and jaws. It’s one of the best treatments for overlapping teeth, and many children get braces installed during their school years. As dentistry continues to advance in many ways, different types of braces have been introduced, such as ceramic braces, lingual braces, and Invisalign. The installation method of these braces differs slightly and is carefully carried out only by orthodontists.
2. Malocclusions
Malocclusions are a jaw dysfunction that occurs when your jaws aren’t aligned properly. This issue may arise due to many reasons, and you must visit an orthodontist as soon as possible, as they will provide you with the best treatment for it.
Malocclusions appear in different forms. Sometimes your lower jaw tends to be bigger than your upper jaw, known as an underbite. In some cases, your upper jaw is bigger than the lower jaw, known as an overbite. Orthodontists help align your jaws with effective treatment depending on how intense your condition is.
3. Extra Oral Appliances
Other oral appliances consist of the orthodontic headgear installation, a form of dental treatment to correct a severe malocclusion. This headgear is a type of device that gets strapped to your teeth or braces. If your orthodontist recommends wearing these, you only have to wear them during the night. So you don’t have to fear wearing this unique and abnormal (for a few) orthodontic appliance when you go outside.
4. Jaw Surgery
Orthodontists also perform surgeries to fix severe teeth misalignment and jaw issues that help minimize any other deformities in your jaw if present. This surgery includes breaking your jaw bone along with the plates, screws, and titanium to help with the healing. This surgery is mostly carried out under anesthesia. There are many other surgeries that orthodontics conduct to treat misalignment and jaw issues. If the issues are very severe, some surgeries require the assistance of dentists as well.
5. Post Treatment Services – Retainers
Once you’ve received basic orthodontic treatment, your orthodontist will carry out a treatment that includes retainers’ installation. Retainers help increase the speed of the treatment and prevent any further issues to some extent. This dental appliance comes in two forms; removable and fixed.
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Removable retainers help position all your teeth and include clear plastic, so they aren’t as visible as you think. The best part about removable retainers is that you don’t have to wear them all the time, especially when you’re outside because that’s the last thing you want. You have to wear them for a certain period for effective treatment. The time-frame depends on the person’s dental condition and how much they need it to seek immediate healing.
Fixed retainers also contribute to the same purpose; the only difference is that you have to leave them in your mouth for a certain period of time prescribed by your orthodontists. The orthodontist will fix retainers towards the area of your tongue using simple wires and a dental adhesive.
Orthodontist Services: Final Words
Now that you’re aware of the different services that orthodontists provide, and how important it is to visit them to maintain your oral health, the question is to find the right orthodontist for you.
If you’re searching for the best orthodontist, you should contact Manhattan family Orthodontics. We are the best orthodontists in NYC and will provide you with top quality dental services in a relaxed and professional environment.
What is an Emergency Orthodontist?
Do you think you’re in need of an emergency orthodontist? If you’re experiencing dental problems, you visit your dentist as early as you can. But what if you encounter an oral issue on a weekend, holiday, or past midnight? If you experience a serious problem past your clinic’s open hours, you need an emergency orthodontist or a visit to an emergency room.
You should know the difference between a normal dentist issue and an orthodontic emergency. For normal issues, you can wait until morning, and no serious issue occurs if you wait. However, in an orthodontic emergency, you risk losing a tooth or any other health issue. When you are in such a condition, you must visit an emergency orthodontist. But before you encounter such a situation, you need to understand what oral problems fall under orthodontic emergencies.
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Minor Orthodontic Emergencies
Most problems related to your orthodontic treatment will be minor if you can solve it with proper directions over the phone. Still, some minor problems may become an orthodontic emergency. These minor problems can impair your treatment and cause severe discomfort. In such cases, you need to visit an emergency orthodontist so they can diagnose and handle the problem without any further consequences. The following problems constitute a minor orthodontic emergency:
· Broken or Loose Braces
If a bracket, band, or wire of your braces loosens or breaks, you should immediately contact your orthodontist. If the piece from your braces is still intact, avoid touching it until your orthodontist repairs it. If that piece has fallen off, you need to keep the piece with you and bring it to your appointment with an emergency orthodontist. If that piece is causing any discomfort, apply dental wax in that area and visit the emergency room for immediate repair.
· Discomfort from Pointy Brackets, Ties, or Archwires
Sometimes, archwires, the metal, springy, and thin wires on your braces shift from their position and start poking in your mouth. If this is happening to you, use a Q-tip, pencil eraser, or a pair of tweezers to bring it back to a comfortable position. If that doesn’t work, cover the area with the dental wax and visit an emergency orthodontist.
· Toothaches or Loose Teeth
When braces move the teeth, you may feel minor soreness and discomfort in your gums or teeth. This happens to everyone and shows that the braces are working properly. Usually, the discomfort alleviates in few days and becomes mild in intensity. To managing the discomfort, use warm water with salt to rinse out that area. You can also take OTC painkillers such as Tylenol. However, if you cannot handle the pain and notice that the situation is getting worse, contact an emergency orthodontist as this can be a serious issue.
Major Orthodontic Emergency
These types of emergencies are very rare and only happen when there is possible damage to the mouth, jaw, or teeth. Here are some main major orthodontic emergencies that require an immediate visit to the emergency orthodontist:
- Infected or swollen gums or other serious swelling or infection in your mouth
- Any trauma or injury to the face, teeth, and mouth
- Unmanageable and severe pain inside your mouth or face
If you are experiencing such problems, call us at (212) 207-8028 immediately. Our experienced orthodontist will discuss how you can handle the situation and arrange an emergency appointment.
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How to Know if you Need an Emergency Orthodontist
The American Family Physician suggested that almost 22% of people experience oral or dental pain in only the last six months from the report. This shows how common orthodontic emergencies are in the US (Source).
Still, not all dental situations constitute an orthodontic emergency. Ask yourself the following questions before deciding to visit an emergency orthodontist:
- Is the pain you are experiencing severe? Bleeding and severe pain can be an orthodontic emergency.
- Is your tooth lost? If you seek immediate help from an emergency orthodontist, you can save your tooth.
- Are your teeth loosening up? You should never lose your teeth. Even if you did not feel any pain in losing your teeth, the problem could be serious.
- Do you have an infection? A serious mouth infection can be life-threatening, and you should immediately seek help from an emergency orthodontist. In infections, you may notice knots or swelling around your gum and face.
- Is your mouth bleeding? This is a possible sign of an orthodontic emergency.
Generally, any oral problem that requires immediate help from an orthodontist, such as severe pain, bleeding, a loose tooth, is an emergency.
Emergency Orthodontist: Conclusion
If you are suffering from these symptoms, you need an experienced emergency orthodontist immediately. Call us at 212-207-8028 and describe your condition. You can also visit either of our 2 Manhattan Family Orthodontics locations in New York City.
For further information on how we help our patients, visit our website.