Our Blog

Getting Braces: Surviving the First Week

The first week with new braces can be tough. You may experience some pain and discomfort as your teeth and mouth adjust to the new hardware. It’s important to take it easy and give yourself time to adjust. We want to make your journey to a beautiful smile easy and painless, so here are a few tips from Dr. Barton Soper, Dr. Lauren Lewandowski, Dr. Mohammad Mainayar, and Dr. Gabriela Aragon at Advanced Orthodontics, to get you through the first week with braces:

In This Post, We’ll Cover

• How Long do Braces Hurt?
• Eating with Braces
• What to Expect When Getting Braces
• Different Types of Braces

(more…)

Everything You Need to Know About Your Retainer

So, you’ve finally gotten your braces off, finished your Invisalign, and you’re done with the orthodontist. Not so fast – after treatment, you’ll be fitted with a retainer to keep that smile perfect for years to come. Here we’ll address some common questions about getting a retainer and keeping your smile healthy long after braces from Dr. Barton Soper at Advanced Orthodontics. 

In This Post, We’ll Cover:

• What are Retainers For?
• Are there Different Types of Retainers?
• How Long do you Have to Wear Your Retainer?
• How to Care for a Retainer
• What if My Retainer Doesn’t Fit Anymore?

(more…)

What to Know About Mouthguards and Braces

We’ve all heard horror stories of sports injuries, or even worse, suffered one ourselves. After getting braces, you may be even more worried about a blow to the face during practice or a big game. The best way to protect your mouth from a painful fate is to invest in a mouthguard. Mouthguards protect not only your teeth but the soft tissue of your mouth and your jaw from injury as you play. Luckily for all of our athletic patients, getting braces doesn’t mean giving up the sports you love! Braces will not keep you from any physical activity. However, the price you pay for a beautiful smile is taking a little extra care of your mouth while in treatment.  Keep reading to uncover the significant role that mouthguards play in protecting your oral health and overall well-being from Dr. Barton Soper at Advanced Orthodontics.

In This Post, We’ll Cover:

• Why should you wear a mouthguard?
• Do Braces put you at a risk for a sports injury?
• What types of mouthguards can I buy?

(more…)

Braces and Missing Teeth

Losing teeth is an exciting time in any child’s life. The tooth fairy starts making appearances in your household and adult teeth start to grow in. What’s exciting for your kids might raise some fears and questions for the parents. It’s common to wonder if your child is losing teeth at the right time, or too slowly, or even too quickly. These concerns are normal, and a reason why it’s good to get your child into the orthodontist starting at age seven. Orthodontist Dr. Barton Soper at Advanced Orthodontics can answer all these questions and more and can start any treatment needed early enough to prevent major issues. 

When Should Your Child Start to Lose Teeth?

Usually, the first teeth come loose around age six. Any time between ages five and seven is a normal and healthy time to lose the first tooth. Then, between the ages of eight and ten, there is a brief break in tooth loss. By this time, children have, on average, lost eight teeth. Typically, this is four front top teeth and four front bottom teeth. 

Of course, every child is different, and these ages and average numbers may not prove exactly true in real life. Though your child may not follow this exact timing when they lose their teeth, the first visit to your orthodontist is ideal at age seven to make sure that the progression they are following is healthy and timely for their development. 

As your child gets older and enters their early teen years new molars start to erupt. The process of tooth eruption, though not uniform, should progress relatively similarly for most children. Your orthodontist can make sure that there is space and a healthy mouth to accommodate your child’s growth, and make sure it is progressing correctly. 

(more…)

Is Invisalign the Key to Your Smile?

It’s a big choice to set a treatment plan for bettering your smile! The decision involves research, planning, and an expert evaluation. The field of orthodontics is constantly innovating and growing, so there are numerous treatment styles that may be the best path for you. One of the biggest choices you’ll have to make is which type of braces you’ll use. You could be the ideal candidate for traditional braces, or Invisalign may be the best option. Whether you choose traditional braces or Invisalign, our team of orthodontic specialists is here to help you!

In This Post, We’ll Cover

• Choosing Invisalign
• Invisalign Candidacy
• What issues can Invisalign help with
• Invisalign Pain

(more…)

What to do if Your Braces Break: Handling Orthodontic Emergencies

It can be scary to be at home, school, or sports practice and feel a part of your braces loosen or even fall completely off your tooth. The good news is that most times these emergencies are minor. A bracket that’s come loose, a wire out of place, or even something falling out of your appliance can be easily fixed by your orthodontist. But here are a few general rules and tips for how to handle these situations in the moment and until you can get into the office for a visit. 

What are Some Common Orthodontic Emergencies?

Most emergencies involving braces center around a wire or rubber band coming detached. These two issues are minor and can be easily fixed by your orthodontist. Sometimes a bracket can come loose, and in extreme situations, a bracket could come completely off your tooth. These are times that you would keep the fallen bracket in a safe place and take it with you to your orthodontic appointment. 

(more…)