by | Feb 18, 2014 | Tootbrushing Mistake
Tooth brushing Mistake No.6: “Starting in the Same Place Each Time”
We are all creatures of habit at some time or another. Holding our toothbrushes in the same hand day in day out is no exception. Many of us will use our brush with the very same routine every day, sidling it from one side of our mouth to another. Unless we are pro-active teeth cleaners, we will most likely spend a lot more time on the first minute of the teeth cleaning exercise than the last minute, meaning that the place we start this daily routine in will most likely get more attention than anywhere else in the mouth. This is a dangerous practice to get into. It’s like the pesky mosquito which always knows which part of your flesh you expose on a hot sultry night and makes a beeline for it to get its daily feed.
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by | Feb 13, 2014 | Orthodontic Treatments
How do Suresmile robots straighten teeth?
There are many patients who are a bit apprehensive about having machines working on their orthodontic appliances rather than the steady hands of an experienced orthodontist. Many orthodontists are turning to the help of a mouse rather than their traditional pliers for more accurate, efficient and comfortable treatments for their patients. Suresmile is a popular digital format that many orthodontists are using to produce orthodontic appliances which are more efficient and comfortable than ever before.
Just as you might receive Lasik eye surgery from a robotic device, the Suresmile system uses computer aided design and manufacturing to perform wire bending tasks and to produce orthodontic appliances in a much more accurate format than any orthodontist could produce using traditional methods. Treatment times are cut by almost 40% because of the sheer accuracy of these devices. To understand more about Suresmile and its process we have included the steps that are needed to produce an orthodontic device using this technology:
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by | Feb 11, 2014 | Tootbrushing Mistake
Tooth brushing Mistake No.5: “Not Brushing Correctly”
Did you ever think there was a better way to brush your teeth? Do you just whisk around your mouth and teeth with a toothbrush with a dab of fluoridated toothpaste on it? There is more to teeth brushing than that. For a start, you should position your toothbrush at a 45o angle to your gum line and then brush your teeth in a diagonal motion – not just up and down – as this does little to remove all that damaging plaque and clinging bacteria. You should also ensure that you manipulate your toothbrush onto the inner sides of your upper and lower teeth as well as the easy to reach front lower and upper teeth.
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by | Feb 6, 2014 | Orthodontic Treatments
3-D x-rays in orthodontics are a game changer
Every so often there’s an orthodontic technology that absolutely changes the nature of the practice. These game changers can help orthodontists to do their job better than ever before as well as to create more efficient and predictable results. Three-dimensional radiographic technology is widely becoming a staple in many orthodontic offices because it leads to a better orthodontic treatment, less radiations and more efficient orthodontic results.
3-D x-rays have been around since 2001 and recently the technology has become affordable enough for wide range access across multiple offices. The technology is very similar to that of the CT scan but for orthodontic purposes the scans are much faster and they require far less radiations than traditional medical x-rays because they can provide results in just 10 seconds rather than medical CT scans to take anywhere between three and 5 minutes.
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by | Feb 4, 2014 | Tootbrushing Mistake
Tooth brushing Mistake No.4: “Brushing Too Often or Too Hard”
Research conducted at a leading U.S. university identified that there was no real evidence that brushing teeth extra hard with a toothbrush led to cleaner and whiter teeth. In fact, the opposite was found to be true. Brushing too hard could well damage the layer on the surface of the teeth that would otherwise protect the teeth. Damage to the gums could also occur as well. A scientific method was designed that discovered that while brushing for the recommended 120 seconds, the pressure that should be applied by the toothbrush should be equal to an average sized orange. It was found that if the pressure went beyond this, the amount of plaque remaining on the teeth was about the same.
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by | Jan 30, 2014 | Orthodontic Treatments
Why should I visit the dentist during my treatment?
If you are undergoing an orthodontic treatment you may seem to think that you aren’t required to continue making appointments with your regular dentist. The truth is orthodontists are generally looking at very different and specialized issues such as correcting and adjusting your teeth into their correct position. The role of cleaning and oral health is something that needs to be taken on regularly by your family dentist or local dental office and this role is not something that should be neglected even if you are undergoing an orthodontic treatment.
If you have braces or wearing an orthodontic appliance you need to continue seeing your dentist at regular intervals as cleaning can become especially more important during the treatment. Because a dentist will have a variety of tools that can help to clean around orthodontic appliances you can actually work at preventing cavities and other damage while you are wearing orthodontic appliances with regular professional cleaning from a dentist. Braces and orthodontic appliances mean extra ducks and crannies which can be really difficult to clean with traditional brushing and flossing. Dentists will be able to get into all of these notes and crannies to prevent plaque and tartar buildup and to ensure that you are not facing any oral health concerns. Taking care of your teeth is very important as you have already invested time to align and straighten your teeth so it would be a shame to have unhealthy teeth for poor overall oral health when your braces or orthodontic appliance has removed.
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by | Jan 28, 2014 | Tootbrushing Mistake
Tooth brushing Mistake No.3: “Not Brushing Often Enough or Long Enough”
How many of us take teeth brushing so seriously that we count the minutes or seconds every time we go through the routine. I wouldn’t think that too many of us have a stopwatch at hand for that purpose. Maybe we should. The American Dental Association firmly advises the American public to adhere to the 120 second rule every time one of us dabs our toothbrush with toothpaste. It is not simply the seconds we count throughout our daily brush but the number of times a day the stopwatch is set matters too. Twice daily is the expected frequency these days although some over exuberant people might even get around to three times daily.
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by | Jan 23, 2014 | Orthodontic Treatments
Three reasons you’ll want Suresmile orthodontic treatment
It seems as though just about everything is going digital in some way, shape or form. Our cameras, our cable and even our books are all becoming some type of digital format and the same can be said for an orthodontic treatment as well. Today we can actually work to straighten your teeth using advanced computer simulations to deliver more effective and efficient results than ever before. Here are some of the best reasons why you should consider Suresmile treatment option for your orthodontics.
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by | Jan 21, 2014 | Tootbrushing Mistake
Tooth brushing Mistake No.2: “Not Picking the Right Bristles”
Toothbrush bristles come in a variety of forms and are designed for a variety of purposes. Many dentists have a preference for soft bristled toothbrushes and if any of their patients have sensitive teeth or gums, there are extra-soft bristles available too. Softer bristles are kinder to the teeth and if used correctly can do a good job at removing stubborn food particles and cleaning the surface of teeth so that plaque has a more difficult time at adhering to the teeth’s surfaces. Some individuals prefer the softer bristle varieties while others who do not have sensitive teeth or gums may choose a toothbrush with firmer bristles. Whatever we choose or prefer, the experts still recommend using a toothbrush with soft bristles or one with extra soft bristles.
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by | Jan 14, 2014 | Tootbrushing Mistake
Tooth brushing Mistake No.1: “Not Using the Right Toothbrush”
If you do not know which toothbrush is right for you, then you will never know whether your teeth are getting the best clean or not. If your selected toothbrush cannot get into your mouth because it’s too big, then you’re definitely not a good tooth brush selector. A toothbrush that is too big to fit in your mouth is not a good enough excuse to avoid teeth brushing altogether. It is far better for your teeth that you go back to your pharmacy and look further along the row until you can find the one that neatly fits in your mouth without you having to wait to yawn first. You would not try it for size by putting it in your mouth as the pharmacist may never let you back in the store again! While you are taking your toothbrush selection seriously, check to see if your hand will fit comfortably over the handle as well.
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