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Is Extraction the Only Solution?

Is Extraction the Only Solution?

Are There Alternatives to Having Teeth Removed for Braces?

When you realize that the only way you or your child are ever going to get straight teeth is by visiting an orthodontist for an evaluation, then you will want to know answers to certain key questions.  The main ones that Dr. Demas at Team Demas Orthodontics is asked are about the treatment time, the costs associated with the treatment, whether tooth extractions will be necessary and if headgear needs to be worn.

When it comes to the extraction of teeth, this will depend on how severe the crowding is. Removing one or other of your teeth might be necessary. If the underlying bone’s shape and size is insufficient, retaining all teeth would mean your teeth would stick out more noticeably. It could also result in recession, which is gum loss or dehiscence, which is bone loss.

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Toothbrushing Mistake No. 4

Toothbrushing Mistake No. 4

Orthodontics

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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Toothbrushing Mistake No. 3

Toothbrushing Mistake No. 3

Orthodontics

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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