Queen Bee Club
Orthodontic Retreatment for Adults
If you had orthodontic treatment in your teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, or even 50s and it just doesn’t look the way it should now, think about having braces put back on for a few months. In a recent study of adult patients who had been previously treated, three main reasons are cited as to the need for further orthodontic care:
- A significant amount of differential growth of the jaws, after the braces were removed
- Lower incisor crowding
- Unwanted upper incisor changes
The fact remains that whatever the reason, many adults do not like the way their teeth look now. In many cases, these patterns can be corrected (even as an adult) with the added benefits of a more perfect smile, the elimination of crowding which benefits oral health greatly and a bite which will allow you to keep all of your teeth until you are 100.
Based on the amount of orthodontic relapse that has occurred, limited or comprehensive retreatment may be recommended. If relapse is mild to moderate, retreatment may include braces on anterior teeth for a short period of time, or Invisalign®.
If your relapse is moderate to severe, comprehensive retreatment may be recommended which may include complete Invisalign or braces with elastics or rubber bands. We offer clear braces and Invisalign – both are great options for adults. Our office has special private areas for you to feel more comfortable while undergoing treatment. You’ll also have the opportunity to participate in our office contests and exciting events.
Teeth Move
Teeth can move your whole life, whether you have had orthodontic treatment or not. The only way to prevent unwanted tooth movement is with regular retainer wear. We recommend full-time wear for three to six months after orthodontic treatment, followed by long-term wear every night.
Several years after orthodontic treatment, some patients find that their teeth are very stable and can decrease the frequency of wear to a couple of nights a week or less. However, kind of like how some people can eat whatever they want and never gain weight, while others feel like they just look at food wrong and gain weight, teeth seem to follow a similar pattern.
Some people’s teeth are very stable and they could hardly ever wear a retainer to keep their teeth in a good position. Other people notice their teeth moving after just missing a night or two of retainer wear. The best way to avoid orthodontic retreatment is faithful retainer wear.
Life Happens
Unfortunately, people sometimes forget to wear their retainers and their teeth shift before they notice. Luckily, if their teeth haven’t moved too far, they can wear retainers full-time for a while can help nudge the teeth back into the correct position.
However, if the teeth have shifted too far, the retainer may not fit at all. When this happens, an orthodontic evaluation can help determine what is the next step (always bring your existing retainer with you for the consultation).
Beautiful Smiles for Beautiful Brides
Are you a bride? Are you planning a magnificent wedding party? People often want to know how much the wedding party will cost, or how much someone will spend on their dress or having their hair done. But one factor that plays a major role, and is often overlooked, is your smile.
If you look in the mirror right now and are not completely satisfied with the smile you see, it’s not too late to do something about it. As a matter of fact, the sooner you start addressing that issue, the better.
Your Wedding Is All About You
Your wedding is your big day when the world’s focused on you. A perfect smile is a perfect center for all that attention. If you’re going to be the life of the wedding party, shouldn’t your smile look gorgeous?
Create Lasting Memories
You’ve invested a lot of time planning your wedding – deciding what you’ll wear, how you’ll fix your hair and every other detail. Your wedding photos will remain for the rest of your life and for many years after. They’ll capture moments that you might otherwise forget about over the years.
But one look at the photos and you will immediately be transported back to that special day. The last thing you want to see when you look at your wedding photos is a smile that you are less than thrilled about. Your smile is what people now and in future generations look to for clues about how happy you were on that day. So give them something great to look at.
Making Changes
Now you know how important your smile is, it is essential to have a smile in your wedding pictures that you will never regret. The good news is that you still have time to take action and correct whatever you don’t currently love about your smile.
Whether you dislike a particular tooth, the color of your teeth, or all of your teeth, there are things that can be done to help give you a perfect smile in time for your special day. Nearly everyone can achieve a perfect smile if they want to.
Crooked, missing, or dull teeth? No problem! Depending on what you need done, here are some options to help you achieve an amazing smile for your wedding day:
Invisalign: Many adults are turning to Invisalign to get the straight teeth that they have always wanted. Invisalign are removable, clear aligners, which are probably familiar to you. They go on your teeth and can successfully address tooth crowding, overlapping, gapping, and other issues. If you have teeth that are crooked, you can actually have them straightened before your wedding, so that you’ll have a perfect smile in your pictures. Another great thing about Invisalign braces is that they are essentially invisible.
Clear braces: In addition to the invisible-brace options listed above, there’s another option: clear braces that can be put on your teeth, made out of plastic or ceramic. They work much the same way as traditional braces, but they are much less noticeable, making them more appealing to adults who may have needed braces as a child but couldn’t afford them. Clear braces are a good option for those who don’t mind others seeing that they are undergoing treatment to have their teeth straightened, but don’t want to advertise it with the traditional metal-brace option. Clear braces can give you straighter teeth in less than six months, especially if you are one of the many adults who had braces as a child but didn’t wear your retainer.
Teeth whitening: At the very least, it is a must that every bride gets her teeth whitened before the big day (and try talking the groom into doing the same). Teeth whitening, especially when done by your dentist or orthodontist, can have a dramatic effect on your appearance and confidence, and can create a more beautiful smile that you even knew you had in you. You will be pleasantly surprised by the results that you see after you have your teeth professionally whitened! Ask for our Queen Bee special for brides that include treatment and whitening.
