Chronic Pain or Jaw Issues

Usually any jaw issues people have relate to the structure of the jaw. This means the problem isn’t anything you did or didn’t do—it’s just the way your unique facial structure is. However, many people suffer from jaw problems such as temporomandibular joint disorders (TMJ), which can cause chronic pain in your jaw as well as the joints that hold your jaw in place.

As a result of a misaligned jaw, your teeth may experience uneven wear. You may not even be able to close your mouth properly. These issues are cumbersome and warrant a visit to your dentist to discuss if oral surgery is right for you. Although oral surgery is a process that will likely involve orthodontic care before or after the surgery, it can correct your jaw and help you to remain pain-free and healthy for life.

Trouble Chewing, Breathing, and Swallowing

People who suffer from TMJ and other jaw alignment issues may also experience trouble chewing and swallowing, possibly even talking or breathing. These problems can hinder your daily living and even pose medical risks. This is when the misalignment of your jaw should be evaluated by an oral surgeon to see if orthognathic surgery is right for you. Your oral surgeon can reposition the bones and correct these problems along with orthodontic care to ensure your jaw and mouth don’t give you any more problems. If you experience pain while chewing, difficulty breathing, and trouble swallowing as a result of misalignment of your teeth or jaw, your dentist can help you determine if oral surgery would help. Your symptoms may also accompany an uneven facial appearance due to your jaw structure.

Imbalanced Facial Structure

Orthognathic surgery is normally not for purely atheistic reasons, although people who experience an imbalanced facial structure often have other misalignment issues that go along with a protruding or receding jaw. People who cannot properly close their mouth may have trouble not breathing through their mouth, which can create loud breathing and even dry mouth. Oral surgery can improve your appearance dramatically, but remember that this procedure is designed to correct the symptoms of your jaw or teeth misalignment. The improvement of your appearance will be a welcome result of the surgery along with the alleviation of your symptoms.

Talk with your dentist if oral surgery could be an option for you if you suffer from TMJ, chronic jaw pain, have problems chewing and speaking, or have an uneven facial appearance. Orthognathic surgery could help alleviate your symptoms and correct your jaw, therefore bringing you a safer and stunning smile for life!

The post When Is Oral Surgery the Right Option? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

By age 6, it is possible to tell if there is a discrepancy between the way the upper and lower parts of the jaw are developing. By age 8, the permanent front teeth are in, and crowding can be detected. These are all signs that phase one prep work will be of benefit.

How the First Phase Provides Benefits

The first phase sets your child’s jaw and teeth up to be as straight as possible and to accept braces later if needed. This prevents more drastic measures from being necessary later on. For example, some teens have to have permanent teeth in the back of the mouth removed to make room for getting rid of an overbite. Prepping the mouth ahead of time by controlling the way the jaw and teeth grow can have a tremendous effect on the result. This is due to there being room to correct an overbite without losing permanent teeth. Why choose between your child having straight teeth and having all of his or her teeth? Also, a jaw that develops incorrectly can require surgery to correct later on. Treating the condition as the jaw grows can avoid such a future event.

How the Proper Results Are Attained

Once the first phase is complete, it still takes time to see the results. The rest of the permanent teeth grow in, and the jaw develops fully. Sometimes the eruption of permanent teeth is obstructed by primary teeth. These “baby teeth” can be removed at the appropriate time to ensure that permanent teeth grow in easily and as straight as possible.

The Second Phase: Achieving the Desired Result

Now braces are used, if necessary, to align the teeth perfectly. A retainer can be developed to ensure that teeth remain in a straight position. The result is a smile that has been crafted from childhood to adulthood. A smile that will serve your child well throughout his or her adult years.

From never being ashamed to smile for the camera to making a good first impression on an interview, we can’t underestimate the benefits of a perfect smile. Two-phase orthodontic treatment removes the element of chance and produces a picture perfect smile.

The post Two-Phase Treatment: Orthodontics for Children appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

A gapped smile or crooked baby teeth is just one indication of dental health.  An orthodontist is not only concerned with the health of the teeth and gums, but more importantly with the relationship and structure of the jaws.  Does the growth pattern indicate sufficient development to allow for the permanent teeth waiting to erupt?  Is the lower jaw too far out front of the upper jaw or vice versa indicating a need for growth modification?

What may the orthodontist see when an x-ray is reviewed?  The orthodontist may see too many teeth (supernumerary) or too few teeth (congenitally missing) revealed by a Panoramic X-ray that shows all the teeth in both jaws in one view.  The evaluation may reveal very large teeth about to erupt in a too narrow upper jaw or one or more teeth at a severe angle that may not erupt at all without treatment (impacted).

Your child’s smile reveals a great deal about future needs.  Many times though, it’s what can’t be seen that requires professional guidance.  A comprehensive orthodontic evaluation by 7 years old may indicate that your child exhibits normal growth patterns or exhibits issues that may best be addressed with early (interceptive) treatment.

As we do with patients in our Northern Virginia orthodontic practice, a conversation with your local orthodontist will reassure you that whether with required treatment or if no treatment is necessary, your child’s future smile is going to be great.

The post Why is 7 years old a good age for an orthodontic evaluation? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.