AJ Orthodontics Blog

Wearing a retainer is crucial for maintaining the results of orthodontic treatment. Whether you’ve had braces or clear aligners like Invisalign, a retainer keeps your teeth from shifting back to their original positions. But just like any item that gets daily wear, retainers don’t last forever. Knowing when to replace your retainer is key to protecting your smile. Here are some facts about retainers’ durability and the tell-tale signs to notice that it may be time for a new one.

Orthodontic treatments such as Invisalign and traditional braces have allowed countless people to enjoy the confidence and health benefits that come with a beautifully straight smile. The process of straightening teeth can be quite complex and involves a significant amount of discipline on the part of the patient, so it’s important to understand how orthodontic treatment works before you commit to it. Here are a few excellent questions to ask your orthodontist at your first appointment.

Invisalign aligners offer unprecedented freedom over traditional braces, but they still have a few golden rules you must comply with for your treatment to be a success. While your trays are removable for cleaning and eating, you still need to wear them for at least 22 hours each day. If you’re having trouble sticking to the time guidelines, here are a few tried-and-tested tips for meeting your daily requirements.

Did you know that a crooked smile can impact your appearance and your dental health? If your teeth are pressed too closely together, you might worry about how others will perceive you. Furthermore, it’s harder to brush and floss all their sides thoroughly, increasing your vulnerability to oral issues like tooth decay and gum disease.

Your orthodontist can straighten your grin with braces, but many patients want to know whether they can be applied to either the upper or lower teeth rather than all of them. Continue reading to learn more about why single-arch treatment isn’t usually recommended!

While almost everyone would like to have a prettier smile, orthodontic treatment can do more than rearrange your teeth into a more visually pleasing state. Alignment issues like gaps, crowding, overbites, underbites, crossbites, and open bites can lead to a range of oral health problems as well as discomfort in the head, neck, and back. Here’s a brief overview of the many health benefits of having straight teeth and how to have your alignment issues addressed.

Few people have straight teeth naturally. Braces are used to fix alignment problems to create beautiful smiles. However, that’s not the only benefit of braces. Orthodontics can correct many issues that can affect your dental health. Here’s how you can achieve a healthy and attractive smile with orthodontics.

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Natural medicine is becoming ever more popular. For example, millions of people use essential oils as a remedy for a range of ailments. It is important to note that these oils are not a miracle cure for anything, but they can often provide some benefits. For example, they might be able to help you manage your sleep apnea symptoms! This blog post discusses a few specific oils that might help you do that.

You used to have perfectly straight teeth. In fact, your pearly whites were straightened by metal braces. However, whether it be due to time or forgetting to wear your retainer for one too many nights, your teeth have shifted back out of alignment. Understandably, this is frustrating. You might wish you could turn back the clock and enjoy your flawless smile.

Thanks to Invisalign, you can – without repeating the wires and brackets. To see how Invisalign could make this time-jump possible, keep reading.

They may be rare, but orthodontic emergencies do happen from time to time. They can include regular toothaches, loose brackets, or even a broken or poking wire. The upside is that you can learn how treatments for them go ahead of time, ensuring you’re prepared for care. Your Palm Harbor orthodontist will even give you a primer on the matter. To that end, here are four things to expect during an emergency orthodontic visit.

Straightening your teeth with the help of braces introduces a whole new set of changes to your mouth that you might not have experienced before. For example, if you don’t brush your teeth properly, you can develop permanent white spots from demineralization on them.  You are also responsible for caring for new equipment like your brackets, wires, and maybe even an expander. Another common side effect of braces you may not be expecting is that your teeth can sometimes feel loose or a little wiggly during treatment, which may be a little disconcerting at first, but here’s why you shouldn’t worry.