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WHAT IS DENTOFACIAL ORTHOPEDICS?

Thanksgiving in North America Is Invisalign Teen® right for my child? You may have noticed that we specialize in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. And while most

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INVISALIGN® Q&A

Fluoride and Your Orthodontic Treatment Thanksgiving in North America It’s estimated that up to four million people at any one time are wearing braces in the

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Finding Sarah’s Smile What if I miss an appointment over the summer?

The purpose of braces and other forms of orthodontic treatment at Get It Straight Orthodontics is to correct malocclusion, also known as crooked or crowded teeth, or “bad bites.” Past orthodontic practice dictated that wisdom teeth be removed, especially in cases of crowding.

The wisdom teeth are the last teeth to come in, and are officially known as the third molars. The teeth typically erupt, or break the surface of the skin, in young people between the ages of 13 and 20.

Sometimes, wisdom teeth are impacted. That means they cannot break through the gum tissue. This typically happens when the mouth or jaw is too small to accommodate the teeth. Impacted wisdom teeth can become infected, and some dentists and orthodontists may want to remove them as prophylaxis to prevent possible future infection.

Justification for removing wisdom teeth

Drs. Neil Warshawsky and Ketti Boller will tell you that in some cases, wisdom teeth attempt to come in the wrong way, either tilting in the jaw, or sideways. If the mouth is too small to accommodate these additional teeth, they inevitably become impacted. Swelling or infection of the gum flap above an impacted wisdom tooth may cause pain. The greatest danger is pericoronitis, a potentially dangerous infection that can occur in the gum area around an impacted wisdom tooth, or around a wisdom tooth that has erupted.

Orthodontists base their decision to remove wisdom teeth on each patient’s individual circumstances. To learn more about the impact wisdom teeth have on orthodontic treatment, or to schedule a visit with Drs. Neil Warshawsky and Ketti Boller, please give us a call at our convenient Lake View, Lincolnshire, Hyde Park, or Orland Park office!

Wishing all our moms a happy Mother’s Day! Memorial Day and Getting Ready for Summer

If you are undergoing orthodontic treatment with Drs. Neil Warshawsky and Ketti Boller, we bet you would probably welcome any innovation that could reduce the time you spend wearing braces.

Our team at Get It Straight Orthodontics is proud to offer our patients AcceleDent, an innovative device designed to increase your rate of tooth movement as well as potentially decrease your overall treatment time.

AcceleDent is a comfortable, lightweight, hands-free device that is held between your teeth for 20 minutes a day while you undergo treatment with Drs. Neil Warshawsky and Ketti Boller. Using microvibrations that help stimulate bone movement, AcceleDent complements the controlled force braces provide to help bring your teeth into ideal alignment.

AcceleDent, which is easy to use and clean, is compatible with both teen and adult patients, and allows patients to enjoy everyday activities during the 20 minutes each day. Simply press the removable mouthpiece into the activator, bite down firmly enough to hold the device in place, and turn on AcceleDent.

A study has indicated that AcceleDent is an effective treatment in safely speeding bone movement, and can even reduce the time you spend wearing braces 38 to 50 percent faster than usual.

To learn if AcceleDent is right for you, please give us a call at our convenient Lake View, Lincolnshire, Hyde Park, or Orland Park office to schedule an initial appointment with Drs. Neil Warshawsky and Ketti Boller.

Every Day is Earth Day Summer is Almost Here: Tips for a bright, white smile!

As you are undergoing orthodontic treatment, our team at Get It Straight Orthodontics would like to point you to a helpful website. Our friends at the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) have lots of important information about everything relating to braces, including myths and facts of orthodontics, tips for a better orthodontic experience, and cool webisodes about orthodontics.

Check out AAO today and feel free to contact us at our Lake View, Lincolnshire, Hyde Park, or Orland Park office if you have any questions.

Drs. Neil Warshawsky and Ketti Boller and our team at Get It Straight Orthodontics hope this information helps you!

April is National Facial Protection Month Every Day is Earth Day

Great question! Tooth movement is your body’s natural response to light pressure applied by braces over a period of time (usually two years). Braces work by using brackets that are glued onto your teeth; these brackets have small slots, and that is where Drs. Neil Warshawsky and Ketti Boller and our team insert orthodontic wires. These wires are held in place by small elastic ties that fit around the brackets. As time passes during your treatment, these wires apply pressure on your teeth, which sets in motion the movement of your teeth into their desired positions. Each of your teeth has a different size and shape to them, as do the brackets. Each bracket is custom-made for the particular tooth on which it’s supposed to fit.

Not long ago, orthodontists had stainless steel wires and that was about it. Today, however, we have a number of different high-tech wires at our disposal to move your teeth faster and more comfortably.

When you first get your braces on, the first wire or two will typically be very flexible, but still strong enough to apply a constant force on your teeth. As your teeth straighten out over time, however, Drs. Neil Warshawsky and Ketti Boller will use progressively thicker and firmer wires to help move your teeth in place for an ideal bite.

Every time you visit our office for an adjustment, we will swap out the wires in order to keep putting pressure on your teeth, which is why it’s so important for you to keep your adjustment visits during your treatment. Most adjustment appointments are scheduled four to eight weeks apart to give your teeth time to move.

As for rubber bands and elastics, most of our patients will need to wear elastics or rubber bands at some point during their treatments. These elastics typically go from one or more of the upper braces to one or more of the lower braces, and pull on your teeth to move them in the direction they need to move in order to achieve an optimal bite.

If you have any questions about wires, brackets, or elastics, or have any general questions about your treatment, please give us a call at our Lake View, Lincolnshire, Hyde Park, or Orland Park office.

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