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Orthodontists and dentists use advanced procedures to treat and save teeth. But sometimes, a tooth just can’t be saved and needs to be extracted. Sometimes it’s due to extensive decay, or infection, or serious injury. Or sometimes, to create a healthy bite, an extraction is necessary during orthodontic treatment.

When does an orthodontist recommend an extraction? Conditions which call for extraction include:

• Incoming Wisdom Teeth

Not many people have enough space in their mouths for four wisdom teeth! And when there’s no room to erupt properly, wisdom teeth can become decayed or infected, push your other teeth out of place, and damage the roots of nearby molars. Extracting wisdom teeth protects your teeth and your bite alignment.

Usually, orthodontic treatment takes place before the wisdom teeth begin to erupt. But if yours start to make an appearance during treatment, your orthodontist and dentist will work together to schedule extraction without interfering too much with your orthodontic treatment plan.

• Tooth and Jaw Structure

Dr. Betsy Meade and the team at Meade Orthodontics carefully plan your treatment based on examinations, X-rays, and/or 3D imaging. The goal is to align your teeth and jaws for an attractive smile and a healthy, functional bite. When overcrowding is severe, or if there is a serious malocclusion (bite problem), or if a particular tooth is unusually large or misshapen, your orthodontist might recommend an extraction.

Sometimes more room can be made for teeth with appliances such as palatal expanders or, in other cases, with the help of oral surgery. Extractions are only recommended when they are absolutely necessary.

• Baby Teeth Which Aren’t Coming Out 

Baby teeth normally fall out in a predictable pattern. Front teeth first, canines and molars last. Baby teeth have small roots, and these roots begin to break down when the adult teeth underneath put pressure on them as they start to erupt. As the root gets smaller and smaller, the baby tooth gets looser and looser—until it falls out. 

Sometimes, though, the roots of primary teeth don’t break down, and the baby teeth stay right where they are. This means that the permanent teeth have to erupt someplace else—usually behind those baby teeth. This creates a double row of teeth, and your permanent teeth can become crooked or overlap as they try to fit in. Extracting stubborn baby teeth allows your adult teeth to come in just where they’re supposed to. Because of their small roots, extracting primary teeth is usually simple and straightforward, and can be done in your dentist’s office. 

• Too Many Teeth

Most of us have 32 adult teeth, including wisdom teeth. It’s rare, but sometimes an extra, or supernumerary, tooth develops. Your jaw is most probably not equipped to accommodate any extras, so, in this case, the extra tooth or teeth are removed to give the rest of the teeth the space they need to avoid overlapping or crowding.

When your orthodontist recommends an extraction, it’s because it’s important for your dental health. Dr. Betsy Meade will refer you to a dentist or a specialist like a periodontist or oral surgeon, who will: 

• discuss the extraction procedure with you, including sedation options
• numb the area 
• gently loosen and then extract the tooth
• provide options for pain management after the procedure
• give you detailed instructions for aftercare
• work with your orthodontist to keep your treatment on schedule

Extraction is never your first choice, or your orthodontist’s! But when an extraction is necessary for tooth and bite alignment, everyone at Meade Orthodontics in Ypsilanti, MI will coordinate a treatment plan to create your best—and healthiest—smile.

Not many people look forward to going to the dentist, especially if you already know that you need dental work done. A small amount of anxiety is one thing, but dental phobia, or odontophobia, is something else entirely. It is an irrational fear of going to the dentist. If you have it, you might be unable to force yourself to go to the dentist, even if you are suffering from bad tooth pain. The effects of dental phobia can be serious, but there are ways to overcome your fear of the dentist to help you achieve and maintain good oral health.

Causes of Dental Phobia

You can develop dental phobia for a variety of reasons, including the following.

• Fear of pain, which you might acquire based on others’ horror stories of their trips to the dentist.
• Fear of needles, such as those used to provide anesthesia.
• A previous bad experience, when something went wrong and pain was intolerable.
• Lack of control from not knowing what is happening or how uncomfortable a procedure might be.

Consequences of Dental Phobia

Avoiding the dentist can have long-term consequences. When caught early, tooth decay is easily stopped with a minor filling. If you let the decay go, you can end up losing your tooth and have chronic pain. A dentist can also check for early signs of gum disease, which, if left untreated, could lead to losing one or more teeth.

Even if you do not have a particular problem, going to a dentist for regular cleanings is a good idea because the hygienist can point out where you need to brush better and remove the plaque from your teeth.

Getting Over Fear of the Dentist

Most patients with dental phobia can get over their condition. These are some approaches that Dr. Betsy Meade and our team recommend:

• Explain each step of the process
• Let you know that you can stop the procedure at any time
• Encourage you to come with a family member or friend
• Help you with deep breathing techniques

On the last Wednesday in September, we celebrate “Women’s Health and Fitness Day.” Because your oral health plays such a large role in your general health and well-being, let’s look at a few of the ways you can treat yourself with the care you need and deserve at different stages of your life.

Puberty 

Puberty begins around the ages of 8 to 13, and typically lasts from 2-5 years. During this time, our bodies begin to produce the hormones estrogen and progesterone, which affect not just the reproductive organs, but our brains, hearts, skin, hair, bones, and more. These hormones can also affect our oral health.

• Gingivitis

Hormonal fluctuations make gum tissue more sensitive to irritants like plaque and bacteria. You might find that your gums are swollen, tender, red, or bleed easily. 

What you can do:

Keeping up with your dental hygiene is the best defense against gingivitis. Even if your gums feel a bit tender, it’s important to keep up with your brushing and flossing because proactive dental hygiene can reverse gingivitis before the condition becomes more serious. If symptoms persist, a visit to the dentist is in order.

Menstruation

• Menstruation gingivitis

Elevated hormone levels can also cause gingivitis during the menstrual cycle, usually beginning a few days before the start of your period and ending soon after your period begins. Some women also experience canker sores and swollen salivary glands during this window.

What you can do:

Be mindful of any oral changes during your menstrual cycle. Pay special attention to dental hygiene, and, if you develop canker sores, talk to your dentist or doctor about the best way to care for yourself while they heal.

Pregnancy

Pregnancy brings about many physical changes, including potential changes in your oral health.

• Pregnancy Gingivitis

Pregnancy hormones cause an increase in the blood supply to your gums while at the same time making them more vulnerable to irritation from bacteria and plaque. You may find that your gums are redder, more swollen, and more likely to bleed when brushing. 

• Loose Teeth

During pregnancy, increased hormone production helps relax and loosen ligaments and joints in preparation for birth. Teeth are held in place by ligaments, and you might be alarmed to discover your teeth are looser as well. Typically, this situation resolves when the baby is born.

• Pregnancy Granulomas

Some pregnant women may also experience pregnancy granulomas. These dark red swellings are benign tumors which appear along the gumline. These generally shrink on their own, but, if a granuloma is causing you pain or discomfort, your dentist can remove it surgically.

What you can do:

Let your dental team at Meade Orthodontics know right away when you learn that you’re pregnant. You’ll get helpful advice about brushing and flossing techniques, pregnancy-related oral conditions to look out for, when to schedule dental treatment and cleanings, a tooth-healthy diet, and more.

Menopause and Later Years

As we age, there’s an increased risk of oral health issues.

• Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis causes loss of density in the bones—including the bones and bone tissue which hold our teeth in place. Studies indicate that women with osteoporosis suffer significantly higher tooth loss than women who don’t have the disease.

• Dry Mouth

Saliva helps protect the teeth from cavities by washing away bacteria and food particles and by neutralizing acids in the mouth. Reduced estrogen production, medications, and medical conditions such as diabetes can all cause dry mouth. 

• Gum Disease

About 2/3 of older Americans have gum disease, which is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults. Lower hormone levels have been linked to increases in periodontal diseases.

• Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is more common as we age, and, while men are affected almost three times as often as women, we should be aware of the common symptoms of oral cancer, including a sore in the mouth which doesn’t heal, a lump or thickening in the mouth, red or white patches on the tongue, gums, and other oral tissues, loose teeth, or persistent earaches or discomfort when eating or swallowing.

What you can do:

Visit your dentist and doctor for preventative care and whenever you are concerned about your oral health! Whether it’s helping you prevent osteoporosis and dry mouth or discovering dental and medical conditions early, when they are more likely to be treated successfully, regular visits to your dentist and doctor can help ensure that you have years of happy smiles ahead.

At Any Time of Life

Let’s talk a moment about something which isn’t limited to any one phase of your life—orthodontic treatment!

Straighter teeth and a healthier bite aren’t gender-related. Women and girls don’t have different orthodontic needs from men and boys. They don’t require different types of braces or appliances. But there is one difference in the sexes—women and girls choose orthodontic treatment more often. Good for us! And let’s encourage the men in our lives to do the same.

Why? Because orthodontic treatment does more than give you an attractive smile. You and Dr. Betsy Meade work to create an attractive, healthy smile. A well-aligned bite can lead to healthier teeth and gums, more comfortable jaw movement, and even improved facial symmetry. And, while it helps to begin treatment early, while the bones are still forming, as long as our teeth and gums are healthy, we adults can reap the benefits of a beautifully aligned smile as well.

What you can do:

Today’s orthodontic treatment is more comfortable and effective than ever before. Women of all ages are benefitting from the latest treatment options, including smaller and lighter traditional braces, discreet aligners, and lingual braces attached to the back of the teeth. If you’ve always wanted straighter teeth, or if you have bite discomfort, or if your teeth have shifted with age, make an appointment with Meade Orthodontics in Ypsilanti, MI for an evaluation. 

Missed the date this year? No worries! Women’s Health and Fitness Day is one day in September, but every day in the calendar is a good day to think about your oral health. Partner with your dentist, your doctor, and Dr. Betsy Meade to help make your healthy smile something to celebrate all year long!

It's the big day and your braces are finally coming off! Does that mean you are completely done? Not so fast! After you complete your treatment here at Meade Orthodontics, Dr. Betsy Meade and our team will recommend you wear a retainer, which must be worn routinely after treatment in order to hold your teeth in their proper, new position while your gums, ligaments and bones adapt. Most patients are required to wear their retainer every night at first, with many also being directed to wear them during the day. It's important to know there are different kinds of retainers, and today we thought we would explain the differences between them.

Hawley Retainers

The Hawley retainer is one of the most common types of retainers. It is a removable retainer made of a combination of a metal wire that typically surrounds the six anterior teeth and is designed to keep your teeth in place. This retainer is made from impressions of your teeth so that it fits snugly and comfortably in the roof of your mouth, while the wire and acrylic framing keeps your teeth in an ideal position. The acrylic can also be personalized with a large number of colors or patterns.

Essix (Clear) Retainers

The Essix retainer is a transparent removable retainer that fits over the entire arch of your teeth. This clear or transparent retainer fits over the entire arch of teeth and is produced from a mold. Similar to Invisalign’s clear aligner trays, Essix retainers have no metal or wires. They can also be used to produce minor tooth movements and can be helpful in prevention of tooth wear due to tooth grinding at night.

Bonded Retainers

Bonded lingual retainers are cemented directly to the inside surface of your lower canines. Dr. Betsy Meade and our team at Meade Orthodontics encourage our patients with bonded lingual retainers to be careful with their bite as the bonding material may break due to incorrect biting and cause your teeth to shift. As with removable retainers, it is important to keep your bonded retainers clean. When brushing, make sure to carefully clean the inside of your lower teeth, as well as the wire itself.

The retention phase of treatment begins when the patient’s braces are removed. Retainers are worn full time, typically for the first nine months, except while eating. Retainers should also be removed before brushing your teeth.

If you have any questions about the retainers we offer or to learn more about post-orthodontic treatment, please feel free to contact us at our convenient Ypsilanti, MI office and we will be happy to answer any of your questions!