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Q: Is there more to straight teeth?

Posted

A: We all know how much dentists love talking about straight teeth and we always have a “reason” as to why you should get braces:

Your 12 year old child just lost his last baby tooth - he needs braces!
You’re 23 years old and never wore your retainers so your teeth are crooked again - you need braces!
You just turned 40 years old and you never had braces before - you need braces!

You’re 60 years old, you lost a tooth 5 years ago and now you’re ready to place an implant in that space - you need braces first!
The reasons go on and on…

Some patients do not understand the reasoning for Orthodontic Treatment. Many think that braces are used to make teeth straight just because it’s attractive and makes an individual’s smile more acceptable - FALSE! I can’t stress enough how wrong that statement is. Of course, straight teeth do improve the symmetry and proportion of your smile, but this is not the main goal of Orthodontics. The main goal is to improve the health and long term prognosis of your teeth, gingiva, bone, and overall periodontium. Simply put, crooked teeth leads to more food getting caught and plaque/calculus buildup. As a result your gums may get inflamed, infected, and can even bleed. In turn, this leads to gingiva and bone recession. Then teeth start to become mobile, and eventually need to be removed. This doesn’t happen overnight, nor does it happen to everybody, but this is the potential cause and effect of having crooked teeth.

How can I straighten my teeth?

I would say there are two main options: traditional braces (metal or ceramic) and Invisalign. Both get the job done and depending on the case one may work better than the other. When it comes to the Dentist/Orthodontist deciding on which option is better it depends on the type of movements that need to be done. As for the patient deciding between the two I would say there are two main differences:

1.) Braces are more visible to others whereas Invisalign is less noticeable
2.) Braces are bonded on so you don’t have to do any of the work whereas Invisalign is removable so the responsibility is on you, the patient, to do the work

In the end Orthodontic treatment is very important to the health and long term prognosis of your oral cavity. If you have any questions it is best to contact your Dentist or Orthodontist to dive deeper into the treatment and which option is best for your individual situation. And don’t forget to spend that next Saturday night with your loved one smiling and having a great time!

drsilvermanassociates.com 

Silverman & Associates University Dental Family Dentistry

Bellmore - 2592 Merrick Rd., Ste C, 516-781-9700

Bayside - 43-07 214th Place, 718-225-0515

Hello Herald Readers:
My name is Dr. Matthew Siegel and I am a general dentist currently practicing at Silverman & Associates in Bellmore and Bayside. I grew up in Marlboro, NJ before becoming a Terp at the University of Maryland where I earned a Bachelor of Science in Biological Science with an emphasis in Microbiology in 2008. Following college, I spent a year at the University of Connecticut Health Center studying gender differences in stroke and co-authored several publications. I then attended dental school at New York University, where I earned the Dr. Bernard E. Rudner Memorial Award for Demonstrating Superior Performance in Providing Oral Comprehensive Care and Administering a Dental Practice. I graduated dental school in 2013 and spent the next year at Lutheran Medical Center for a one year General Practice Residency. At the end of my residency I was honored to be awarded Resident of the Year. After all these great educational experiences I joined my father-in-law, Dr. Barry Silverman, at Silverman & Associates.

Dr. Silverman has been in practice for over 30 years in Bayside and over 15 years in Bellmore. He has spent his whole career only providing the best dental care in a comfortable, calm, and fun environment. The fun environment means a lot to me and I was excited to join his practices in the summer of 2014. At Silverman & Associates family is very important to us, as you can see we are father-in-law and son-in-law working side by side. With that in mind we treat all of our patients like family as well. Another goal of ours is to be your “one stop shop” for all your dental needs. We have three general dentists, two endodontists, one orthodontist, four hygienists, the best assistants, and the friendliest front desk staff ready to help you and all your dental needs. We can guarantee that you will always be greeted with a smile and treated with only the finest of dental care.