About Orthodontics

For most people, achieving a healthy, beautiful smile is the reason for receiving orthodontic care. If you’re self-conscious about your smile, correcting your concerns with braces will greatly improve the way you look and feel.
When your treatment is complete, you will have the smile you’ve always dreamed of and the confidence to show it off! We also want you to feel comfortable and confident throughout your entire orthodontic experience, and our practice is dedicated to making sure that you receive the quality care you deserve.

Duration of Treatment

Treatment time varies and can last between one and three years, depending on several factors including age, treatment method, and how minor or severe your case is. A big factor in a successful treatment is you! The more involved and diligent you are, the more efficient your treatment will be. For children, receiving interceptive or early treatment can also help provide a quicker treatment time.Before beginning your orthodontic care, your doctor will discuss all of your options and provide an estimate for how long your full treatment may take. Please contact our practice to schedule an appointment and learn more about orthodontics and the treatments we provide.

How Orthodontic Treatment Works​?

Orthodontic treatment is a specialized branch of dentistry aimed at correcting irregularities in teeth alignment and jaw positioning, ultimately improving both oral health and aesthetic appearance. Several treatment modalities are available, each tailored to address the different needs and preferences of patients. Orthodontic appliances may be made of metal, ceramic, or plastic. They may be removable or they may be brackets bonded to the teeth. By placing a constant, gentle force in a carefully controlled direction, they slowly move teeth to a proper position.
Over the years, the field of orthodontics has grown vastly leading to a wide arena of treatment modalities for patients which precisely cater to one’s unique malocclusion. While previously orthodontic treatment required the placement of metal or tooth-coloured brackets on the teeth to achieve all necessary tooth movements, technological advances have made it possible to use mildly visible and highly esthetic systems to reach the same goals. Gone are the days when a metal band with a bracket was placed around each tooth. You can now choose Clear Aligners instead of any bracket system for a seamless orthodontic experience. Aligners are far less noticeable, and the latest materials are designed to move teeth faster with more comfort. Today, any age is a great age to wear braces!

CRAFTING HEALTHY SMILES

TREATMENTS

Deep Bite Causes and Treatment​

A deep Bite (often referred to as an over bite) is defined by the amount of vertical overlap of the upper front teeth over the lower front teeth where the upper front teeth cover too much of the lower front teeth. Excessive overbite requires correction by an orthodontist. A deep over bite is commonly confused with excessive overjet.

Deep Bite can negatively impact jaw and teeth function and teeth often are difficult to effectively clean. The lower front teeth may bite into the gum tissue on the roof of the mouth in a deep bite case. Also, chewing and biting can be difficult because the jaw cannot function normally. Lastly the lips do not fit properly and may appear misshapen causing an unbalanced profile. Deep bites can be effectively corrected with braces.

Open Bite Causes and Treatment​

Open Bite occurs when the upper and lower front teeth do not touch as the back teeth are touching. This can result in difficulty in biting, chewing, swallowing and can lead to a speech impediment. Even when fully biting, the lips cannot completely close leaving an awkward appearance. Open bites can result from excessive thumb sucking, overuse of pacifiers, tongue thrusting, mouth breathing and genetics.

If not corrected, an open bite can lead to clicking or popping of the jaw and also may cause head, neck, and jaw pain. Open bites can be effectively corrected with braces but in severe cases surgery may be required. Dr. Deshmukh has developed alternative treatment methods to correct open bites possibly eliminating the need of surgery.

Crowding Causes and Treatment

Crowding is caused when there is too little space for the teeth, which results in rotated or overlapping of the teeth. Malocclusions can be complicated by or even be the result of, crowded teeth and require additional attention by an orthodontist. Crowding is generally hereditary but can also be the result of poor oral habits such as clenching, grinding, nail biting or thumb sucking. Crowded teeth can be very difficult to effectively clean and are at an increased risk to decay and gum disease.

Crowded teeth can be effectively corrected with braces. We offer many different options in braces such as clear aligner braces or the new lingual incognito braces that are positioned behind your teeth for virtually invisible treatment options.

Spacing Causes and Treatment​​

Under normal conditions, there should be no spaces between teeth. Spacing, therefore is when gaps occur between teeth. The opposite of spacing is crowding.

Spacing is often the result of a large tongue, excess tongue pressure pushing the teeth forward, or when collective tooth size is smaller than the jaw size. An excess space condition greatly increases the risk of the teeth shifting. It also often results in food getting stuck between teeth. Excess spacing due to the tongue can also cause lisping during speaking. Excess spacing is easily corrected with braces. Dr Deshmukh can close the spaces between teeth using self-ligating braces, clear aligner braces or lingual Incognito braces.

Excess Overjet Causes and Treatment​

Overjet is the extent of horizontal distance between the upper and lower front teeth. Excessive overjet occurs when the upper front teeth are significantly further forward than the lower front teeth. Overjet is commonly confused with deep bite. Excessive overjet requires correction by an orthodontist.

Excess overjet is often the result of thumb sucking or overuse of pacifiers at a young age. It can also be the result of overcrowded teeth forcing the upper front teeth to push outward. An excess overjet greatly increases the risk of injuring the protruded upper front teeth. The misaligned teeth can make biting into food difficult or impossible. If the excess overjet is severe enough it may result in poor psychosocial health of the individual due to teasing. Excess overjet can usually be corrected with braces but surgery may be required in severe cases.

Negative Overjet Causes and Treatment​

A negative Overjet (often referred to as an underbite) occurs when the lower front teeth extend beyond the upper front teeth. The lower jaw and chin usually protrude outward as well causing an unbalanced profile. This results in a misalignment between the upper & lower front teeth and jaws, and makes biting or food chewing very difficult. If severe enough, speech impediments can also result.

Negative overjets are primarily hereditary but improper alignment of baby teeth can cause a negative underjet to develop. A negative overjet can be corrected with braces. In severe cases surgery may be necessary.

Crossbite Causes and Treatment​

A crossbite occurs when the upper teeth fit inside the lower teeth. This misalignment may inhibit proper chewing or use of the teeth. This can also be caused due to uneven jaw growth and lead to an unbalanced facial appearance. If not corrected a crossbite can increase the risk of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) problems, symptoms of which include pressure in the jaw joint, head, neck and cheek pain. A crossbite can also leave the jaw in an awkward position.

Some causes of crossbite include sinus problems, mouth breathing, delayed loss of baby teeth and even heredity. Crossbites are effectively corrected with braces to realign your teeth and to improve the shape of your smile.

Gummy Smile Causes and Treatment

A gummy smile is one in which too much gum tissue is visible when a person smiles. While this is highly subjective, the most appropriate amount of gum tissue to show in a full smile is about 1-2 mm. In other words, your teeth should occupy about 90% of your smile and gum tissue should only occupy about 10% of your smile.

Gummy smiles can be caused by several different factors. The most common cause is simply excess gum tissue around the necks of the teeth in either children or adults. This is easy to resolve by removing the excess tissue with a soft tissue laser. Another cause is vertical overgrowth of the upper jaw. This can either be treated by intruding the entire upper arch with TADs or by moving the upper jaw surgically. Finally, a gummy smile can be the result of long-term wear of the upper teeth, such that the teeth supraerupt bringing the gum tissue with them. This can be effectively corrected with braces and TADs

Supraerupted Teeth Causes and Treatment

Supraerupted teeth are the result of premature loss of opposing teeth. This most frequently occurs when a lower back tooth is lost, either by trauma or extraction of a decayed tooth. Without an opposing tooth, the upper tooth supra erupts or “grows” into the space of the missing tooth. This can make it difficult to bite or chew because of the interference of the Supraerupted tooth.

Correcting this type of problem is difficult with traditional braces. To overcome this limitation, TADS (Mini Implants) are used to effectively treat these problems. By using a TAD in conjunction with braces, the super erupted tooth can be repositioned into its ideal location. Afterwards, your dentist can replace the missing lower tooth leaving you with an ideal bite and smile.

Missing Teeth Causes and Treatment​

The most frequent cause of missing teeth is heredity. Other causes include traumatic injury or extraction of decayed teeth. If left untreated, adjacent teeth may shift into the spaces left by the missing teeth causing difficulty in chewing food. The spacing left by missing teeth usually results in less than ideal smile aesthetics.

Missing teeth may be treated several different ways depending on your goals and objectives. One option is to orthodontically consolidate the teeth and spaces, making room for either implants and crowns or bridges. Another option is to orthodontically close all spaces and eliminate the need for implants and crowns or bridges altogether. Dr. Deshmukh is well-known for the interdisciplinary treatment required to correct this type of orthodontic problem.

Surgical Orthodontic treatment

In the treatment of dental abnormalities, bad bites (malocclusion) and crooked teeth are usually corrected by an orthodontist.

Abnormalities of the jaw are usually corrected by an oral & maxillofacial surgeon. When both conditions exist, it is common to find an orthodontist and an oral surgeon working together to correct the deformity.

This teamwork approach to complex dental / facial problems is providing better oral health for thousands of adults and children. These thousands are rewarded with straight teeth, bright smiles and facial symmetry – a beauty of shape, form and position.

What treatment is used?

Most orthodontic patients undergo an initial period of orthodontic treatment to align the teeth (anywhere between 4 to 12 months)- so that they will fit properly after surgery is completed. Surgery usually is not scheduled until the teeth have been properly aligned.

Orthodontic appliances used to align teeth prior to surgery are left in place during the surgical procedure to aid in stabilizing the teeth and jawbones. After surgery there is a period of follow-up orthodontic treatment to achieve final alignment of the teeth, thus complementing the new facial symmetry.

Can surgery be avoided?

In younger patients, future facial growth combined with timely orthodontic intervention can sometimes correct protrusion and/or retrusions of the jawbone. An orthodontist working with children as young as age 7 can use one of the several orthodontic appliances to direct bone growth, thus eliminating the need for surgery in some patients. However, in adults, and those patients who have completed their bone growth, the improper tooth/bone relationship is frequently treated with surgery.

Are there any risks?

The portion of surgical orthodontic treatment provided by an oral surgeon entails the usual risks inherent with any type of surgery.

However, surgical orthodontic procedures are not new or experimental; they are routinely performed in offices or hospitals on a regular basis. If you or a member of your family are about to undergo surgical orthodontic treatment, your oral surgeon would explain the risks, to set your mind at ease.

What are the rewards?

Following completion of the surgical orthodontic process, dental health is improved – no more bad bites or crooked teeth. The jawbones and profile relationships are also more stable, functional and esthetic. Facial appearance is improved.THE MOST LASTING REWARD IS A MORE BEAUTIFUL, HEALTHIER AND HAPPIER YOU!

What problems does surgical orthodontics best correct ?

There are a wide variety of causes of jawbone discrepancies – heredity, trauma or other developmental problems. Most commonly corrected problems include:

Jaw-Joint-Clenching

TMJ disorders are a group of complex problems of the jaw joint. TMJ disorders are also sometimes referred to as myofacial pain dysfunction. Because muscles and joints work together, a problem with either one can lead to stiffness, headaches, ear pain, bite problems (malocclusion), clicking sounds, or locked jaws. The following are behaviors or conditions that can lead to TMJ disorders.

Teeth grinding and teeth clenching (bruxism) increase the wear on the cartilage lining of the TMJ. Those who grind or clench their teeth may be unaware of this behavior unless they are told by someone observing this pattern while sleeping or by a dental professional noticing telltale signs of wear and tear on the teeth. Many patients awaken in the morning with jaw or ear pain.

Habitual gum chewing or fingernail biting.

Dental problems and misalignment of the teeth (malocclusion). Patients may complain that it is difficult to find a comfortable bite or that the way their teeth fit together has changed. Chewing on only one side of the jaw can lead to or be a result of TMJ problems.

Trauma to the jaws: Previous fractures in the jaw or facial bones can lead to TMJ disorders.

Stress frequently leads to unreleased nervous energy. It is very common for people under stress to release this nervous energy by either consciously or unconsciously grinding and clenching their teeth.

Treatment: There is no direct treatment available for TMJ pain patients’, except surgery. The problem is multifactorial and needs careful diagnosis and treatment.

Heat therapy and medication: These assist in reducing muscle tension and spasm. However, immediately after an injury to the TMJ, treatment with cold applications is best. Cold packs can be helpful for relieving pain.

Laser therapy: Massage, and laser biostimulation help to decrease pain and increase the range of motion and strength of the joint.

Stress management: Stress support groups, psychological counseling, and medications can also assist in reducing muscle tension. Biofeedback helps people recognize times of increased muscle activity and spasm and provides methods to help control them.

Occlusal therapy: A custom-made acrylic soft or hard splint also called as night gaurd, which fits over the teeth is commonly prescribed for the night . It acts to balance the bite and reduce or eliminate teeth grinding or clenching (bruxism).

Correction of bite abnormalities: Corrective dental therapy, such as orthodontics, may be required to correct an abnormal bite. Dental restorations assist in creating a more stable bite. Adjustments of bridges or crowns act to ensure proper alignment of the teeth.

Surgery: Surgery is indicated in those situations in which medical therapy has failed. It is done as a last resort. TMJ arthroscopy, ligament tightening, joint restructuring, and joint replacement are considered in the most severe cases of joint damage or deterioration.