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Saturday, September 30, 2017

Handling an Orthodontic Emergency

With traditional braces, there is always a risk of experiencing some sort of oral emergency. Accidents happen and sometimes brackets can become loose and wires can break. When this happens, it can cause discomfort to the patient.  It’s usually not an emergency but it can be problematic and cause a delay in your orthodontic treatment. If you experience dental trauma, Dr. Gregory Ross, DDS encourages you to call the office immediately, in the meantime, take these precautions when handling an orthodontic crisis.



  • If a bracket ligature band comes off – the ligature is the tiny rubber band that wraps around the bracket. If the rubber ligature comes off, you can attempt to put it back in place with sterile tweezers. If it continues to break, wait until your appointment to have it fixed.



  • If a bracket becomes loose – brackets hold the wires in place. Though they are bonded to the teeth with adhesive, eating crunchy or sticky foods may cause the bracket to break. If you can’t get to our office right away, leave it be, but be as careful as possible when eating and brushing as to not cause further damage.



  • If a wire becomes loose – The best way to alleviate discomfort is to push the wire back down. If this doesn’t work, cover it with relief wax to block the area of your mouth that is irritated.


If you experience a dental emergency please give us a call immediately. To learn about services we provide at the practice, visit www.smilesbyross.comfor more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Gregory Ross, DDS call our Forest Lake, MN location at 651-464-6988 or our Hudson, WI location at 715-808-8379.

Friday, September 22, 2017

Impacted Canines

One of the most common problems Dr. Gregory Ross treats in his Forest Lake and Hudson offices is impacted canines. The canines (also called cuspids or eye-teeth) of the upper jaw have a tendency to get stuck and advanced orthodontic work is needed to guide them into place.


The canines occupy the part of the jaw arch with the greatest change in rate of curvature. As such, they are important for stabilizing the other teeth, in addition to their function piercing food. As children undergo x-rays at their bi-annual check-ups, one of the things their dentists will look for is whether the canines will have room to erupt fully.


If a canine does not have enough surface area for a bracket to be attached to, more may need to be exposed by cutting away gum tissue. Once a bracket is attached, it may be connected to the other brackets with a loop-shaped wire called a ballista spring or with a short chain. This is so that pressure can be exerted on the canine without disproportionately affecting the other teeth. While there are many orthodontic procedures that benefit adults, only children have maxillary bones that are soft enough to be adaptable to guided canine eruption.


To learn more about Ross Orthodontics, visit SmilesbyRoss.com. Offices are located in Forest Lake, Minnesota and Hudson, Wisconsin.


 

Thursday, September 14, 2017

Why Malocclusions are Common

So many people have undergone orthodontic treatment that it’s reasonable to wonder why everybody seems to need it. While some orthodontic work is cosmetic, most people have such bad malocclusions that their ability to clean their teeth and their long-term health would be jeopardized without significant correction. But rather than being an accident of nature, this is a trade-off of civilization.


Anthropologists have found that people who live traditional lifestyles and ancient people had much better dental health and rarely had badly misaligned teeth. However, as people adopted agriculture, the size of their jaws shrank, while their teeth remained the same size. Scientists found that this pattern held throughout the world. It seems that children who grow up eating soft cereal products, such as bread and rice, never develop the large jaws necessary to hold all thirty-two adult-sized teeth. The stress of chewing tough root vegetables and large strips of meat is necessary to build up bone, as well as muscle mass. As a result, modern people need not only often need orthodontic correction, but wisdom tooth removal and sleep apnea treatments, as well.


To learn more about Ross Orthodontics, visit SmilesbyRoss.com. Offices are located in Forest Lake, Minnesota and Hudson, Wisconsin.


 

Friday, September 8, 2017

Invisalign

Ross Orthodontics makes an Invisalign smile possible for everyone. Invisalign is the invisible alternative to traditional braces recommended for both adults and teens who want to straighten their smile. An Invisalign treatment consists of a series of clear, removable plastic aligners that are custom-made for your teeth. 

To straighten your teeth with Invisalign, we begin with an examination.  The Invisalign treatment is appropriate for almost anyone, and a dentist can determine if Invisalign will be effective in achieving the smile you want. Impressions of your teeth are used to create a full set of aligners customized to your teeth and your treatment plan. 

Each set of aligners is worn for about two weeks, depending on your individual treatment plan. To get the best results, they should be worn at least 20 hours a day. You should remove the aligners to eat and to brush and floss. A typical treatment plan is completed in less than a year.

An Invisalign treatment can change your smile and your life. To learn about all the services provided by Ross Orthodontics, visit www.smilesbyross.com for more information. To schedule an appointment at the Forest Lake, MN practice, call 651-464-6988

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Straight Teeth are Healthy Teeth

Misaligned teeth can put a damper on a person’s self-esteem and can impact daily functions like eating and speaking. Additionally, crooked teeth can make it much harder to maintain proper oral hygiene because of those hard to reach places. Dr. Gregory Ross, DDS has a variety of orthodontic options for patients to restore their confidence and improve the status of their oral health.


Teeth that are misaligned, crowded, or too widely spaced increase a person’s risk of gum disease. This is because when teeth are crooked, extra pressure is placed on just a few teeth when the forces of chewing should be equally distributed between all of the teeth. When teeth are properly aligned, it helps the gums fit like a glove around the teeth, allowing for the strongest and healthiest defense against periodontal disease. Straight teeth are also helpful in improving digestion because misaligned teeth cannot properly break down food.


If you have questions regarding our orthodontic options, please give us a call. To learn about services we provide at the practice, visit www.smilesbyross.comfor more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Gregory Ross, DDS call our Forest Lake, MN location at 651-464-6988 or our Hudson, WI location at 715-808-8379.

Water Flossing With Orthodontics

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