Your smile is one of the most important reflections of your individual personality. Crooked teeth or misaligned jaws can also lead to suppressing the natural urge to smile. As such, better looking teeth can restore self-confidence and improve the overall quality of life and your social interactions.

Apart from appearance, crooked teeth are also more difficult to clean. This causes a higher chance of cavities and gum problems. In some cases, misaligned teeth can interfere with biting and may lead to gum problems or shifting of the jaw.

There are many reasons people seek out teeth straightening treatments. Some people are naturally born with small jaws or crooked or protruding teeth or they may simply wish to have some adjustment of their teeth alignment. Here are a few of the common reasons you might seek the care for:

  • Gaps Between Teeth

If you have had teeth extracted and as a result now have extra space in your mouth, you may find that there are large gaps starting to show. Spacing issues can lead to gum problems as teeth have less protection.

  • Overbite & Underbite

An overbite is another common reason why people look for orthodontics solutions. This occurs when the top or upper teeth bite over the lower teeth. Ongoing problems can present later in life and cause uneven wear on the bottom teeth. The opposite situation, an underbite, can be just as problematic and painful unless resolved.

  • Overcrowded Teeth

If you were born with a relatively small jaw, there may be a problem with overcrowding when there is simply a lack of room for all of your teeth to fit as required. Left unaddressed, you can have severely crooked teeth and this can lead to further complications with dental hygiene. If this is the case for you, talk to our specialist today, so we can begin planning your treatment.

TREATMENT

Our orthodontist does not only treat teeth irregularities (alignment, sizing and shape) and disproportionate jaw relationships, but also manage skeletal and dental development in growing children.
If you are looking for dental braces in East Maitland, Tooth n care offers a comprehensive range of such services and products from lingual braces, self-ligating braces, ceramic brackets and traditional braces.
Braces can be fun, colorful and cool as they now come in a multitude of rainbow colors, from bright pink and emerald green to white and clear. Adults who do not want their braces to be so noticeable can choose porcelain/ceramic braces or invisalign.

Correct you smile, 

Make an appointment to see our orthodontist today.

Call us on: 02 4933 4667

OR Make Appointment Online 

FAQ's on Orthodontics

At an orthodontic consultation, our dentist will evaluate your problem and explain the details of the treatment required. X-rays, impressions and photos of the teeth are taken to help in an accurate diagnosis and planning of the treatment and type of braces for you. Subsequent appointments involve insertion of the braces. This may take between 1-3 visits to complete depending on the type of braces. After the braces are inserted, you will see our orthodontist every 4-8 weeks to have your braces adjusted.
Treatment with fixed braces usually takes between 2-3 years, although total treatment time will vary according to the complexity of the condition.
You can resume your normal daily activities right after the treatment. Speech may be affected initially as some patients take a day or two to get used to the fixed braces in the mouth. Avoid biting on hard pieces of food (e.g. biting into an apple) to prevent dislodgement of your braces.
You may experience some discomfort and general feeling of tightness as teeth are being shifted. After a few days, the discomfort lessens as you get used to them and as your teeth get straighter with time. Occasionally, the inner side of your cheeks or lips may get an ulcer from rubbing against the braces which can be quickly and easily relieved with orthodontic wax. If the ulcer is severe, please inform our orthodontist and schedule for an earlier appointment.
Braces need a series of appointments to complete. For predictable results, you have to ensure you keep to your scheduled appointments and brush your teeth well. Maintenance of adequate oral hygiene is crucial and regular professional dental cleaning every 3-6 months is essential for a good overall treatment outcome. Caring for your braces and preventing breakages helps to ensure that you complete your treatment within the expected duration.
Your braces are applied to your teeth with special “tooth glue”, which means that in rare occurrences brackets can dislodge themselves after your braces are applied. Please call our clinic if this happens and we will re-affix your brace.
It depends on the crowdedness of your teeth. Sometimes, teeth can be aligned without the need for extractions. In some situations, extraction is needed to create space for aligning crooked teeth properly and achieving good overall treatment outcome.
After your orthodontic treatment is completed, your braces are removed. You will need to wear your retainers to maintain your teeth in their corrected positions and prevent relapse (teeth moving out of alignment). Retainers can be removable or fixed onto the back of your teeth. Our orthodontist will prescribe the best design for you. The removable retainers have to be worn full time daily for the first six months, followed by night time wear and this is reduced over time. Keep your retainers clean with simple brushing using a toothbrush and toothpaste and rinse with cool water. A dental follow-up every 6 months helps to maintain optimal treatment results and overall dental health. Follow-ups can be done during your regular professional dental cleaning.
Reasons for orthodontic treatment may be aesthetic, functional or a combination of both. Aesthetic reasons include crowded teeth, gaps between teeth or teeth that are misaligned. Functional reasons include speech difficulties, chewing difficulties, discomfort caused by biting of gums, lips or cheeks, impacted teeth that affect cleaning and predispose teeth to decay and gum disease, and jaw length problems. Please consult our orthodontist for a proper assessment.
The best time to start orthodontic treatment is after all their milk teeth have been replaced by permanent teeth. This is usually between 12-14 years of age. In some situations, our orthodontist may advise you to start treatment earlier due to functional or jaw growth problems.
It is never too late to have braces as long as your gums are in good condition.
Orthodontic treatment typically takes 1-2 years to complete. Alternatively, veneers may be suitable for people with busy schedules. Veneers treatment requires minor adjustment to the natural teeth. In a few days, the completed new teeth may be bonded onto to the natural teeth. The overall process typically takes only a few days to complete. In addition, veneers can dramatically enhance the color of the teeth to any color shade one desires. The overall treatment cost of veneers is higher than that of braces and not everyone is suitable for veneers.
Gaps can be closed through various methods. There are multiple variables in treating gaps and our dentist will need to assess the cause and nature of the gaps, the location and the size of the gaps so that a comprehensive treatment can be prescribed. Braces are more versatile to address gaps between teeth as braces can close gaps of various sizes and positions, and re-distribute the remaining gaps for an aesthetic filling. Braces can also be combined with composite resin bonding. With composite resin bonding, a tooth-colored filling is added to the teeth to make them bigger so as to close the spaces. Composite resin bonding only works when the gaps are small and symmetrical on both sides. Porcelain veneers may also be another option.
Invisalign clear Aligners Service in East Maitland

Invisalign clear Aligners

Tooth n Care has been consistently providing excellent and dependable orthodo

Clear Braces Service in East Maitland

Clear Braces

Tooth n Care has been consistently providing excellent and dependable orthodo

Metal Braces Service in East Maitland

Metal Braces

Tooth n Care has been consistently providing excellent and dependable orthodo

covid safe