Serenity Orthodontics Blog

If you are the parent or guardian of a teenager with braces, you’re probably already aware of many frustrations common to orthodontic patients. For example, the sharp metal brackets and wires are notorious for lacerating the tender tissues inside their mouth, especially during sports or other high-contact physical activities.

Your child’s orthodontist can provide a custom-fitted mouthguard to shield their smile and stay on track with their treatment timeline. Continue reading to learn 3 tips to protect their oral appliance and avoid potential emergencies!

Many people turn to orthodontics to straighten gapped or overcrowded smiles, but many others require these services to treat malocclusions, or bite misalignments. If your upper and lower arches don’t touch where they should when you close your mouth, you’re more likely to develop cavities, sustain injuries, or suffer TMJ (temporomandibular joint) related jaw aches.

For instance, while it’s normal for your top teeth to rest gently over the lower ones when you bite down, if they jut too far, then you might have a pronounced overbite. If you’re debating whether to address it, continue reading to learn 3 convincing reasons to call your provider!

The main reason so many patients are choosing Invisalign for straightening their smiles is their discretion. They can effectively shift teeth without the use of obvious metal braces. However, if your aligners start clouding or even turning yellow, you might lose that advantage. But why does staining happen, and how can you prevent it? Continue reading to see the most common reasons for stained clear aligners and how you can keep your Invisalign looking fresh.

Traditional metal braces are an excellent way to address mild to severe dental misalignments such as gaps, crowding, underbites, overbites, open bites, and crossbites, but they involve a significant investment of time and effort on the part of the patient. Proper oral hygiene is one of the most important parts of a successful orthodontic treatment, and keeping braces clean requires a few special measures. Here’s a quick guide to how brush and floss your teeth while wearing braces.

While traditional metal braces are a great way to achieve a straighter, healthier, and more beautiful smile, it’s understandable that you are probably looking forward to the day when you have them removed. Completing your orthodontic treatment is an important achievement that speaks volumes about your self-discipline and commitment to your oral health, and knowing what to expect when you have your appliances removed can help you feel more comfortable during the procedure. Here’s a brief guide to what usually happens when an orthodontist finally unfastens the braces from a patient’s teeth.

Many people live with frustrating dental alignment issues like gaps, crowding, overbites, underbites, crossbites, and open bites that can detract from the beauty of their smiles and lead to oral and overall health issues. Thankfully, orthodontic treatments like traditional braces and clear aligners such as Invisalign have allowed millions to achieve healthier and more attractive smiles. Here’s a brief guide to these treatments and why one may be the better fit for you.

If you’ve always wanted straighter teeth, but you’ve been a bit hesitant because of the financial investment, your interest may be piqued by mail-order aligners. After all, they are the same as Invisalign, but at a lower price point, right? While that’s what their marketing efforts make it seem like, that’s far from the truth. In fact, choosing an Invisalign alternative can be dangerous for several reasons, including:

For some people (especially kids) it can be difficult to feel like you “fit in” when you wear braces. Sporting metal wires and brackets can convince you that you stand out, and while that can be a good thing for some, that attention isn’t always welcome for others. If you or your child are feeling a little insecure about your new equipment, it may help you to know that you’re not alone. In fact, at any given time an estimated 4 million people are wearing braces in America, and there’s even some pretty cool media representations, too.

In that spirit, here are five pop-culture characters that rock wires and brackets and make it look fun!

Very few adults want to hear that they need braces. After all, it’s hard enough to imagine walking around with a mouth full of metal when you’re a teenager – now you also have to worry about looking professional.

But what if this post told you it might not be as bad as you think? Modern braces are able to offer more convenience and comfort than ever before, and at the end of your treatment, you’ll have a beautifully straight smile that will last for a lifetime!

Now that you’ve completed orthodontic treatment and you have a beautiful, healthy smile to show for it, it’s important to maintain your results with your retainer. There are many different kinds of retainers, but no matter the type it’s likely that you’ll eventually need to replace yours.

Thankfully, retainers aren’t subject to much wear and tear, as they’re not worn during meals and typically only used while you’re asleep, but with time they can still become damaged, rendering them ineffective and increasing your risk of cavities and gum disease when in use.

Whether you’ve noticed changes in yours, or you’re simply curious about what to look for, here’s a handy guide to knowing when it’s time to replace your retainer!