Traumatic Injuries as a Result of Braces

Traumatic Injuries of Head and Neck with Orthodontic Braces

It is quite possible for you to sustain head and neck injuries when you are undergoing an orthodontic treatment. Though you will be as careful, there are chances of you getting hit in the mouth, or sustaining injuries to your face. Orthodontic braces may make your teeth, the gums and bones supporting it and the surrounding soft tissues more vulnerable to damage. If you have sustained any sort of injury, each of these aspects will have to be evaluated by the best orthodontist around.

Possible Damage you may Sustain

Once you begin orthodontic treatment, you will go about your life as normal. However, it is possible that you sustain some injuries. Take a look at some of the possible injuries and the implications:

Damage to teeth: If you have been hurt in the mouth, your orthodontist will check for any visible or hidden damage to the crown. The most common results are a chipped tooth or broken enamel. The tooth may also be fractured. Depending on the extent of this, you may experience sensitivity to hot or cold food or beverages.

Damaged teeth may be fixed with bonding, veneers or even a complete crown. This will depend on the extent of the damage. If the fracture of the tooth has gone down to the bone, then it may be removed and given time to heal.

Change in position: Trauma to the head or the face may result in the change of position of your teeth. This may happen if the bone surrounding your teeth is damaged in any way. You must know that bone is generally weaker than the teeth and tends to give way first.

If your teeth have shifted position, you will have to visit an oral surgeon who will evaluate your teeth first. You will then be given a mouth-numbing agent and will have your teeth brought back into position. The bone around your teeth will also be set back in place. Any broken or damaged braces will be removed and the trauma dealt with first. They will then be repositioned by your orthodontist to continue with your treatment.

Injury to your lips and your cheeks: This is a common result of wearing braces. While the teeth themselves are well protected because of the braces, the soft tissues in your mouth are not. It often gets badly cut and scratched in the event of an accident. You will feel discomfort for a while, but will have to bear with it in order for it to heal.

The use of a cold pack is a good idea. This will decrease the inflammation in the first two days. Because of the large number of vessels in the mouth, you may be shocked when you see the amount of blood that comes out. Do not let this alarm you. The large number of vessels in the mouth, actually help in speeding up the healing process as well.

You may not be able to protect yourself from damage at all times, but our professionals who practice at Beecroft Orthodontics say that using customized mouth-guards will make a huge difference. For further queries contact us today.

Beecroft Orthodontics, 10472 Georgetown Dr. Fredericksburg, Virginia

Phone: 540-898-2200

Traumatic Injuries as a Result of Braces

Tap Water vs. Bottled Water

What’s the deal with bottled water? It doesn’t have Fluoride in it...

Bottled water has been hailed as a subtle change that allows easy access to purified drinking water. This has led many families to turn off the tap while opting instead to purchase their water in convenient bottles made for on-the-go use.

Unbeknown to many consumers, particularly those who have small children or those already at risk of tooth decay and other oral diseases, bottled water presents a hazard due to the fact that it's missing one crucial ingredient that teeth need to stay healthy: fluoride.

Why Do People Choose Bottled Water?

The main marketing principle of most bottled water is that it lacks the many contaminants that tap water has. Supposedly superior filtration processes and purer sources of water make it so people don't have to worry about things like excessive chlorine or other contaminants that can make water taste unpalatable.

Bottled water also exists as an alternative for people who live in areas where municipal water systems are either unable to supply the amount of water an individual needs or they lack the highly sophisticated filtration systems that many municipalities presently use.

The Big Problem With Bottled Water

While bottled water may taste better or be a more viable option for people in certain areas where modernized water utilities aren't available in surplus, it also lacks the necessary amount of fluoride needed to help growing and for weak teeth to become stronger. This can cause teeth to become brittle and cavity-prone.

The reason that bottled water lacks fluoride concerns the way that it's treated. The filtration processes that bottled water often undergoes eliminates molecules besides water and certain other trace elements from the water that then gets put inside plastic bottles.

Though these filtration processes are often similar and more effective than those that local municipalities employ, they inevitably save money by foregoing the crucial step that most local water treatment plants have opted to do. In other words, they don't add the fluoride back into the water.

Why is Fluoride so Important to Teeth?

Fluoride is most commonly available in the form of sodium fluoride. This simple, common chemical allows for teeth to do the following:

• Remineralize – Acid is a natural byproduct of the mastication process. It works to tear away things like calcium from the surface of teeth, which leaves them weak and allows them to decay over time. Fluoride promotes remineralization, which is what reverses the damage done by acid.

• Protection Against Demineralization – Fluoride can reinforce teeth and make it harder for acids from food and those created as a byproduct by naturally occurring bacteria to damage the dentin of teeth.

This means that children with developing teeth, people who have weak teeth, disorders affecting the teeth or less access to orthodontists need to have a source of fluoride. It's a vital ingredient that works to ensure that your teeth have just as long and as healthy of a life as you.

Worried About Your Teeth?

If you're worried about a lack of fluoride or any other issues affecting your teeth, then it's advisable that you seek out an orthodontist like Dr. Matt Beecroft at Beecroft Orthodontics. He is a specialist in orthodontics, which means that he offers more services than a general dentist does, like providing patients with different types of braces.

Beecroft Orthodontics, 10472 Georgetown Dr. Fredericksburg, Virginia

Phone: 540-898-2200

Tap Water vs. Bottled Water

Your Teeth are Priceless

Smile Quote No. 26: Every Tooth in a Man's Head is Worth More Than a Diamond

Teeth are certainly essential and once you have gained your permanent teeth they are irreplaceable, through natural processes at least. However, too many teeth can be a problem, especially if you wish to show off your great smile. Overlapping teeth or teeth that are almost on top of each other affect the way you talk, eat and smile. Modern orthodontic techniques at Beecroft Orthodontics can put an end to all your overcrowding problems.

Overcrowding can occur when your teeth and gums grow at different rates. Teeth sometimes grow far too close together, too. The problem of overcrowding can be caused by a cleft palate when the palates two plates fail to join correctly or even an unfortunate combination of parents’ genes can sometimes result in overcrowding. An accident resulting in an injury to the jaw can also affect the position of your teeth.

There are a variety of treatment options available to correct overcrowding, including orthodontic procedures, such as the installation of braces. These can straighten the teeth, thus relieving the appearance of overcrowding. If the teeth appear rough or jagged in appearance, then a combination of orthodontic and traditional dentistry techniques can resolve the problem. This can include the re-shaping of the gums, teeth removal, the bonding of porcelain veneers as well as braces or Invisalign which in combination can produce a new facial appearance and smile.

If you have overcrowded teeth and you are conscious about your facial appearance, especially when you smile and you live in Fredericksburg, VA then you should not delay and arrange an appointment with Beecroft Orthodontists who have a specialist ready to give you advice and offer various treatment options.

Beecroft Orthodontics, 10472 Georgetown Dr. Fredericksburg, Virginia

Phone: 540-898-2200

Your Teeth are Priceless