Orthodontics in Abilene

Orthodontics is the art of using appliances to straighten and align teeth. Most commonly, it involves the use of braces to move teeth into their proper position. At Morris Dental Associates Orthodontics in Abilene, Texas, Dr. Morris specializes in providing orthodontic treatment to straighten and enhance smiles in her area. 

What Types of Orthodontic Treatment are Available in Abilene?

Dr. Morris offers a wide range of orthodontic treatments in Abilene, Texas. Orthodontic treatment aims to straighten and move your teeth to create a healthier and more aesthetic smile. Morris Dental Associates offers traditional orthodontic braces to enhance your smile. Additionally, Dr. Morris provides add-on orthodontic treatments such as palate expanders and spacers. 

How do Traditional Braces Work?

Traditional braces consist of either metal or ceramic, and they adjust the alignment of your teeth over time to improve the health and appearance of your smile. Brackets are attached to each tooth by an archwire to move your teeth. Dr. Morris will tighten the archwire at each subsequent dental visit to help the teeth align themselves. Additionally, a rubber band is attached to each bracket to strengthen them. Patients can personalize their orthopedic appliances by choosing different colored rubber bands for their braces. Some patients opt for ceramic braces rather than traditional metal braces because they provide a more discreet appearance. 

The process to get traditional metal braces from Morris Dental Associates is first to make a consultation appointment. Dr. Morris will assess your smile during this appointment and recommend a treatment plan. From there, she and her team will take an impression of your teeth for the braces and a baseline smile impression. During your next appointment, Dr. Morris will attach the brackets to your teeth, the archwire, and the rubber bands. Your dentist may recommend other treatment options, such as placing a palate expander, spacers, or rubber bands to straighten your bite line. Following this appointment, you will visit Morris Dental Associates every one to two weeks for tightenings for the remainder of the treatment. 

How to Care for Traditional Braces

You should follow a few guidelines while caring for your traditional braces. First, you should avoid eating hard, sticky, or chewy foods. Not only can these foods get stuck between the braces, making them hard to clean, but they can also damage the braces. If food, such as popcorn kernels or chewy candy, gets stuck between your teeth and braces and you do not remove it immediately, it can promote decay in the tooth. 

Another essential guide for patients with orthodontics in Abilene is to practice good oral hygiene. Since patients with braces have a metal appliance on their teeth all the time, they must perform more oral care than usual. For example, patients are encouraged to brush after every meal. If you cannot brush after every meal, you should, at minimum, rinse your mouth with water. Additionally, patients should floss once or twice a day. Flossing can be more challenging with braces because there are more crevices to navigate. Using orthodontic-specific floss and picks can help the patient reach hard-to-get places. Lastly, patients should ensure that they come to every scheduled dental appointment. During these appointments, Dr. Morris examines the health of your teeth and adjusts your braces. If you miss many appointments, treatment time may be longer than expected.

What Types of Concerns Can Orthodontics Fix?

Orthodontic treatment can be used to restore many medical conditions, including bite concerns, misaligned teeth, and spacing problems. Orthodontic treatment is not only about improving the aesthetics of your smile. It also improves the health of your smile. For example, teeth that are tightly packed together are harder to clean, leading to tooth decay properly. Orthodontic treatment is a great way to enhance the appearance and health of your smile.