Dr. Noah's Dentistry Blog

Questions About Dentistry Answered

Archives for February 2017

Is There an Inexpensive Smile Makeover?

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I’ve always wanted a smile makeover. Every year I think I’ll get one with my tax refund, but every year something else seems to break down, whether it’s my car or an appliance at home, to commandeer the money. It’s equally disappointing every year. Is there an inexpensive smile makeover?

Alice V. – New Hampshire

Alice,

I wouldn’t say it’s a complete smile makeover, but teeth whitening is the most inexpensive way to make a significant difference in the cosmetics of your smile. It’s affordable with most budgets and takes years off your appearance.

Another benefit is it doesn’t require an expensive cosmetic dentist. Your family dentist can perform the service quite well for you. Your biggest decision will be whether you want in-office or take-home teeth whitening.

With in-office, everything is done in just one appointment. Your teeth will get as white as they’re capable. Often, the color will settle just a little after the first week, but they will still be extraordinarily white.

Take-home whitening is different. You’ll wear the whitening gel for a minimum of 20 minutes each day, using custom made trays. Often that is repeated for a week or more depending on the level of whitening you’re hoping to obtain,

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Noah.

Why Do I Need a Retainer?

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I just spent four years wearing braces. Do I really need a retainer?

Beth – Kansas City, MO

Beth,

There’s an important reason for retainers after braces. They’re designed to keep your teeth in their new position. If you don’t wear it, your teeth will shift quickly. Retainers are even more important if you’re still growing into adulthood because your growth causes your teeth to shift even more.

Another reason a retainer is necessary is because your new bite needs to stabilize and it may take some time for all of the tissues and the bone to reorganize. Shifting of the teeth occurs naturally so retainers are needed to help keep them in place. Relapse of the teeth is very high the first month after the removal of braces and it usually takes about one year for teeth to stabilize completely after orthodontic treatment. If you had spaces in between your teeth before braces then it takes longer to keep the dentition stable. The rule of thumb is you wear your retainers as long as you wore your braces. So if you wore braces for four years then you wear your retainer for four years.

The good news is not all orthodontic patients need to wear their retainers 24/7. Your orthodontist will recommend what retention plan is best for you. Patients with removable retainers are recommended to wear their retainers on a constant basis for at least the first six months and then usually just at night while they sleep for a few years. Yet some orthodontic patients need only wear their retainers for the first week on a constant basis then after that just at night. A lot of orthodontists apply fixed retainers that are cemented in place to stabilize the teeth which are usually worn for at least five years. This is commonly used for adolescents because it’s common for teenagers not to wear their appliance, plus there’s the possibility of wisdom teeth causing shifting of the teeth while trying to erupt.

Hope this helps. This blog is brought to you by Dr. Ryan Noah.