Dr. Noah's Dentistry Blog

Questions About Dentistry Answered

Braces and fainting spells

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I have very low blood pressure. As a result I get fainting spells. My mother has never let me get braces as a result.  She’s worried I’ll cut my mouth on the metal.  Is there anything you can say to make her worry less and let me get braces? All my other friends have straight teeth or are getting them straightened. I’m worried I’m going to end up as the ugly friend.

Dena M. – Mississippi

Dena,

Parents worry. Sometimes their worries are well founded and sometimes they’re not. But, at least you can know that they love you. Otherwise they’d just let you do what you want.

In this case we can put your mother’s mind at ease. There are more than one type of orthodontic. If she’s worried about tissue damage from a fall, you could wear Invisalign aligners.  Even if you fell directly onto your mouth, these will not cut you. There are no metals, wires, or brackets.

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

Why do I have to wear a retainer?

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I just got my braces off and now I find out that I have to wear a retainer. I’m so disappointed. I was looking forward to having clear teeth. What is the point? Didn’t the braces straighten my teeth?

Maddie K. – Kansas City, MO

Maddie,

I can understand your disappointment. Most people assume that once their braces treatment is done they’re free. Hopefully your orthodontist told you ahead of time and you’d just forgotten. Retainers are pretty standard after braces.

There is a good reason for it. You’re teeth, like most biological things prefer the path of least resistance. That means they’ll have a tendency to shift back into their old place.  The retainer helps remind them they have a new home and help them set up a life there.

Be sure to wear it, because it really will help to keep your beautiful new smile.  Before you know it, you really will be free.  Be sure to send us a picture of your gorgeous new chompers.

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

Space Between Teeth

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I had my braces taken off about three days ago. For some reason, there is a gap opening up between my front two teeth. Do you know what is going on?

Lisa- Maine

Lisa,

I’m sure your dentist gave you a retainer to wear. It sounds to me like you may have neglected that part. Your teeth can begin to shift in just a couple of days.

You’ll need to get to your orthodontist as quickly as possible. He made need to make some adjustments to your retainer in order to get your teeth back in to position. If he can’t do that, he’ll have to make you a new one.

Once it is fixed, make sure you wear it religiously. I know you’re ready to be free from braces, but you’ll want the fix to last.

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

Orthodontist says my bite will cost extra

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My orthodontist  says I have a deep bite, which means it will cost extra to fix. Are there really some bites that are harder to fix than others?

Morgan D. – Pennsylvania

Morgan,

While it is true that there are some bites that are a little more difficult to fix than others, your dentist is not being honest about your bite. A deep bite is one of the most common, and I might add easiest, bites to fix.

I’m a little concerned that your orthodontist is trying to charge you extra for a common bite. You’re best bet may be to find a dentist who also does orthodontics, at the very least to get a second opinion.

The most difficult bite to treat would be an open bite. That is when the upper front teeth don’t touch or even go over the lower front teeth. The usual culprits for causing this type of bite is unusual tongue position and thumb sucking. About 20% of patients with this kind of bite still have an open bite after treatment.

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

My daughter is in tears because she doesn’t want braces

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I have a sixteen year old daughter. We just moved to the states. The children here seem to all have perfect teeth. I know she should get braces, but she is very upset about it.  She said the children with braces are made fun of and she doesn’t want that to happen to her. If she’s happy with out straight teeth, should I make her get braces?

Maggie L. – San Diego, CA

Maggie,

Whether or not your daughter gets braces is a decision you’ll have to make together. It wouldn’t be fair of me to tell you what is the best decision for your daughter, especially since I haven’t examined her.  Maybe her teeth are fine, but just crooked. In that case it wouldn’t matter if she got braces. In other situations, maybe her teeth are out of alignment in a way that can lead to TMJ. That can cause serious problems and pain for her.

My suggestion is you see a dentist who does orthodontic work and they can examine her and see what will be best for her.  I do have some good news for you. If it is determined that she will need braces, she’s not stuck with those metal things that makes her afraid of being made fun of in school There are now “invisible braces”, such as Invisalign. No one will ever know she is wearing them. Her teeth can be straightened in secret.

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

Can orthofill cause me to lose my teeth?

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I’ve been using orthofill bands and have recently been reading all this stuff online about how it can make you lose your teeth. Is that true?

Becca L. – Germantown, TN

Becca,

There is some legitimate concern that rapid tooth movement, connected with orthofill, causing tooth loss. When your teeth move, they need time for the bone to reform around the roots of your teeth in order to keep them secure. Without that time, you risk your teeth coming loose and falling out.

I recommend you see an orthodontist to help fix your tooth gap, or at least to monitor you during your orthofill usage.  There are many ways to fix your teeth these days. You’re no longer limited to traditional wire and bracket braces. There are even invisable braces.

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

Implants before braces?

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I’m getting dental implants, but I am also getting braces.  Which one should I get first?

Samantha- Philadelphia.

Samantha,

It is always best to get your braces done first, because once your implants are placed they cannot be moved. They are permanently  placed into your jawbone and lack the ligament necessary to deal with movement.

The tricky part is making sure your braces movement doesn’t affect your dental implant placement. You’ll want to find an orthodontist who is comfortable doing both orthodontics and dental implants, because they’ll understand the unique procedures.

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

Too old for braces?

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I’m 38 years old. I’ve had an overbite my whole life, but I’ve never been able to afford braces. I’ve recently come into some money and can finally get my teeth fixed. Do you think someone my age is too old for braces?

Christine- Brooklyn

Christine,

There are many adults who get braces, so you are not alone in getting braces at your age. There are many more options in braces than their used to be. Not only is there the traditional braces, but now there are self-ligating braces.

If you are concerned about your appearance with braces, you can get what is known as invisable braces. They’re not really braces at all. Instead, Invisalign are are clear aligners. No one will be able to tell you are wearing them, even at a conversational distance.

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