Orthodontics Specialist
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Columbia Dental
Cosmetic Dentistry & Family Dentistry serving the areas of Hamilton, NJ, Elizabeth, NJ, Bordentown, NJ, & Newark, NJ
A straight smile is more than a cosmetic improvement, it’s better for your oral health, as well. If you’re looking to straighten your smile or improve your bite, Columbia Dental can help with high-quality orthodontics, like braces or Invisalign®. To get started, schedule a visit to their state-of-the-art clinic in Hamilton and Elizabeth, New Jersey, today by calling the office or using the online tool.
Orthodontics Q & A
What is orthodontics?
Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that focuses on the alignment of your smile. There are a few different orthodontic treatments that can help you straighten your teeth and improve the alignment of your bite, giving you a healthier and more cosmetically appealing smile.
Why should I straighten my smile?
Having straight teeth and a properly aligned bite make your smile more attractive, but straight teeth also make it healthier, too.
Teeth that are crowded or crooked can be harder to keep clean because there are nooks and crannies that you might not be reaching with your toothbrush or floss.
When your teeth are harder to keep clean, they’re more prone to develop tooth decay or gum disease, which can damage your oral health and require a professional procedure to treat.
Crooked teeth also do a poor job of distributing the force in your bite. A crooked smile might put more pressure on particular areas of your mouth, which can lead to excessive wear-and-tear in those areas and soreness of pain in your jaw.
What are braces?
Braces are a classic solution for straightening your teeth. They’re made up of wires, brackets, and bands that all work together to apply a gentle and constant pressure on your teeth that gradually pushes them into a better position.
The brackets are sealed to the front of your teeth, an archwire is threaded through the brackets, and the bands keep the archwire in place in the brackets. You visit your dentist every couple of weeks so that they can check up on your progress and tighten your archwire.
The amount of time it takes braces to work varies depending on the condition of your smile at the start of your treatment, but on average, you can expect to have a straighter smile within two years.
What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a modern orthodontic treatment that straightens your smile with a series of removable aligners made from clear, flexible, BPA-free plastic.
Your aligners are built from an impression of your smile and are designed to fit snugly over your teeth and gently push them into alignment, much like braces.
You wear your aligners for at least 22 hours a day, every day, but you can take them out whenever you need to eat, brush, or floss. You can even take them out for special occasions, like if you’re having your picture taken or are playing sports.
Most patients get between 20 and 30 aligners in their series, but that number might vary depending on the initial alignment of your teeth. You move on to the next set of aligners in your series every two weeks until you’ve finished your series and have a beautifully straight smile.
Schedule your orthodontics consultation with Columbia Dental by calling the office or booking online, and get started towards your straighter smile today.
Are you looking for a dentist in the city of Elizabeth or the town of Roselle? Book an appointment with us today!
