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Our teeth, and braces, can encounter a lot when we’re out living our lives. These activities are not limited to: sporting events, pizza crust, cake and ice cream at birthday parties, and maybe even a hot dog eating contest. Fortunately, our teeth are strong and often allow us to go through these activities without too many major problems. 

However, sometimes accidents happen. But you can prepare yourself to deal with these accidents if you have some tools on hand. Keep reading to learn more about what items you should have on hand in case of a dental or orthodontic emergency from Dr. Christopher A. Murphy and Dr. Lisa Peter Howard at Southern Maine Orthodontics.

There are a few ways to safeguard against dental emergencies. This includes: wearing a mouth guard during sports, taking good care of your teeth and gums, and staying away from food that is hard, crunchy, and/or sticky (especially when in braces).

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It is common knowledge that smoking tobacco is bad for our teeth and mouths. Smoking drastically increases your risk for several things, including oral cancer and gum disease. However, it is important to know these side effects do not go away with e-cigarettes. Read on to learn more about why vaping is bad for your teeth from Dr. Christopher A. Murphy and Dr. Lisa Peter Howard at Southern Maine Orthodontics.

Research shows that vaping is bad for your teeth just like smoking traditional cigarettes, even with no tobacco in e-cigarettes. E-cigarettes use an aerosol, or vapor, to deliver nicotine into the lungs. This vapor not only contains nicotine, which is bad for the teeth and body by itself, but also ultra-fine particles of toxic chemicals and heavy metals. Many of these chemicals are linked to cancer, respiratory disease, and heart disease. 

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Did you know that early orthodontic care may help you avoid costly treatment in the future? Like most things in life, orthodontic health can be much more manageable if you get ahead of it. The American Association of Orthodontics suggests that a child visits the orthodontist by age 7 in order to keep their oral health in check. Much like you wouldn’t skip a well visit with a pediatrician or a dentist appointment, you shouldn’t wait until your child absolutely needs braces to get an orthodontist’s opinion. Keep reading to learn more about how an early visit to the orthodontist may help you avoid more costly or invasive treatments in the future from Dr. Christopher Murphy and Dr. Lisa Peter Howard at Southern Maine Orthodontics.

There are several things an orthodontist may suggest when seeing a child. They may suggest a palatal expander, early interceptive treatment, baby tooth removal, or other things. A palatal expander is often used when the patient is still growing. This device in younger patients may reduce the need for extraction of permanent teeth or prevent teeth from impacting. Cases that are not corrected in growing patients may require surgery down the road or lead to abnormal wear and tear on teeth. 

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The majority of people’s teeth will come through in a specific order and in specific positions. However, some people have missing teeth. They may have one or more gaps because the teeth that should have erupted and grown in simply aren’t there. This condition is known as hypodontia, and it can affect both baby and permanent teeth. Read on to learn more about how orthodontics can help with hypodontia from Dr. Christopher Murphy and Dr. Lisa Peter Howard at Southern Maine Orthodontics.

From a dental health perspective, having gaps in your mouth can affect the health and functioning of your teeth. Gaps mean that neighboring teeth won’t have the right support to keep them in their correct positions. Additionally, from a cosmetic perspective, gaps in the front teeth can affect the appearance of one’s smile. If you have hypodontia, it is likely you will need some kind of treatment to either reinforce the surrounding teeth or to deal with cosmetic concerns. Fortunately, orthodontics can be a great solution for those with hypodontia.

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Getting braces isn’t as simple as just putting them on your teeth as they are. In fact, there are several steps one must go through prior to getting the actual appliances on your teeth. First, you will need a thorough tooth cleaning to make sure there is a clean, healthy surface. In some cases, more extensive preparation is necessary – like a tooth extraction. While tooth extraction may not be necessary for every patient, some patients will require this. Read on to learn more about tooth extractions from Dr. Christopher Murphy and Dr. Lisa Peter Howard at Southern Maine Orthodontics.

There are a number of instances in which an orthodontist may recommend tooth extraction prior to braces treatment. Some of the most common reasons for extraction include when a tooth is so damaged or unhealthy it cannot be rescued with root canal therapy, when teeth are too crowded, or when a severe overbite surgery is not an option.

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Braces are a great option for correcting several dental issues. These issues include overcrowding, misalignment, spacing, and overbites and underbites. A lot of people like braces because of the aesthetic change that they can make, however, braces can also fix non-aesthetic issues that are pertinent to the health of your teeth and jaw. Braces help to bring your teeth into proper intercuspation, which means that your teeth will align properly over one another. Read on to learn more about how orthodontics can help jaw alignment from Dr. Christopher Murphy and Dr. Lisa Peter Howard at Southern Maine Orthodontics.

An overbite or underbite has an impact on how your jaw is positioned. The jaw extends outward because the teeth are misaligned when one has an underbite. When one has an overbite, the chin may look weak, and the lips may protrude from the face in a harsh, unflattering manner.

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