February 17th, 2012
When you get braces at Faber Orthodontics there are a few things you’ll have to adjust to get optimal results in the shortest amount of time. If you have any questions about the “do’s and don’ts” of living with braces, feel free to ask Drs. Richard or Zackary Faber or any member of our staff during your next adjustment!
Eating
When you have braces, there are a few types of food that can damage your brackets and bend your wires, leading to more appointments and longer treatment times. By simply avoiding sticky, chewy, crunchy, and hard foods, as well as foods that require biting into like corn on the cob, your orthodontic experience will be much easier.
Cleaning
You’ll never believe the amount of food that can get stuck between your braces when you eat. In addition to causing bad breath and tooth decay, it looks pretty gross, too. It’s so important to brush your teeth after every meal and floss every day, and even though it’s kind of a hassle, it’ll all be worth it in the end.
Sports
Protecting your smile if you play sports is essential when you have braces. Mouth guards help protect your teeth and gums from injury.
Tags: braces Melville NY, Faber Orthodontics, Melville NY orthodontist, Richard Faber, Zackary Faber
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February 10th, 2012
This is the most frequently asked question that we receive Faber Orthodontics. So rest assured, you are not the only one wondering.
The answer to this question is not the same for everyone and there are several reasons why that is:
1. You are a person, not a chemical reaction. Based on basic biology, teeth only move at a certain pace. They cannot move any faster than they do. If you try to move them faster by pulling harder (which hurts), it actually slows them down.
2. We begin treatment with an estimate of how long treatment should take and at each appointment we are monitoring your progress toward that end point. These educated guesses are based on your biology and your progress to that appointment.
3. If you’ve broken multiple brackets and wires over the course of your appointments your treatment time is going to change. A basic rule of thumb is that each wire or bracket that has been broken will cost you at least 1 month in addition treatment.
4. If you have missed some scheduled appointments your treatment time will also change. If you come to every single appointment that you have scheduled at our office most likely you will finish your treatment on schedule. Obviously, there are real exceptions to time frames and those have been discussed with you. If you miss more than 1 appointment in a row (like 3-6 months between appointments) your treatment time will need to be adjusted. Unfortunately, this is not usually the patient’s fault, because transportation is not up to the individual child.
5. When we tell you that “you are close” it doesn’t necessarily mean you are getting your braces off. The removal appointments are a process. It will take at least 2 appointments that are longer than normal to have your braces removed. We need to have your retainers fabricated prior to taking your braces off.
There are other reasons that your braces might be on longer than estimated, but know that we are working as hard as we can to get your treatment completed. We are not trying to avoid your question, we are trying to provide the best possible outcomes for each one of our patients!
Add your thoughts about what you think…..
-Dr. Zackary Faber
Tags: braces Melville NY, Faber orthodontists, Melville NY orthodontist, Zackary Faber
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February 1st, 2012
At its core, orthodontics is a method to create a long lasting functional occlusion (bite) in an award winning smile. When it comes to our pediatric patients, I feel that you MUST reach for excellence. We can achieve this ideal in all of our patient’s smiles with the proper treatment planning. You have given us an opportunity to shape your child’s smile and bite and they deserve the best possible outcome. At Faber Orthodontics, you’ll notice we don’t necessarily do things like every other orthodontic office.
In our office, the PLAN is the most important part of the project. I contend that the PLAN is why you choose to see an orthodontic specialist to correct your child’s smile. Would you remodel your house without a plan? Would you just knock down the walls and start moving the foundation without any ideas of how you might proceed? I would hope not. You should want to see what an architect or interior designer might imagine based on your opinions and the space that you would like to create. If you wouldn’t treat your house without plans, why would you proceed into orthodontics without a plan?
Records (models of your teeth, x-rays, and photographs) are absolutely vital to an orthodontist. Just like an architect would come to your house and measure the property, the existing house and the rooms inside, the records allow the orthodontist to do their homework. That homework is used to develop the PLAN. The plan is a detailed treatment plan (like your car’s GPS system) which tells the orthodontist how to go from here to there. There are many, many different ways to treat any orthodontic patient, but you are paying for the expertise in diagnosis and treatment planning. Braces are highly specialized appliances that can be utilized for a large variety of problems and need to be handled by a specialist.
After we have collected your records, we will sit down with you and review the findings from the evaluation and then proceed with the plan of action. This discussion is the most important part of the treatment. It allows us to answer any and all questions that either of us will have before we start treatment. From Day 1, we will be on the same page so there are no surprises during treatment. During treatment, there will be periodic reviews. Open communication is the best way for this to be accomplished so that when the appliances are ready to be removed and treatment is complete, everyone is ecstatic!
Tags: braces Melville NY, Faber Orthodontics, Melville NY orthodontist, Richard Faber, Zackary Faber
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January 27th, 2012
While mouthwash is not an alternative to regular brushing and flossing, it can help keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy. There are several different types of mouthwashes available, and all of them will help do different things for your smile. The most common types of mouthwashes are:
• Fluoride – fluoride is the most used type of mouthwash available, and is used to strengthen the enamel of the teeth while preventing cavities and tooth decay.
• Antiseptic – an antiseptic mouthwash is used to kill bacteria and germs in the mouth. Most commonly used before and after a dental surgery, antiseptic mouthwashes can also help to fight gum disease, and halitosis (chronic bad breath). Antiseptic mouthwashes can affect your sense of taste and may stain the teeth, so it is recommended that you consult your dentist before using this type of mouthwash.
• Combination – a combination mouthwash is designed to help prevent tooth decay, freshen the breath, and maintain the health of your smile.
• Prescription – for patients with gum disease, or any signs of gum disease, you may need a prescription mouthwash. Prescription mouthwashes, like Peridex of PerioGard, are used to treat gingivitis, and other forms of decay.
There are also many different brands of mouthwash. Some common brands include:
• Scope
• Listerine
• Act
• Crest
• Tom’s of Maine (all-natural)
• Plax (anti-plaque rinse)
• Breath Rx
• Orajel
• Targon (special mouthwash made for smokers)
• Rembrandt (whitening mouthwash)
If you are curious about which kind of mouthwash would work best for you, be sure to ask us at your next appointment. If you have a favorite mouthwash, let us know by posting a comment for others to read!
Tags: Faber orthodontists, Melville NY orthodontist, mouthwash
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