Dr Priscilla Lu

Invisalign is a clear aligner company that moves teeth using custom-made clear plastic trays. It can be used on both upper (maxillary) and lower (mandibular) teeth and in a wide range of clinical presentations. However there are some clinical presentations where clear aligners are not as efficient and your dentist/orthodontist may recommend fixed appliances on the opposing arch. These may be: 1. large spaces that your dentist is planning to close 2. deep overbite where there is a greater vertical overlap between the upper and lower front teeth 3.

An overbite can mean 2 different things. To the orthodontist/dentist, it means the vertical overlap between the upper and lower front teeth. A deep overbite means the upper and lower teeth overlap each other vertically by more than the normal amounts and it can sometimes be hard to see the lower teeth, while an insufficient overbite means the upper and lower teeth are not overlapping each other enough especially in an anterior open bite where the upper and lower teeth are not overlapping at all.

According to the American Academy of Orofacial pain, Temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) is a collective term to describe a number of clinical problems involving the masticatory muscles and/or associated structures such as the Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) [1]. Signs and symptoms such as pain, limited opening, asymmetrical movement of the jaw, and joint sounds are the most common findings. Some signs and symptoms of TMD also occur in healthy individuals, with prevalence concentrated in the group between 15 and 25 years old.

A crossbite is a term used to describe malalignment of teeth and can be classified according to its location. An anterior crossbite refers to the upper teeth being behind the lower front teeth, while a buccal or lingual crossbite describes the back teeth where there is a mismatch in its position. A crossbite can be localised to one or 2 pairs of teeth. It can also be generalised involving more than 2 pairs of teeth. It can be unilateral or bilateral, meaning on one side only or happening on both sides.

An underbite is a common term used to describe the lower front teeth being further forwards and in front of the upper front teeth. Though the front teeth give us a measure of how much correction is necessary, there are other reference points that your dentist/orthodontist can use to help correct your bite. The most important consideration is your facial profile, how your jaw position looks like and what are the treatment goals for correcting the bite.

A slanted/uneven jaw can be either the upper jaw or the lower jaw. More commonly a slanted/uneven jaw refers to the lower jaw and is also known as mandibular asymmetry. The aetiology of mandibular asymmetry can be: Developmental - disturbance/disruption in growth or excessive growth on one side e.

One of the most likely causes of protruding lips after braces treatment might be that the teeth have aligned by some proclination, coming forward into a wider circumference. This may be likely if the braces treatment plan did not include extractions of teeth or space creation such as interproximal reduction. This may be due to an acceptable or slightly retruded lip profile at the start of treatment hence allowing a reasonable amount of proclination without adversely affecting the lips.

Clear aligner as a treatment alternative to traditional braces is indeed a growing market, thanks to the advances in 3D technology. It is no wonder that in recent times, there are quite a few clear aligner companies in the market. Invisalign, Zenyum and Clear Smile are all laboratories that produce clear aligners which are custom made appliances that gradually push teeth to effect the same result as braces except that these braces are less conspicuous, more comfortable and removable.

I can understand your concern as it may seem unnecessary to remove teeth that are not causing any trouble. Why mend what's not broken right? These are some of my thoughts about removing asymptomatic fully impacted wisdom teeth prior to wearing braces. Pros :Sometimes during braces treatment, teeth may be indicated for extraction due to the need to create space or to remove any obstruction to the path of eruption, or the removal of buried/extra teeth. Some of these teeth may be difficult to remove and general anaesthesia may be needed for the procedure.

The problem with wisdom teeth is that often times there isn't enough room for the tooth to erupt properly so it erupts partially and traps food and bacteria. Due to its position being all the way back it is hard to clean it effectively, keeping impacted wisdom teeth risks damage to the second molar that lies in front of it. However, not everyone has this problem and it is best to discuss with your dentist/orthodontist if this is the case for you.

Sorry to hear that your teeth have shifted since your previous orthodontic treatment. Unfortunately wearing retainers is an important part of maintaining teeth alignment as teeth are held by little ligaments and its position is influenced by the forces from the lips, tongue, and these little ligaments called periodontal ligaments which may influence the teeth to shift back to its previous position. Once the teeth have shifted, these are some of your options: A new set of retainers to maintain your current teeth position and prevent it from worsening.

Orthodontic treatment using fixed braces or clear aligners is to correct teeth malalignment or malocclusion. Just as every parent will attest to the fact that every child is different, likewise every malocclusion or teeth malalignment is different and every treatment plan is different. Generally speaking, the orthodontic treatment plan can be divided into 3 broad types with different aims and objectives.

Root resorption is a process of multifactorial origin related to the loss of tooth structure at the apices of the roots of teeth in response to: Mechanical Inflammatory Autoimmune Infectious Stimulus Genetic susceptibility accounts for 2/3 of the variation in external apical root resorption with some individuals being more susceptible to root resorption due to DNA polymorphisms within/near candidate genes in the pathway implicated in external apical root resorption.

As orthodontic treatment takes time to complete, typically 1. 5 to 2 years, it is not uncommon for some patients to have to switch orthodontists due to different life circumstances.

There are generally 2 broad categories of teeth alignment options: 1. Fixed onto your teeth e. g metal braces, ceramic braces, lingual braces (braces on the tongue side) or 2. Removable appliances such as clear aligners or active removable appliances such as spring aligners It is difficult to be precise about cost as it varies depending on the complexity of your malocclusion and the type of appliance used, but I can give you a ballpark figure.