Getting braces is one of the most common childhood experiences, and it’s an important one! We want our kids to start adulthood with healthy, happy smiles. To make sure they can, it’s our job to give them braces when they’re adolescents. And to get the best braces for kids, you need Mas’ood Cajee DDS MPH in Manteca, CA.

What Are Braces?

Components of Braces

Bands

The first part of braces to be applied are the bands. These bands are rings that fit all the way around the molars in the very back of the mouth. Orthodontists choose the right size of band for your child’s teeth and use dental instruments to give them a custom fit. Bands have metal attachments welded onto them to allow the archwire to pass through.

Brackets

Brackets are the small, square-shaped pieces that are attached to the teeth. The number of brackets your child has will depend on which teeth are being treated. Your orthodontist might choose to treat all the teeth, in which case there will be brackets on each one, or only treat a select few. 

Each bracket is attached to each of your kid’s teeth with a special dental cement. Each bracket has a slot that will hold and support the archwire. 

Archwire

The archwire is a metal wire in the shape of a semi-circle that the orthodontist will fit into each bracket and band in the mouth. The wire works to exert pressure on all your child’s teeth, and it is responsible for the continuous repositioning of teeth. Each time your child visits the orthodontist for an adjustment, the orthodontist will remove and replace the wire. They might choose to add new bends to the wire to encourage your kid’s teeth to move in a specific way or opt for a thicker wire altogether that will exert greater pressure on your little one’s teeth. 

Rubber Bands

Once the archwire is in place and passing through each of the brackets, a rubber band will be wrapped around the bracket. This ties the wire in place and helps it evenly exert pressure on each of your child’s teeth. Each time you and your child visit the orthodontist, they will take the rubber bands off and replace them with new ones. The best part is that your kid can choose almost any color for their rubber bands! They can get a new color each time they visit to celebrate the seasons, holidays, and their own personal style. 

Types of Braces

Metal Braces

These are the most common type of braces and are often referred to as “traditional braces.” Each of the components in them is made out of metal, and they’re the most common type of braces for kids.

Traditional braces today are different from the ones you may remember from your childhood. In previous decades, metal braces were very large and covered almost the entire tooth. Today, however, the brackets are a fraction of the size and far less noticeable. Metal braces are also far more efficient than they were in past decades and move children’s teeth much more quickly and comfortably.

Ceramic Braces

Ceramic braces are a very common alternative to metal braces. Instead of each of the components being made out of metal, they are made out of a ceramic material that is the same color and texture as teeth. Because of this, they are far less noticeable than traditional braces.

Lingual Braces

These braces are very similar to traditional braces. They are made of metal and have all the same working parts. The big difference is that they are not on the outside of your child’s teeth. Lingual braces line the inside of the teeth. They’re far less intrusive than traditional braces, and they are way less noticeable.

It does take some time to get used to brushing lingual braces, because your child has to be sure to spend more time brushing the insides of their teeth, which is not something most people focus on. Whenever someone gets braces, it takes some time to get used to speaking with them, but lingual braces can take a little more time to get used to because of how they are positioned. Despite this, they are a great option for people who want the effectiveness of braces with a bit more discretion.

Self-Ligating Braces

To the naked eye, self-ligating braces look like normal braces because they use the bracket and wire system. However, instead of the rubber band tie system, they use brackets with clips or doors that hold onto the wire. These braces are special because they are able to adjust themselves as your kid’s teeth move. Because they adjust themselves, they offer shorter treatment times and reduce visits to the orthodontists. Self-ligating braces are available in both traditional metal and ceramic versions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Is the Best Age to Get Braces for Kids?

There is no specific age that kids should get braces. It all depends on the individual and their specific needs. It’s a good idea to take your kid in for an orthodontic evaluation by the time they are 7 years old. Depending on the severity and causes of misalignment in your child’s teeth, the orthodontist can help you figure out the best course of action to give your child a healthy smile.

You want to make sure that your child gets braces after they have lost most of their baby teeth and most of the adult teeth have grown in. This usually is between the ages of 8 and 14. If your child is not yet ready for braces, but is having some orthodontic issues, the doctor may opt to use an interceptive approach, which involves using dental appliances at an earlier age. The dental appliances used are not always braces, but it helps the adult teeth growing in to have fewer issues that will need to be fixed with braces.

How Do Braces Move Your Teeth?

When the braces begin to exert pressure on your child’s teeth, there are two parts of their mouth that are most affected. These are the periodontal membrane, which is around the root of the tooth, and the alveolar bone, which the membrane is attached to. There is a biomechanical response called remodeling that dictates how your child’s teeth will straighten.

Understanding Remodeling

While it may seem like using stronger force on your kid’s teeth would help them move faster, that actually isn’t the case. Teeth remodeling happens more quickly when a lighter force is applied. The gentle, constant force causes one side of your child’s tooth to compress against the periodontal membrane, which creates positive pressure. At the same time, the other side of their tooth experiences negative pressure as it separates from the periodontal membrane.

The positive and negative pressure on opposite sides of their tooth causes two biological functions to happen: deposition and resorption. Together, these biological functions result in remodeling. Osteoblasts, which are bone growing cells, are produced on the side of their tooth where the periodontal membrane is being pulled away from the bone. This is called deposition. On the opposite side of their tooth, where it is being squeezed, bone destroying cells called osteoclasts break down the tooth. This part of the process is called resorption.

Resorption happens fairly quickly, in only about three days, while deposition takes about three months to occur. So while it seems like your child’s teeth are simply moving, they actually are being broken down and regrown in the right direction.

What Is the Process of Getting Braces?

Referral

If you think your child could benefit from braces, the first step is to talk to their dentist. Generally, dentists are able to recommend braces to patients who might need orthodontic care. Of course, you can also always simply call our orthodontic office and ask to meet with us. You’ll want to bring your child’s latest set of x-rays from the dentist for your orthodontist to look at.

Consultation

The first time you and your child meet with our orthodontist, you will have a consultation. This is the time to discuss all of your concerns with the orthodontist as well as what your goal is for treatment. The orthodontist will look at your child’s teeth and discuss the best options with the two of you. They will look at your child’s x-rays and might make a mold of their teeth to help them design the treatment.

Designing Treatment

After having a consultation with you and your child, the orthodontist will design a treatment specific to your child’s needs. Each treatment is individualized to best fit the needs of the client’s teeth. If the orthodontist took a mold of your child’s teeth, they will use it to create a mockup of the braces.

Placing the Braces

The first appointment with the orthodontist will take longer than the rest because they have to place the braces. First, they will thoroughly clean your little one’s teeth and condition them. The conditioning can take anywhere from ten minutes to half an hour. Afterward, the teeth are primed for cement, and then the brackets are placed in predetermined positions.

Then, the wire will be placed. The orthodontist will start with a semicircle of wire and cut it to the right length. They might put some bends or kinks into the wire in specific places to give it more leverage over the teeth. Once the wire is inserted, the rubber bands are wrapped around the brackets to keep everything in place.

Adjustments

Your child will need to visit the orthodontist every three or four weeks for adjustments. During an adjustment appointment, the orthodontist will remove the wire. They may bend the wire again in new ways or insert a new wire. Orthodontists use new wires that are slightly stronger or have a different configuration to keep moving your child’s teeth in the ways that they need. As your child’s teeth are pulled and pushed in different ways by the wire, they will slowly move into the correct positions.

Find Out if Braces for Kids Are Right for Yours

Every parent wants their child to be happy and healthy. One of the easiest ways to help your kids get there is through braces. You can make sure they have a healthy smile and that they experience the confidence that a perfect smile brings. Braces are more than the sum of their parts: they are an investment in your child’s future. For more information, or to schedule a consultation today, call Mas’ood Cajee DDS MPH in Manteca, CA.



It’s never too late to get the perfect smile! No matter how long you’ve waited, you can get the perfect teeth you’ve always wanted. You just have to take the first step towards getting your braces for adults; and you can get all your orthodontic needs cared for by Mas’ood Cajee DDS MPH, conveniently located in Manteca, Ca.

Getting Braces as an Adult

When we think of orthodontic care and braces, we usually conjure up images of metal-mouthed teenagers still stuck in their awkward phase. But more and more adults are investing in their smiles and choosing to get braces.

According to studies, more than 1.2 million adults in the U.S. received orthodontic treatment in 2012, which is the most recent these numbers have been studied. That’s a 14% increase in adults with braces from 2010 and a 39% increase from 1996. This is because adults today are more concerned with their appearance than ever and more concerned about keeping their teeth healthy.

The Hardware

Before looking at the different types of braces available, let’s review the different hardware components that are used to create braces.

Bands

Orthodontic bands are rings that fit onto your back molars. The orthodontist will choose the right size band and use orthodontic tools to make sure you get a custom fit. Bands have metal attachments welded into them so that the archwire is able to pass through. The bands anchor the archwire and encourage movement in the rest of the teeth. The bands are cemented onto the teeth with special dental cement.

Brackets

Brackets are the most well-known part of braces. They are the small, rectangular metal pieces that are cemented onto all the teeth being treated. Orthodontists can choose to apply brackets onto the front teeth or all the teeth, depending on the specific needs of each client. The brackets have a space in them for the archwire to pass through.

Archwire

Archwires are wires made of metal, and they pass through each of the teeth being treated and connect them all. As one tooth moves, it creates pressure and encourages the others to move. The orthodontist can put very carefully made dents or bumps in the archwire to encourage movement in specific teeth. Each time you visit the orthodontist, they will give you a new wire to encourage the ongoing repositioning of teeth in order to get the correct alignment. The orthodontist will often choose to bring a heavier wire into the braces to exert greater pressure and therefore create movement more quickly.

Rubber Bands

These bands are made of elastic. They go around the brackets after the archwire is inserted and help to hold everything together. The archwire needs to be connected to the bracket to exert pressure, and the rubber bands are what makes that happen. The orthodontist also changes these out with each visit, and clients can choose from a wide array of colors.

Types of Braces

When deciding which type of braces are the best option for you, it’s important to educate yourself on the different options available.

Traditional Metal Braces

When you think of braces, you most likely think of traditional metal braces. Metal brackets are attached to each of the teeth being treated, and a metal archwire passes through the brackets. The metal brackets and archwire are held together with rubber bands. Metal braces are the most common type of braces used today, but they also can be very noticeable.

Ceramic Braces

Many adults looking to get braces to correct this smile opt to get ceramic braces. That’s because ceramic braces are far less noticeable than their metal counterpart. While they use the same components as metal braces, such as brackets and archwires, they are constructed with a ceramic material that can more naturally blend in with the teeth.

Lingual Braces

Lingual braces are another good option for adults who are concerned about the esthetic appearance of their braces. These braces are, like traditional ones, made with metal components. However, rather than be attached to the outside of the teeth they are attached to the inside, so they can’t be easily seen from the outside. From the front, your teeth seem to be bare, but they actually are being adjusted into the correct alignment.

Damon Braces

This type of braces is relatively popular at the moment because they are self-ligating. Normally, when your teeth begin to become more correctly aligned you need to visit your orthodontist so they can adjust your archwire to encourage continued movement. With self-ligating braces, however, a slide mechanism adjusts the braces to eliminate the need to go have them manually adjusted by your orthodontist. The slide mechanism also gets rid of the need for elastics to connect the archwires. Overall, Damon braces tend to yield results more quickly.

Braces for Adults

We know that braces are an effective way for teens to get the perfect smile, but what about for adults? Can adults looking into getting braces expect the same results?

The mechanical processes involved in aligning teeth with braces is the same, no matter the age. Orthodontic treatments offer great benefits for adults and children alike who are looking to improve their bite and the appearance of their smile. The treatment however, may take a bit longer in adults than in adolescents. This is because adolescents’ bones are still growing and shifting, making them easier to move into the correct position. Adults, whose bones are no longer growing, may require a longer treatment time to get that perfect smile.

The Process of Getting Braces

You’ve read about the different kinds of braces available for adults, and you’ve decided on which kind you think will best fit your smile and lifestyle. So what should you expect from the process of getting your braces?

1. Referral

The first step to perfect teeth is to get a referral. This usually comes from a dentist, because they are the dental professional that most regularly looks at your teeth. Generally, dentists will look at the patient’s teeth and, if they see an issue that could be addressed by orthodontia, will suggest that the patient visit one.

However, if you don’t wish to get a referral from your dentist, you can always set up an appointment by calling an orthodontist’s office yourself. If you have a recent set of x-rays from your dentist, it can be helpful to bring these as well. Be ready to discuss whatever concerns you have regarding your teeth.

2. Consultation

The first time you meet with your orthodontist, you will have your consultation. They will look at your teeth and determine what needs to be done in order to straighten them. The orthodontist may use this time to take more recent x-rays of your teeth and make a mold of your teeth to better design your orthodontic treatment.

3. Designing the Treatment

Everybody’s bite is unique, and that means that the orthodontic care they receive needs to be unique, too. After meeting with you, hearing your worries, and taking an in-depth look at your teeth, the orthodontist will create a treatment plan. Using the mold that the orthodontist takes of your teeth, they will create a mock-up of what your braces will look like.

4. Placing the Braces

The first orthodontic appointment lasts much longer than any of the future appointments because the orthodontist must put the braces on. First, the orthodontist will thoroughly clean your teeth to make sure they are completely clean when the braces are placed. Then, they will condition them to get them ready to hold the cement.

The brackets are then placed in predetermined positions based on the treatment that has been designed by your orthodontist. The orthodontist uses a special polymer cement that includes enzymes that react to ultraviolet light. After placing the cement and the brackets, the orthodontist will use a handheld UV device to harden the cement. You will be provided with protective eyewear to ensure the UV light does not damage your eyes.

5. Inserting the Wire

After the brackets and bands have been cemented onto the teeth, the orthodontist will prepare the archwire. They will start out with a semicircle of wire and then cut it to the correct length so that it will reach each of your teeth but not extend past them. They may also insert some bends or kinks into the wire to create leverage over the teeth and encourage them to move into the correct positions more quickly. Then the wire is placed and the brackets are closed. After this, the orthodontist will allow you to choose from different colors of rubber bands to wrap around the brackets and hold the wire in place.

6. Discussion of Oral Care

After the placement of the braces is complete, the orthodontist will discuss with you how to best care for your brackets and your teeth. They will go over how to correctly brush your teeth to make sure that you clean as well as possible and what kind of toothpaste to use. They may even give you some special small spindle toothbrushes to make cleaning your teeth easier.

7. Making Adjustments

After placing the braces, the orthodontist generally won’t need to see you for another 3 to 4 weeks. Throughout your treatment, your orthodontist will need to see you regularly in order to track the changes and movement in your teeth and adjust the wire to encourage further movement. They will determine with you the correct amount of time to wait between adjustments.

During an adjustment, the orthodontist takes off all the rubber bands and removes the archwire. They may create new bends in the wire to encourage more movement or they may insert a new wire. Oftentimes, orthodontists use the old wire as a guide for the bends in the new one, which will be slightly stronger or have a different configuration to help the movement in your teeth along.

8. Dentist Appointments

While you’re undergoing orthodontic treatment, it’s even more important than normal that you go to all your dentist appointments. It can be very difficult to effectively clean your teeth while you have braces on, and dentists can help to keep them clean. Dentists and dental hygienists have been trained in cleaning around brackets and wires and can give you tips to help you clean more effectively.

Conclusion

No matter who you are or how old you are, you deserve to have the healthy, perfect, and bright smile that you’ve always wanted. It’s never too late to invest in yourself and in your smile. That’s why braces for adults are rising in popularity with each year that passes. Braces only take a short time, and when they come off, you have the rest of your life to face with the perfect smile. To schedule a consultation, or ask questions about braces for adults, contact Mas’ood Cajee DDS MPH in Manteca, CA.

Invisible aligners have changed the face of orthodontics in a big way by allowing many people to have their teeth straightened without braces. Imagine getting a beautifully straight smile without metal brackets or archwires. If you have been putting off braces because you don’t like how they look, the ClearCorrect system could be a great option for you. At Mas’ood Cajee DDS MPH in Manteca, CA, we proudly provide this treatment.

Straighten Your Teeth Discreetly

While traditional braces rely on a system of metal brackets and archwires to correct misalignment, this treatment works by using a series of clear, plastic aligners that fit over your teeth. Both systems exert gentle pressure on the membrane that guides the position of your teeth, gradually easing them into the correct position over time. The biggest difference is that while metal braces are highly visible, clear aligners are so discreet most people won’t even know you’re wearing them.

What Happens During Your Treatment

We Scan Your Teeth

The first step of this treatment involves creating digital images of your mouth. We use a special scanner that shows us exactly where each tooth is positioned. From there, we can make a plan for your treatment, mapping out how each of your teeth will move throughout the process.

Custom Aligners Are Made

After the digital images are created, we send them to ClearCorrect, where they are used to make your aligners. The aligners vary in shape, starting with a set that fits over your misaligned teeth and finishing with a set that is straight. The company sends us these aligners in the mail. Once we receive them, we test to make sure they are perfect for your needs.

You Wear Your Aligners According to the Plan

This step is where you come in. You take the aligners home and wear them throughout the day and night until your teeth are straight. The only times you should take them out are when you are eating, having a beverage, or cleaning your teeth. The goal is to have them in for at least 22 hours per day. If your consistency in wearing them drops below that, your teeth will stop moving towards their new positions.

You use each aligner for approximately 1-3 weeks, after which you switch it out for the next one in the series. Every few months, you will come into our office so that we can check on your progress. After your last set of aligners, you can celebrate having achieved a beautifully straight smile. Plus, you don’t need to worry about losing your results. ClearCorrect makes clear retainers that we might recommend wearing for some time after treatment to ensure your teeth stay right where they should.

The 11 Benefits of ClearCorrect Aligners

1. They Are Almost Invisible

We understand your aesthetic concerns about braces. While braces are a lot more subtle these days than they used to be, it’s nice to have a completely clear option. Clear aligners are so discreet they shouldn’t even be noticeable when you wear them. Plus, while some kinds of braces can stain from coffee and certain types of foods, you remove clear aligners for eating. This makes them less likely to develop visible stains.

2. They Are Extremely Comfortable

Some people don’t like the feeling of metal braces in their mouths. With clear aligners, you avoid that sensation, because they are made from a special type of plastic that is smooth and comfortable.

3. They Put the Perfect Amount of Pressure on Your Teeth

The comfort of this experience extends to the sensation of having your teeth straightened. You will not feel too much pressure at any point in the process because your orthodontist will be able to plan the aligners so that they encourage your teeth into position gently. This is because the system is based on state-of-the-art technology that gives your orthodontist the ability to work with precision.

4. They Deliver Excellent Results

At the end of the day, what matters most is the results of the treatment. Most people report significantly straighter smiles following this process. That’s because ClearCorrect has been fine-tuning its system for over two decades. Hundreds of thousands of patients have benefited from their aligners. With each patient, the company gathers feedback, using it to drive further technological advances that continuously improve the process.

Having straighter teeth is extremely beneficial to your health and your appearance. Here are just a few of the ways it improves the quality of your life:

Your Teeth Will Be Easier to Clean

When teeth overlap, they are more difficult to brush because your toothbrush can’t reach all the spaces in between them. Straightening your teeth helps prevent gum disease, bad breath, and other dental problems. You will love the fresh feeling of brushing straight teeth.

You Are Less Susceptible to Injuries and Chronic Conditions

Many issues come about as a result of misaligned teeth. Overlapping teeth can grind against each other, causing damage to the enamel. Teeth that stick out can injure the inside of your mouth. Headaches and speech problems might even result from crooked teeth. Clear aligners can help you correct your existing dental problems and safeguard your mouth against future issues. Even chewing is easier with straighter teeth.

You Will Love the Way You Look

Having straight teeth will transform your smile and give you a tremendous confidence boost. Every time you look into the mirror, you will be reminded of the fact that you did something important for your dental health. Imagine looking forward to showing off a beautiful smile every time you have your picture taken. Think of the great first impression your straight teeth will make every time you meet a new person. When your teeth look the way you want them to, you will feel professional, well-groomed, and ready for anything.

5. You Can Remove Them When You Eat

With clear aligners, you will never have to worry about getting food caught in your braces. Just take them out before each meal and remember to put them back in after you are finished. You can forget your fears about food restrictions because there aren’t any. You can eat popcorn, hard apples, and even corn on the cob. Nothing is off-limits.

6. You Take Them Out When You Brush

In addition to being able to eat whatever you want, there is another huge advantage of being able to remove your aligners: you can brush your teeth thoroughly. No need to worry about maneuvering your toothbrush around brackets and wires: with this treatment, you will have full access to all of your teeth for brushing and you can clean the aligners separately.

7. They Are Safe and Durable

Some people avoid traditional braces because they are worried about the wires popping during sports practice and other activates. While braces are very strong and this kind of situation extremely rare, it does happen from time to time. Clear aligners are very durable and safe. You won’t need to alter your normal routine in any way to accommodate them.

8. Treatment Time Is Fast

From start to finish, you can expect to achieve straighter teeth with clear aligners in a few months to a few years. This schedule is comparable to the treatment timeline for traditional braces. When you think about it, a few months or even years isn’t too much time to wait for a lifetime of straight teeth, especially because the process of getting and wearing clear aligners is so straightforward. We know you probably can’t wait to have beautiful, straight teeth, so we give them to you as quickly as possible.

9. You Might Have Dental Insurance Coverage

You should check with your insurance provider to see if your plan covers clear aligners. Many dental insurance plans take care of all or part of the cost. Additionally, you can usually pay for your aligners out of an FSA or HSA account. Even if your insurance does not cover the aligners, we might be able to make arrangements so that you can pay according to a reasonable schedule.

10. You Don’t Have to Schedule a Lot of Appointments

Your time is important, and we realize that finding a place on your calendar for an appointment with the orthodontist can be challenging. With clear aligners, most of the planning for the treatment is done during the first few steps of the process. Changing the aligners every one to three weeks at home is as simple as taking the old ones out and putting the new ones in. Usually, the only reason you need to schedule time at our practice is so that we can do a quick check on your progress.

11. It’s a System That Works for Teens and Adults

Teenagers and adults alike can benefit from the advantages of clear aligners. Everyone loves the look of straight teeth, and good dental health is important for all people.

For Teens

The teenage years bring on a lot of changes, challenges, and responsibilities. From schoolwork to dating, your teen has a lot going on. Clear aligners offer a way for him or her to get a beautiful, healthy smile without being self-conscious about the look of braces. Teens will also appreciate the fact that with clear aligners they don’t need to give up their favorite foods.

For Adults

Being an adult often means being in professional situations in which your appearance matters. If you don’t like the look of braces but want to straighten your teeth, clear aligners are an excellent option for you. Today, many adults are choosing to have orthodontic treatments. Taking care of your teeth is important, and it’s never too late to get the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted.

Schedule a Consultation With Us

We would love to meet you in person and tell you more about the benefits of these aligners. We can also help you understand the other treatments we offer, including traditional and ceramic braces. The recent developments in the field of orthodontics are really amazing, and by assessing your individual needs, we can find the perfect solution for you.

Look Great With Beautifully Straight Teeth

Clear aligners offer you a way to get the smile of your dreams and look great throughout the entire process. They are fast, durable, and technologically advanced. This system eliminates many of the things people worry about when they think about orthodontic treatment. They do not affect your appearance, pose food restrictions, or present problems with cleaning. Best of all, you will love your results. Clear aligners position you and your teeth for a lifetime of confidence and dental health.

Contact Mas’ood Cajee DDS MPH in Manteca, CA for more information about ClearCorrect. Our treatments will give you beautifully straight teeth through a comfortable process and excellent orthodontic care.

As our bodies grow to adulthood, our mouths include a hidden reminder of youth called wisdom teeth. When these teeth finally emerge, usually between the ages of 17-21, they often don’t have the space they need to grow in straight, which can cause serious oral problems and require an extraction. Wisdom tooth extraction requires expert care, such as that given by Mas’ood Cajee DDS MPH in Manteca, CA.

What Are Wisdom Teeth?

Most adults have four wisdom teeth: one in each of the back corners of the mouth. While these molars are actually permanent teeth, by the time they erupt they often get stuck against other teeth because there’s not enough space for them to come through normally. This failure to emerge properly is called an impaction and can cause pain, inflammation and infection.

Some people never develop wisdom teeth. For other lucky individuals, the wisdom teeth grow in normally, just as their other molars did, and cause no problems. However, many, if not most people develop impacted wisdom teeth that erupt only partially or not at all. The wisdom tooth can grow at an angle under the gum line, pressing against healthy teeth and gum tissue. Poor alignment of wisdom teeth can crowd or damage adjacent teeth and even the jawbone itself.

Wisdom teeth are not something that can be dealt with on an at-home basis using straightening kits from internet vendors like SmileDirectClub. These services claim to solve dental and orthodontic problems without the need for medical expertise, but patients should be forewarned. Wisdom teeth require special attention and often an extraction, which of course must be done by a skilled dentist or oral surgeon.

What Is Wisdom Tooth Extraction?

Wisdom tooth extraction is a procedure to remove one or more of the wisdom teeth. When a wisdom tooth causes pain, infection or other dental problems, you’ll likely need to have it extracted. To prevent future problems, some dentists and oral surgeons even recommend preventive extraction even if wisdom teeth aren’t currently causing problems.

The case for pre-emptive wisdom tooth extraction is compelling and worth considering. Even if it’s not already causing pain, an impacted wisdom tooth may grow at odd angles next to adjacent teeth or the back of the mouth. It can stay trapped under the gum line like a ticking time bomb waiting to cause pain and oral damage. In most cases, the tooth will need to be extracted, and for many, sooner is better than later.

Extract Them Now or Wait?

As your wisdom teeth make their way through your gums, your dentist will help you make the best oral care choices. When patients reach the age where wisdom teeth can be problematic, it’s imperative that a dental expert monitor your mouth for signs of potential issues. These include:

Wisdom Teeth That Haven’t Erupted Properly

Poorly erupted wisdom teeth can grow too close to the molars next to them, making it impossible to floss between the two teeth. This puts adjacent teeth at risk for cavities and decay.

Wisdom Teeth That Aren’t in the Right Position for Healthy Eruption

When a wisdom tooth is misaligned as it erupts (a common condition), the emerging tooth can allow food to become trapped. This gives cavity-causing bacteria a place to grow, threatening nearby healthy teeth.

Wisdom Teeth That Have Only Partially Emerged

A wisdom tooth that breaks through the gum but doesn’t grow in further gives bacteria a place to enter the gums and creates conditions for infection. This can lead to pain, swelling and stiffness in the jaw.

Wisdom Teeth That Don’t Have Room to Come Through

By the time people are the age for wisdom teeth to come through, their other teeth are already in place. A wisdom tooth trying to break through can crowd or damage neighboring teeth, affecting chewing function and aesthetics.

An Impacted Wisdom Tooth That Has Formed a Cyst

These fluid-filled sacs can infect the roots of nearby teeth and even damage the bone that supports the teeth. Their potential damage can also spread beyond the teeth into the sinus areas.

How Will I Know When It’s Time to Extract?

It’s difficult to predict future problems with impacted wisdom teeth. Moreover, it’s normal to experience some discomfort when wisdom teeth finally do begin to erupt. However, the signs of an impacted wisdom tooth are unmistakable. Patients will likely need an impacted wisdom tooth extracted when they experience one or more of the following problems:

• Pain from the erupting wisdom tooth
• Food and debris collecting near the eruption
• Gum disease or infection near the wisdom tooth
• Tooth decay in a partially erupted wisdom tooth
• Development of a cyst near the eruption

Most dentists recommend impacted wisdom teeth be removed when the roots are between one to two-thirds formed. X-rays taken by your dentist will reveal the stage of the wisdom teeth and help you formulate a plan for extraction. Waiting too long to take these teeth out makes the extraction more difficult and can increase the risk of complications, such as potential damage to your nerves and sinuses.

Wisdom Teeth and At-Home Cosmetics

Cosmetic dentistry and orthodontic aesthetics have enjoyed increasing popularity in the past several years thanks to new techniques and technologies. These improvements should always be guided by a dental or orthodontic expert rather than attempted as at-home treatments. This caution is particularly true when wisdom teeth may erupt during orthodontic treatments such as braces.

When wisdom teeth finally start to emerge, they can disrupt the alignment of nearby teeth. This can serve to undo the effects of at-home aesthetic treatments that have not taken the individual’s whole oral condition into account. When using an at-home orthodontia kit, there’s no expertise available to identify underlying conditions, such as a wisdom tooth that’s ready to erupt or growing in poorly.

There’s nothing more frustrating than months spent on fixing a smile only to have the work undone by an unforeseen wisdom tooth. In many cases, the at-home kit has to be abandoned until the wisdom tooth or teeth have been extracted, resulting in a waste of time and money as well as frustrated expectations. Expert oral care throughout your orthodontic journey is essential for creating your ideal smile.

What Can I Expect During the Procedure?

Wisdom tooth extraction is done on an outpatient basis at your dentist or oral surgeon’s office. Patients may feel woozy from the procedure or from anesthetics, but they return home right after the extraction. Many dentists and oral surgeons will recommend that family or a friend drive the patient home after the procedure for safety’s sake.

During the procedure to remove one or more wisdom teeth, your dentist or oral surgeon will use one of three types of anesthesia, depending on the complexity of the extraction and your individual comfort level. From simplest to most intensive, these are the three levels of anesthetic:

Local Anesthesia

Your dentist or surgeon will apply a substance to your gums to numb them. Then, one or more pain-blocking injections will be made near the site of each extraction. Patients are awake during the extraction. Although you’ll feel some pressure and movement, you shouldn’t experience pain during the procedure.

Sedation Anesthesia

If the extraction will be especially complex, your dentist or oral surgeon may apply sedation anesthesia through an intravenous line in your arm. The patient is not consciousness during the procedure and will have limited memory of it.

General Anesthesia

In especially difficult or complex situations, such as one where multiple wisdom teeth will need to be removed, an oral surgeon may call for general anesthesia. Medication to knock you out is applied through the nose or the arm and the patient is unconsciousness throughout the proceedings.

How Does the Procedure Work?

If the wisdom tooth hasn’t come through the gum, your dentist will make a small incision in the gum to access it. A small piece of any bone covering the tooth may also need to be removed. The tooth may be cut into smaller parts to make it easier to remove through the opening. There’s less need to make an incision if the tooth has broken through the gum.

In most cases, for a single wisdom tooth, the patient is only under local anesthesia. In these cases, you’ll feel some pressure just before the tooth is removed. Often the dentist or oral surgeon needs to widen the tooth socket by rocking the tooth back and forth before taking it out. How long it takes to remove the tooth will vary. Simple procedures can take a few minutes, but it can take longer than 20 minutes if it’s more complicated.

What Is Recovery Like?

Depending on the severity of the case, it can take up to 2 weeks to fully recover after having wisdom teeth removed. During this time, patients may have a swollen mouth and cheeks. This will be worse for the first few days but will gradually improve. A stiff, sore jaw is not uncommon, and these effects will wear off within 7 to 10 days.

Also, depending on the severity of the case, the recovering patient may feel some pain for a few days. This will vary in intensity and length depending on whether the extraction was difficult or complicated. Your dentist or oral surgeon may prescribe pain medication, but in most cases, simple over-the-counter ibuprofen is the best painkiller to take after having wisdom teeth removed.

In broad strokes, the healing process from a wisdom tooth extraction will follow a pattern:

• First 24 hours: Blood clots will form around the extraction point
• 2 to 3 days: Any swelling of the mouth and cheeks will improve
• 7 days: Your dentist will remove any stitches
• 7 to 10 days: Residual jaw stiffness and soreness should go away
• 2 weeks: Any mild bruising on the face that may have occurred will heal

Time to Take Action

When a wisdom tooth becomes impacted, the damage has already been done and must be addressed by your dentist. Regular checkups and X rays will help you and your dentist keep abreast of potential upcoming problems with wisdom teeth. This lets you make plans and minimizes the chance of pain and possible complications.

Wisdom teeth can cause serious oral problems. Even when they seem to be erupting properly, they cannot be aligned by an at-home straightening kit. An expert such as your dentist needs to take thorough X-rays and work with you to formulate a plan for wisdom tooth management. He or she can also advise you on cosmetic straightening treatments that will be more effective than any self-guided methods, such as the ‘straightening of the month clubs.”

Your smile and oral health are too important to be left to amateurs. For expert care on wisdom tooth extraction and cosmetic enhancement of your smile, make an appointment with Mas’ood Cajee DDS MPH, in Manteca, CA today!

Having a missing tooth can affect the way you feel about your smile and your appearance. It can also affect your dental health long-term. If you have a missing tooth and need a replacement, you may have heard of a dental bridge. This is just one of the many dental services we offer here at the office of Mas’ood Cajee DDS MPH in Manteca, CA.

But you may wonder what a dental bridge is and when it is a good idea to get one. We will answer those questions in this article. We will also discuss the different types of bridges, benefits of bridges, and what to expect from the treatment.

A Dental Bridge: What Is It?

If you have space in between your natural teeth where you’re missing your tooth or multiple teeth, then a dental bridge can “bridge” the gap between them. This will allow you to replace it, restoring function and esthetics. A bridge is made up of at least three artificial teeth called crowns that are connected together into one continuous piece. The crown or crowns in the middle replace the missing tooth or teeth.

Parts of a Bridge

Each tooth in a bridge is known as a unit. Bridges typically have up to six teeth, or units, which means they are ideally used to replace a maximum of four teeth except in special cases.

The teeth on either side of the in-between space are called abutments. These teeth are shaped so that the crowns on the end of the bridge can be permanently cemented to them. The replacements for the missing teeth in the gap are called pontics. How many pontics are needed is based on how many teeth are missing.

The abutment crowns and the pontics are all artificial teeth that resemble natural teeth; these form one continuous unit for a natural look.

Types of Dental Bridges

There are several types of bridges, and which one is chosen depends on your personal situation and dental health. These include traditional bridges, cantilever bridges, Maryland bridges, and implant-supported bridges.

Traditional Bridge

The traditional bridge is made of a false tooth or false teeth that are held in place by dental crowns cemented onto the abutment teeth. This is the most popular type of bridge that is used when you have natural teeth on both sides of the gap where the tooth is missing.

Cantilever Bridge

The cantilever bridge is similar to a traditional bridge, but the pontic is held in place by a crown cemented to only one abutment tooth. With this type of bridge, only one natural tooth is needed next to the gap where the tooth is missing.

Maryland Bridge

Like a traditional bridge, the Maryland bridge uses two natural abutment teeth on either side of the gap. However, instead of using abutment crowns, the Maryland bridge uses a metal or porcelain framework that is bonded onto the backs of the abutment teeth.

Implant-Supported Bridge

If you have multiple teeth missing right next to each other and want implants for each individual tooth, you can have an implant-supported bridge on top of them. The implants will hold the bridge in position.

If you can’t have an implant placed for each individual missing tooth, then implants may be used as abutments on either side of a missing tooth. The pontic will be suspended in between the two implant-supported abutment crowns. This is considered the most stable and strongest system, but it does require two surgeries and months of time before the bridge is actually placed.

Materials Used for Bridges

There are many materials that can be used for bridges, including:

• Porcelain
• Porcelain fused to metal
• All-metal
• Gold
• Zirconia

Which material is chosen depends on the area of the mouth, esthetics, the alignment of the teeth, and more. Here at our office, we use BruxZir® Solid Zirconia for our bridges, which is a brand of full-contour Zirconia that is a very strong, highly esthetic material. In fact, it is the most widely used brand for bridges in the dental world, with an excellent record of success.

When Is It a Good Idea to Get a Dental Bridge?

In order to understand when a bridge is a good option, it is good to know how areas of the mouth are classified in the dental world.

The mouth is divided into four quadrants: upper right, upper left, lower right, and lower left. The top jaw and bottom jaw are both called arches, and the front six teeth are anterior while the six back teeth on both sides are posterior. These classifications allow dental professionals to identify tooth numbers and areas of the mouth easily. Knowing the arch, quadrant, and tooth numbers can help them determine if it is a good idea for you to get a bridge.

There are several situations where a dental bridge is a great option. These include missing teeth on the same arch, missing anterior teeth, disqualification for implants, disinterest in implants, and disinterest in partials/flippers.

Missing Teeth on the Same Arch

If you have one or more missing teeth on one side of your mouth with healthy teeth in healthy bone, then a bridge is a great option for you. The dentist can replace up to four missing teeth on one side, creating a bridge with up to six units.

Missing Anterior Teeth

No one wants to have front teeth missing. If you are missing one or more front teeth and want a fixed replacement, you can have a bridge anchored to the teeth on the sides of the missing space as a replacement.

Disqualified for Implants

You may have looked into options for replacement and desired implants only to be informed that you did not qualify as a candidate due to bone loss or other health conditions. If this is the case with you, and you have healthy teeth with good bone on either side of the empty space, then a bridge is an excellent option.

Disinterest in Implants

Even if you qualify for implants, you may not want to have surgery and then have to wait months before you can replace your tooth. In these cases, a bridge is still an excellent option that will provide you with a faster replacement option.

Disinterest in Partials/Flippers

You may not want to invest in a partial or a flipper because it is removable. If you want a fixed solution to missing teeth instead of a removable solution, then it is a great idea to get a bridge.

The Benefits of Dental Bridges

A Fixed Solution

Because a bridge is cemented to the teeth using a permanent cement, you will not have to worry about taking it in and out. This is a great advantage over other tooth replacements like partials or flippers.

Fast Treatment Process

Some processes to replace teeth like implants and partials can take several steps. However, bridges can typically be completed in just two appointments. This allows you to get your tooth replacement in less than a month in most cases.

Improved Tooth Function

As discussed above, having missing teeth can cause a lot of problems in the mouth. By replacing a missing tooth with a bridge, you are restoring the ideal function of the mouth. This will allow the teeth to take on the proper amount of force and perform the functions they are intended to, preventing cracks or breaks.

Better Eating Ability

Losing a tooth or multiple teeth can affect your ability to eat some of your favorite foods, especially tougher foods like steak, chicken, and more. Because the bridge uses teeth on either side of the missing space for support, you can chew on the bridge without worrying about it breaking.

The bridge will also keep you from having to chew with teeth that are not intended to be used for chewing, so you can eat more easily without tooth discomfort or pain. This will allow you to eat more of your favorite foods once again.

Longevity

Studies show that bridges can last anywhere from 10 to 15 years with proper home care. This means that your initial investment will not go to waste, so you can continue to have your missing tooth replaced for years to come.

Esthetics

Missing a tooth can make you feel self-conscious when you talk or smile. It can even affect your desire to have daily conversations with people, especially in the workforce. By replacing your missing tooth or missing teeth with a tooth-colored bridge that is cemented, you won’t have to worry about how your mouth looks while you interact with others. You can have a replacement that looks and feels natural.

The Dental Bridge Process: What to Expect

The Exam

At your initial exam, the dental assistant and dentist will take any x-rays and pictures needed and perform an oral examination to make sure a bridge is a viable option for you. They will also discuss your dental and medical history and answer any questions you may have. If time is available and you are ready to proceed, you may even begin the bridge the same day.

The First Appointment

At the first appointment, Dr. Cajee will numb your teeth if needed. The assistant will take an impression of your teeth as a guide to make your temporary crowns or temporary bridge. A shade will also be selected to provide as close of a match to your natural tooth color as possible.

The teeth on either side of the space will then be shaped as needed with a handpiece and burs to fit a crown on them. The doctor will make an impression and bite record to send to the lab to fabricate your final bridge.

Depending on your situation, temporary crowns or a temporary bridge will be fabricated, fitted to your teeth and your bite, and cemented with temporary cement for you to wear until your final crown is delivered. This typically takes a couple of weeks, so be sure to follow all the precautions and care instructions given for your temporary.

The Second Appointment

At the next appointment, your temporary will be removed and all temporary cement will be cleaned from your teeth. The shade will be compared to your natural teeth to make sure you are satisfied. If you are satisfied with the color, your bridge will then be fitted and adjusted as needed to make sure your bite is correct and you can floss in between the teeth easily.

Once the fit is correct, the doctor will cement the bridge to your teeth using permanent cement and clean all the excess. You will then go over home care instructions and methods and have all your questions answered.

Replacing Your Missing Tooth

We know how much a missing tooth can affect your life. Call us here at the office of Mas’ood Cajee DDS MPH in Manteca, CA so we can provide you with the smile and tooth health that you desire. If you are missing a tooth and would like to know more about bridges, schedule a consult today! We look forward to hearing from you and taking care of your dental needs.

We live in a very fast-paced culture—we want everything quickly and cheaply. Sometimes this is wonderful, but the problem happens when companies offer discount solutions on your health and the health of your mouth. SmileDirectClub is offering such a discount, but it’s important to know all the downsides and risks associated with it and why seeing a legitimate dentist, like Dr. Mas’ood Cajee DDS, MPH in Manteca, CA, is the safest and most effective way to have the smile of your dreams.

What Is SmileDirectClub?

SmileDirectClub offers consumers 3-D printed aligners that claim to straighten the customer’s teeth in as little as six months. Customers have a do-it-yourself dental mold kit sent to their homes. The customer takes a mold of their mouth and sends it back. The company examines the mold so they can, according to their website, “see exactly what’s going on”. They send you a picture of what they think your smile will look like after treatment and, if you like the image, they send you a series of aligners.

They also pair you with a dentist or orthodontist that checks in with you every 90 days, remotely, to monitor your progress. Once they determine your treatment is complete, you can buy a retainer to keep your smile the way they’ve left it. Sounds great, right? Not so fast…

What’s the Downside?

There isn’t just one, there are several.

No Relationship

The profession of dentistry is based on the doctor/patient relationship. The doctor receives all the education and training necessary to address their patients’ needs. SmileDirectClub has created a company/consumer relationship, and that can be dangerous when dealing with your mouth health. When you buy from a company, they play the number. They want to make most people happy and satisfied but understand some just won’t be and aren’t bothered by individual needs.

If you’re one of the consumers that ends up unhappy with their services, it could mean your teeth are damaged, or worse, falling out. That’s a risk they’re willing to take. Because you’re just a customer, there is no relationship to understand your specific needs, your lifestyle or your expectations.

No Recourse

If something goes wrong, if you don’t get the results you want, if something hurts—there’s nobody to see. The dentist they pair you with every 90 days is seeing so many people, impersonally, there no chance for a relationship to form. This leaves you in charge of your dental health without ever having gotten any training.

Are There Risks?

There are many risks in trusting your smile to a DIY program. The minute a computer is more responsible for your smile than a person is, you’re opening yourself up to potential risks.

Your Roots and Bones

Starting at the top is the fact that the mold of your teeth is the only tool being used to determine how to straighten your teeth. The molds they send you are solely based on your teeth they can see, but that’s only half the picture. It’s critical to know what your roots are doing to understand fully how your teeth will respond to treatment and how dynamic that treatment needs to be.

Think of it as a company wanting to fix your foot by looking only at your toes, it neglects a large part of the picture necessary to provide successful treatment. A computer is doing 3-D modeling, so it makes the assumption your bone will grow with your teeth, but that’s not necessarily the case. In fact, as the company makes clear, they’re not practicing medicine.

Doctors Not Practicing Medicine

Another big concern is that a company that employs doctors is making it explicitly clear they are not practicing medicine. When you see a dentist in person, you know you’re being treated by a doctor with years of education and training who uses all the tools at their disposal to make sure you’re cared for and get the best possible results.

Some people will be attracted to this kind of mail-in teeth straightening because it’s cheaper and they may think their teeth don’t need that much work. The issue with that is, without training, none of us is qualified to say how minimal a fix we need. Always keep in mind, as dentists and orthodontists know, when you slightly move one tooth, the whole mouth can shift.

Results using these types of aligners can be really hit and miss because everyone responds differently to a treatment. It’s an impossible task to get consumers to monitor their own dentistry. Making sure you have a good relationship with a dentist will also allow you to express concerns to him and understand what’s normal and what isn’t.

Lack of Progress

Some of the biggest issues for past customers of SmileDirectClub have been the inability to get any answers when concerns pop up, progress isn’t being made, or by the end of “treatment” nothing has changed. Past customers have said they couldn’t get an answer when their new aligner was causing them a lot of pain and the company wouldn’t replace it.

There are the stories of customers who just had very little to no results, even after several attempts at treatment. At the end of the program, they determine, via picture or mold, if your teeth have moved in a way that’s considered successful to them, and if they have, you’re not getting a refund. And then there are the horror stories.

If something is going really wrong in your treatment, how can you know? You can describe your symptoms to the dentist you talk to once a quarter via teleconference, but explaining what’s happening will never be as effective as your dentist being able to see for himself. This company has one tool in their arsenal for progress—a plastic aligner. A dentist has many tools and techniques to get you to your goals.

Serious Complications

More than lost money or poor customer services, some customers have suffered significant injuries from this program.

Losing Teeth

This is when things get scary. Because they send customers a series of aligners they have to wear for a few weeks, then move on to the next one, with no real dentist accountability, serious issues are arising. Customers are supposed to wear these at all times with the exception of eating and brushing their teeth—pretty straight forward, right? Well, we’re human.

Some people have gotten their aligners, worn them a bit but taken them out for much longer than they’re supposed to. To make up for it, they will wear that specific aligner a few days longer than suggested. What’s essentially happening in their mouths is a constant wiggling of their teeth. Wiggled teeth become loose teeth and loose teeth can fall out—in less than the 90 days between dentist teleconferences.

Because they’re not seeing a dentist with whom they have a relationship, there’s no doctor to monitor patient accountability. As patients, we need to take an active role in our tooth health, and that’s something we understand. As customers, we’re just using a company’s product, and that’s an important distinction to be aware of.

Misaligned Bite

After paying the full price of treatment, this company may tell you that your treatment is complete and your smile is fixed. But something doesn’t feel right. This has been well documented with past customers who paid for the aligners and later had to visit a dentist. They ended up having even more treatment than they would have if they had just gone to a dentist off the bat.

One customer ended up with a tooth slightly elevated in a way that prevented his other teeth from coming together. This was not an issue he started with—he just wanted a small amount of straightening. If you go looking, you’ll hear a lot of these stories. People believe and trust that this company has their best interests at heart, and while we don’t think the company is being malicious, they can never replace a relationship with a dentist.

They offer a warranty lasting 30 days. Many customers have issues happening around day 60 or 90. If your treatment gets off track with a set of pre-fab aligners, it may be very difficult or even impossible to get back on track. If one set doesn’t fit and there’s a delay in your next set, by the time they actually arrive your teeth will have already shifted, starting a dangerous cycle.

Other Potential Risks

If you read the agreement a customer has to sign to buy their aligners, the potential risks are severe. These may be risks inherent to anyone undergoing this kind of treatment but because there is no relationship with a dentist, there’s nobody to tell if what’s happening could lead to a severe side effect. If you’re receiving treatment from an in-person dentist, they can head trouble off at the pass.

Here are a few of their self-proclaimed risks associated with their aligners:

• Discomfort
• Periodontal and gum disease
• Cavities
• Shortening of the roots
• Nerve damage
• TMJ
• Possible replacement of previous dental work
• Impacted teeth

Many of these side effects wouldn’t become serious if there were regular appointments with a dentist who can see what’s happening with your individual treatment.

Risk vs Reward

It can be very enticing to think of paying a fraction of the price of traditional teeth straightening, but for every reward, there’s a risk. Not having a relationship with a dentist means there will be details you won’t share with a remote dentist, because you may not feel comfortable and that can cost you in the long run.

We always feel more comfortable talking about real issues with dentists and doctors we have a personal relationship with because we know our dentist wants everything to work out for us. It’s their work they’re standing by, and they’ll do everything they can to ensure they do their job well. A company is just a company.

Price can be prohibitive, but many dentists have financing options for patients, and if you’ve been living with a slightly imperfect smile for a while, you might be better off waiting until you can afford traditional services instead of risking causing more damage and a bigger bill in the long run.

Call for a Consultation

One of the best ways to understand the condition of your smile, what it will cost and what your choices are is to form a relationship with a dentist. Give yourself the benefit of choosing a highly trained and experienced dentist so you know you’re in capable hands.

Call the office of Dr. Mas’ood Cajee, DDS, MPH in Manteca, CA and schedule an examination to understand your options. He and his staff are committed to the health of your smile and will be with you every step of the way.