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Whenever we bite down, we’re applying force with our jaw muscles. Functional appliances direct these forces to create healthier tooth and jaw alignment. They’re used to help correct bite problems and to encourage symmetrical jaw growth.

Functional appliances aren’t always necessary. Because every child’s teeth and bite are different, orthodontic treatment at our Edwardsville office is carefully tailored to your child’s individual needs.

• For the child with minor tooth misalignment, traditional braces or aligners might be all that’s needed.
• For the child with a minor malocclusion, or bite problem, an orthodontist might use elastics (rubber bands) to bring teeth into healthy alignment.
• For the child who has a more serious malocclusion, involving both tooth and jaw alignment, an orthodontist might recommend a functional appliance.

A severe Class II malocclusion can be caused when the upper jaw or teeth are positioned too far forward, and/or the lower jaw is too small or positioned too far back. Common Class II malocclusions include:

• Open bite—the front teeth don’t touch when the back teeth bite down, or the back teeth don’t touch when the front teeth close.
• Overbite—some overbite is normal. A deep overbite occurs when the upper teeth significantly overlap the lower teeth.
• Overjet—the upper front teeth protrude further horizontally than they should.

Today’s functional appliances come in a variety of designs to treat Class II malocclusions. They can be fixed or removable. They can be used with or without braces. Some are designed to expand the upper palate to make sure there’s room for all the permanent teeth. What they all do is advance the position of the lower teeth and jaw to create a healthier, more comfortable bite.

Fixed devices are attached to the teeth and meant to be used full-time. These include the Forsus™ device, the Herbst® appliance, and the MARA appliance.

• Forsus Device

This appliance works with braces. A spring coil rod is most often attached to bands on the first molars on the upper jaw. It’s then connected to the arch wire on the lower jaw. Just like elastics—but more effective!—these spring coil rods provide gentle forward pressure that encourages the lower jaw and teeth forward.  

• Herbst Appliance

The Herbst appliance also applies forward pressure to the lower jaw using telescoping rods connecting the upper and lower teeth. The rods expand as the mouth opens, and telescope together as it closes, positioning the lower jaw further forward while the upper jaw is held back. The Herbst can be worn alone or with braces, and can also be used to expand the upper palate.

• MARA Appliance

The MARA (Mandibular Anterior Repositioning Appliance) uses an adjustable “elbow” piece connecting bands on upper and lower molars to guide the lower jaw and teeth forward when the jaw closes.

Removable appliances such as Bionator and Twin Block appliances can also improve Class II malocclusions. They are meant to be worn for a specific number of hours each day, and can be taken out for sports or other activities as needed. Because it’s essential to get all the necessary hours in, removable appliances require commitment!

• Bionators

A bionator is made of wire and acrylic, and it looks a lot like a retainer. The wire fits around the upper front teeth. It’s attached to a smooth piece of acrylic that sits behind the upper teeth and is shaped to guide the lower jaw forward when biting down. The bionator can also be adjusted to expand the upper palate.

• Twin Block Appliance

The twin block appliance uses two separate pieces made of wire and smooth acrylic. Both pieces are modeled to fit precisely over the upper and lower arches. The acrylic “blocks” fit over the biting surfaces of the teeth, working together like a 3D puzzle. When your child bites down, the upper blocks slide into place behind the lower blocks, pushing the lower jaw and teeth forward. The top plate can also be adjusted to expand the upper palate if needed.

Because these appliances are best used while a child’s bones are still growing and developing, dentists and orthodontists recommend an orthodontic evaluation by age seven. Early treatment with a functional appliance can help correct serious bite problems before or together with braces. In some cases, functional appliances may reduce the need for headgear or surgery.

Todays’ orthodontic technology has made functional appliances more comfortable and efficient than ever before. Talk to Dr. Elizabeth Hite, DMD, MS to discover how an individualized treatment plan and a custom appliance can give your child a healthy bite and a lasting smile.

Colorful elastic ligatures (the official name for those tiny bands around your brackets) are often replaced when you come in to have your braces adjusted. Which is great! Now you have the opportunity to go with your team colors, or your school colors, or tones that work with your skin and eyes, or shades that represent your favorite holiday season. Today’s bands come in a wide variety of colors, so you never need to worry about becoming bored with your choices.

But are there certain hues that can be a bit more challenging to work with. Let’s look at some of those trickier tones.

• Lunch Look-Alikes

If you don’t want kind friends constantly informing you that you have something stuck in your teeth, you might want to leave certain colors off your list. Dark greens and browns can sometimes give the appearance of food trapped in your braces. Have a look at the shades available, and see what is least likely to send you running for a mirror and a toothbrush.

• Smile Dimmers

A blazing white band might seem like a good match to your blazing white teeth, but for many people, really light colors can make teeth look more yellow. And often bands in shades of yellow can bring out any yellow in your enamel. If you’re looking for a brighter smile, try some darker, richer tones for a gleaming contrast.

• You’re So Over the Rainbow

If you are someone who loves a monochromatic look, perhaps any colors will be, well, just too colorful. In that case, there are ligatures for you! Silver or grey braces will blend with your metal brackets, and clear or tooth-colored bands will be less obvious with metal or ceramic brackets. Light colored bands can be more prone to staining, so keep that in mind if you’re going for invisibility or a close bracket match.

Now with all that being said, you be you! If you like a color, give it a go. It might be the perfect accessory for your smile and your personality. And, if it doesn’t work . . . no big deal! You can explore another part of the color palette on your very next adjustment to our Edwardsville office.

During the second week in April, we recognize and celebrate the expert care dental hygienists provide. Let’s take a moment this week to explore how the special skills of this valued member of your dental team in Edwardsville enrich your dental health.

Regular Cleanings

Dentists typically recommend routine dental examinations twice a year, and these visits will almost always include an in-office cleaning by your hygienist.

Dental hygienists are highly trained healthcare professionals who are specialists in caring for your teeth and gums. The hygienists who work with Dr. Elizabeth Hite, DMD, MS know how to work with orthodontic patients, and because braces and appliances can make brushing and flossing trickier, cleaning appointments are especially important while you’re in orthodontic treatment.

• Plaque and tartar need to be removed from tooth enamel to help prevent cavities and gum disease. While you can brush away plaque, it takes a dental professional to remove tartar, which is plaque which has mineralized over time.Your hygienist might use a hand scaler, an ultrasonic scaler, or both tools to carefully scrape hardened tartar from your tooth enamel.
• Your cleaning will also include polishing, where surface stains on the enamel are removed using a gentle abrasive. This cleaning might be done with a special toothpaste applied with a small rotating cup or with an air polisher, which removes stains with a stream of fine abrasive powder, water, and pressurized air.
• An expert flossing will remove any remaining plaque from between the teeth.

Deep Cleaning

Hygienists help prevent gum disease. Plaque and tartar on tooth surfaces below the gum line increase your risk of gum disease. Irritated gum tissue gradually pulls away from the teeth, creating pockets of bacteria and causing inflammation and infection.

• Your hygienist will use a probe to gently measure the depth of the space between the teeth and gums. Deeper than normal spaces or bleeding could be a sign of gum disease.
• Tartar on the tooth surface below the gum line will be removed using a treatment called scaling, a non-surgical procedure where your hygienist uses hand scalers or ultrasonic tools to carefully scrape hardened plaque from the tooth.
• Root planing might be done to smooth the root surfaces so that gum tissue can attach snugly around the teeth again, protecting the roots from plaque buildup and bacteria.

Preventative and Cosmetic Care

Some hygienists work with dentists to provide additional diagnostic, preventative, and cosmetic services:

• X-rays and digital imaging.
• Oral cancer screenings.
• Sealants, thin plastic coatings which protect the top surfaces of molars—the most likely places to develop cavities—from accumulating food particles and plaque.
• Fluoride treatment, if recommended, applied in varnish, foam, or gel form.
• Professional whitening treatments.

Education

Finally, your dental hygienist is an educator!

• When it comes to brushing, there are effective techniques and . . . not so effective techniques. Your hygienist can teach you the best way to clean away food particles and plaque, as well as the best tools for the job. This is especially important when you have braces or appliances, which can make it harder to keep your teeth their cleanest.
• During a cleaning, your hygienist will point out any spots where plaque has built up, which can be common around brackets and wires. Discovering the spots where you tend to leave plaque behind allows you to do a better, more thorough cleaning job at home, and will help make sure you have a healthy smile when your braces come off!
• Flossing can be difficult for some patients because they have braces, or because of the way their teeth are aligned, or because of dexterity issues. Your hygienist can show you the best way to floss, as well as recommend products such as specially designed flosses or water flossers which will make flossing around braces and appliances easier and more effective.

The dental hygienists at Bauer Hite Orthodontic Specialists are skilled professionals who work to create cleaner, brighter, healthier smiles for their patients every day. This week, we appreciate them for helping us achieve the beautiful smiles we get to appreciate all year long!

Getting braces comes with a lot of rules. No sticky candies, watch out for popcorn, and steer clear of chips. These rules leave many braces-wearers wondering what they can still eat without hurting their teeth or their expensive orthodontic appliances. Fortunately, constructing a braces-friendly lunch is straightforward once you know which foods to avoid.

Foods to Avoid When Wearing Braces

There are a few food categories to avoid when you have braces. Sticky foods also stick to the metal in your braces, and can potentially break wires or individual braces. For example: bubblegum, candy bars, caramel, licorice, fruit roll-ups, and Starbursts should be avoided. Many of these foods also contain high levels of sugar, which can cause plaque build-up if not brushed away properly.

Also, be wary of hard foods that can harm your orthodontic appliances. Avoid eating hard taco shells, chips, Rice Crispy treats, hard candy, beef jerky, and popcorn. Some healthy foods, such as carrots, apples, corn on the cob, and nuts, are hard on braces. To eat these foods safely, cut them into smaller pieces before eating.

Remember that certain habits may be harmful to your braces. For example, crunching on ice cubes may be a reflexive response when you’re enjoying a cold beverage, but this can significantly harm your braces and extend treatment time. To stay on the safe side, Dr. Elizabeth Hite, DMD, MS and our team at Bauer Hite Orthodontic Specialists recommend you drink beverages without ice or add crushed ice whenever possible.

Lunch Recipe

Even with braces, it’s easy to enjoy a healthy, nutritious lunch. For example, make a panini on whole wheat bread with slices of turkey deli meat, a piece of Swiss cheese, and tomato slices. Spread 1 tbsp. of mustard or mayonnaise on the bread before toasting the sandwich in a panini grill. Serve the panini with ½ c. low-fat cottage cheese and a sliced pear or apple for a balanced meal. Then grab a pudding cup or some JELLO for dessert. Wash it all down with water containing a lemon wedge or all-natural fruit juice. Make sure to brush your teeth or rinse with mouthwash after lunch to wash away sugars and food residue that can get trapped in braces and cause decay.

If you have any questions about what you can and can’t eat with braces during your treatment at Bauer Hite Orthodontic Specialists, be sure to ask our team during your next appointment at our Edwardsville office!