If you recognize any of these signs in your child or yourself, it might be time to schedule a consultation with an orthodontist.

• Early or late loss of baby teeth
• Difficulty chewing or biting
• Mouth breathing
• Sucking the thumb or fingers, or other oral habits
• Crowded, misplaced or blocked-out teeth
• Jaws that shift, make sounds, protrude or are recessed
• Speech difficulty
• Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
• Protruding teeth
• Teeth that meet in an abnormal way or don’t meet at all
• Facial imbalance or asymmetry
• Grinding or clenching of teeth
• Inability to comfortably close lips

If you have noticed any of these symptoms, we invite you to give us a call at shepherdorthodontics. We can schedule you a complimentary exam with Dr. Shepherd where he will answer many questions that you may have such as the type of orthodontic treatment needed, when it should start and the estimated treatment time.

There’s no time like the present, and healthy teeth can be moved at any age. Orthodontic treatment can create or restore good function, and teeth that work better usually look better, too. A healthy, beautiful smile can improve self-esteem, no matter your age.

Common reasons for adults to consider orthodontic treatment:

-Bite problems, or malocclusion, causing teeth to not fit together correctly

-Crowding or spacing of the teeth, possibly causing tooth decay or gum disease

-Abnormal pain, or pressure, in the jaw that is often caused by crooked teeth

-Gum or bone loss (periodontal disease)

-Worn or missing teeth

-Incomplete orthodontic treatment as a child or teen

-To have a healthier and more confident smile

Treatment options for adults:  At shepherdorthodontics we offer a variety of braces and appliances that are aesthetic, comfortable, and customized to meet your individual needs. Types of braces we offer:

-Ceramic, or clear, braces

-Self-ligating braces

-Traditional metal braces

-Invisalign

Why wait? With flexible financial options, short treatment times and aesthetic options, now is a great time to start orthodontic treatment. Give us a call at shepherdorthodontics, we would love to answer any questions you have about treatment and our office. We can also schedule you for a complimentary exam.

It’s not a surprise that orthodontic bands, brackets and wires are food-catchers. We also know that it’s not always easy to keep your brackets and teeth clean during treatment, but it is very important. Failure to keep the mouth clean increases the likelihood of dental decay and etching of the enamel around the edges of the brackets and bands. It is therefore important that the teeth be carefully brushed after each meal and snack. Here are a couple of easy tips to keep your teeth sparkly clean:

-Use a proxy brush, these look like little pipe cleaners and are used go between braces and teeth to clean food and plaque.

-Use floss threaders to help you thread floss under the wire so you can get down to the gum line and all the way between the teeth.

-Use an orthodontic toothbrush. Because of its v-shape, it will help to get around brackets and bands more easily, but any toothbrush can be used.

-After brushing, brackets, appliances and teeth should be checked to see if they appear clean and shiny with no food particles or plaque.

-Keep a toothbrush and proxy brush with you at work, school or in your car for a quick brush when not at home.

-Occasionally, prescription strength fluoride toothpaste is recommended to keep the teeth healthy.

Our goal at shepherdorthodontics is for you to have straight AND healthy teeth at the end of your treatment, so it is very important to have good oral hygiene. Patients who keep their teeth clean usually have a minimum of decay, if any. It is also very important to continue and see your dentist for check-ups every six months during your treatment.

If you have any other other questions about oral hygiene or treatment, please give us a call.

Did you know that the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child first visit an orthodontist by age 7 to advise if orthodontic treatment is required and the best time for that patient to start treatment.

Early treatment can simplify later treatment by allowing your orthodontist to:

-Guide the growth of your child’s jaws and guide incoming permanent teeth.

-Regulate the width of the upper and lower dental arches.

-Create more space for crowded teeth.

-Prevent abnormal wear of permanent teeth.

-Prevent the need for future extraction of permanent teeth.

-Correct harmful habits such as thumb sucking.

-Eliminate abnormal swallowing or speech problems

A few things to look for that may indicate your child needs to see an orthodontist:

-Early or late loss of baby teeth.

-Finger or thumb sucking habits.

-Upper teeth fitting inside of lower teeth (cross bite).

-If your child has a hard time chewing or biting food.

Feel free to contact our office if you have any more questions or to schedule a complimentary consultation. At this appointment Dr. Shepherd can answer many questions including if early treatment is needed, what type of treatment is needed, when it should start and the estimated treatment time.

Did you know there is a difference between a dentist and  an orthodontist? An orthodontist is a specialist. So what exactly makes a specialist different? At shepherdorthodontics, we want you to be educated on the difference.

All orthodontists are dentists, but only six percent of dentists are orthodontists. An orthodontist is a specialist in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. Orthodontists must first attend college, and then complete a four-year dental graduate program at a university dental school or other American Dental Association (ADA) accredited institution. They must then successfully complete an additional two to three-year residency program of advanced education in orthodontics. This residency program must also be accredited by the ADA. Through this training, the orthodontist learns the skills required in managing tooth movement (orthodontics) and guiding facial development (dentofacial orthopedics).

Only dentists who have completed this advanced specialty education may call themselves orthodontists and are considered specialists. If you have any questions we encourage you to call our office or ask us on Facebook.