Orthodontic Treatment

The Herbst appliance is one of our most frequently used appliances. We feel it is one of the best ways to treat Class II bite problems. It is fully contained within your mouth and does not show. It is glued in the mouth, so it is always working. This is absolutely critical for a quick and complete resolution of orthodontic problems. We generally leave the Herbst in for one year. orthodontic treatment

Pendex Appliances
The pendex appliance is a combination upper jaw expander and a space gainer. It is glued onto the teeth and usually left in place for a period of 4 to 8 months.

Upper Expander
The upper expander is used to make your upper jaw wider.
1. You will have more saliva in your mouth for a few days until your brain gets used to the idea that the expander is not something to eat. Once this happens, you will find that excess saliva is not a problem.

2. EATING: In the beginning, you may have a difficult time chewing certain foods.
However, within a few days, you will find you are able to eat normally. Start out with smaller bites and more easily chewed foods. While you are eating, food may get stuck in the appliance. Take a drink of water and swish it around. This should flush out any food. A small water syringe is also helpful for dislodging food particles. We will be glad to give you one of these free of charge.

3. BRUSHING YOUR TEETH: Brush your expander just like your own teeth. Take special care to brush along the gum line so that these issues do not become inflamed. Some inflammation of the gum tissue is common. This will quickly go away after the expander is removed. Regular use of an over counter fluoride is encouraged.

4. ROUGH SPOTS: We try to make sure everything is smooth before you leave the office. However, your tongue and lips can find areas that we cannot. If you have a rough spot, call our office and we will schedule an appointment to take care of it.

5. LOOSE APPLIANCE: If this happens, stop turning the appliance and call our office. If you can get the appliance out of your mouth yourself, go ahead and do so, but call us as soon as possible.

6. SPACES: You may initially get a large space between your front teeth. Do not be concerned, as this is a normal and expected result of the expansion. The majority of this space will often close on its own once the expansion is stopped. dental office new setup

7. SPEAKING: While speech may be affected initially, you will find you quickly adapt to the expander. Within a few days, the speech will return to normal.

8. DISCOMFORT: During expansion, you may feel pressure in your teeth and along the side of your nose and sinus area. If the pressure is excessive, you can reduce the turns to once a day. Many times, taking an Advil _ hour before the appliance is activated is helpful in relieving the pressure. Most patients find the pressure decreases with increasing expansion.

9. The normal length of wear for your expander will be 4 to 5 months. The actual expansion will occur only during the first 2 to 3 weeks.

10. Please remember that if you have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to call the office. We are here to help you in whatever way we can.


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