All posts by Stephanie Port

You & Your Fantastic Elastics

July 16, 2015 Stephanie Port

If you’re like most people, nothing about stringing your mouth up with rubber bands should feel natural. Moreover, while it is easy to understand the work that the metallic brackets and wires of your braces are doing, it is a bit less obvious what the elastics that you’re given are meant to accomplish alongside them. Until now, that is…

Elastics are the tiny rubber bands that are attached to your braces to assist with coordinating the upper and lower arches. They are designed to exert force that creates the right amount of pressure to move teeth in the directions that braces cannot achieve alone. Consequently, if you neglect to wear your elastics as directed your treatment time will be extended, which means you’ll be wearing braces longer than you expected.

Unless you are told otherwise, you should wear your elastics 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can remove them when eating and when brushing or flossing your teeth. However, they must be replaced immediately afterward because, as mentioned, elastics only work when they’re worn as directed.

Dr. Peralta will provide you with many elastics because they are designed to be replaced at least three times a day. This is because elastics stretch out with use and lose their strength. You should always carry extra elastics with you in case they break or get lost.

To ensure that your treatment moves along as expected, be sure to:

Always wear your elastics as directed.

Remove your elastics only when eating and cleaning your teeth; then replace them immediately after.

Always carry extra elastics with you, so if one breaks or gets lost you can replace it right away.

Be sure to change your elastics as instructed, as these small rubber bands quickly lose their elasticity, causing them to no longer exert the right amount of pressure required for moving teeth.

Orthodontics is a two-way street (so to speak), which means it takes effort from both your orthodontist and you to make treatment successful. Wearing elastics as directed is one of your responsibilities, and if you adhere to it your time with braces will proceed much more smoothly and result in a healthier occlusion.

If you have any questions about wearing your elastics, contact Orthodontics of Burien at our Seattle office. We are always happy to speak with you!

Orthodontics

Do I Really Need to Wear Retainers for the Rest of My Life?

July 7, 2015 Stephanie Port

Our patients regularly tell us they are surprised to learn they have to wear retainers for the rest of their lives. We wanted to offer a little scientific insight about why retainers are a necessary part of your orthodontic treatment.

In order to learn why it is recommended to wear retainers for the rest of your life, you have to know a few things about tooth movement.

First – The roots of your teeth are held in place by fibrous tissue that stretch and adapt while undergoing orthodontic treatment.

Second – Some of these fibers remodel and adjust to their new position after orthodontic treatment is complete, but not all.

Third – This means that fibers that do not remodel try to spring back to their original positions, bringing the teeth with them. Without the braces or retainers to hold them in place, relapse occurs.

Many people who do not wear retainers after their braces are removed mistakenly think their teeth are not moving over time simply because they do not see obvious changes in the position of their teeth. The fact is for many people, teeth move very slowly. By the time relapse is noticed, it is often too late to do anything other than braces or retainers to fix it.

Think of stretching a rubber band. The longer you hold the rubber band in its stretched position, the less prone it is to return to its original position. However, by nature, it will always have a tendency to snap back. It is due to the nature of the fibrous tissue that Dr. Peralta recommends wearing retainers, at least at night, for the rest of your life. It is the only way to ensure that your teeth will not move back and create the need for orthodontic treatment again.

Remember, you only have to wear retainers for as long as you want to keep your teeth straight!

Childrens Orthodontics

Are Kids Getting Braces At A Younger & Younger Age?

June 23, 2015 Stephanie Port

Our Seattle orthodontist, Dr. Jorge Peralta, is often asked by people he meets why it seems like kids are getting braces at a younger and younger age. Although it may seem like a more recent trend, we wanted to write a blog to let everyone know whether this is really happening or not.

While it may seem that kids are starting orthodontic treatment at a much younger age today, it’s not necessarily true. Most orthodontic treatment starts when all of the permanent teeth have erupted. This is typically between the ages of 9 and 14. Some children start much earlier, around the age of 7, due to their own individual needs as their mouth develops. The timing all depends on the patient and what his or her specific problems and needs are.

When is The Best Time for Your Child to Begin Treatment?

The best time for your child to begin orthodontic treatment is dependent upon the severity of his or her dental problems. This is why the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that all children receive their first orthodontic evaluation no later than the age of 7. The ultimate goal is to create the best result possible without the need for potential tooth extractions by using the patient’s own growth to help balance the bite and jaws. In some cases, beginning treatment at a younger age can maximize the result because you do not have to make compromises for growth or crowding in the future.

While it may seem very young for a child of 7 to see an orthodontist, by this age the first permanent molars have erupted, allowing an orthodontist to evaluate the front-to-back and side-to-side tooth relationships. Even if Dr. Peralta decides that your young child could benefit from orthodontic treatment, he or she may not need to start wearing braces right away. If treatment is not needed at an early age, we will monitor your child’s development so that treatment can begin when it’s most appropriate.

Some kids start and finish orthodontic treatment long before they’re adolescents; but again, it all depends on the treatment a child requires. Some children who start early with interceptive treatment end up undergoing a second phase of treatment wherein they wear braces into their early teen years. The first phase of treatment these kids go through often consists of them wearing special appliances that solve potential orthodontic issues they may encounter in their teen years.

Schedule An Appointment for Your Child

If you have any questions about early orthodontic treatment please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re always happy to speak with you! If you’d like to set up your child’s first appointment with our Seattle orthodontist, please complete and submit the ‘Request an Appointment’ form here on our website.

Seattle

Seattle Summer: Our Top 10 Favorite Things To Do

May 14, 2015 Stephanie Port

Now that winter is behind us, the team at Orthodontics of Burien is looking forward to the summer season when we can be outside enjoying the great outdoors! Seattle is a true outdoor mecca with loads of fun things to see and do. We’d like to dedicate this blog post to share with you some of our favorite things to do in and around the beautiful city of Seattle.

Tour the Waterways

Seattle is bordered by a whole lot of water, so naturally one of the best things to do is to tour one or more of these waterways by boat. A waterway tour is a very unique and fun way to enjoy the beauty of our wonderful city. There are several self-guided trip options and rentals from which to choose ranging from sea kayaking to wooden boat tours.

Enjoy a Bike Tour of Seattle

If the idea of biking is something you like minus the pedaling part, then a tour around town in a pedicab is right up your alley! This is a very earth-friendly way to take in the local sights and sounds plus it’s loads of fun for the whole family to enjoy.

Spend a Day at Pike Place Market

A great way to spend a few hours is by exploring Pike Place Market in downtown Seattle. The market offers some of the freshest seafood in the US along with tons of other delectable treats and shopping delights. And yes, they do throw fish here so be sure to take along your video camera!

Bird Watching

Skagit Wildlife Area is a great place for bird watching as all types of our featured friends gather here from sandpipers tiptoeing through the estuary to swans sailing the calm waters. Be sure to bring along your binoculars and camera so you can get up close and personal with the birds without disturbing them.

Ride the Ducks of Seattle

If you love outdoor fun and adventure, touring Seattle by land and water is a “must do.” While on a “Duck” or amphibious vehicle that can travel on both water and land, you’ll see Seattle in a entirely new way that will leave you breathless as you view the city in all its glory from both land and sea.

Go Atop the Space Needle

An absolute must in Seattle is a trip to the iconic Space Needle. Once you’re up on the observation level, you can use the free telescopes to get amazing views of the city that must be seen to be truly appreciated.

Visit Waterfront Olympic Sculpture Park

Seattle Art Museum’s 9-acre waterfront park with outdoor sculptures is a wonderful way to while away a few hours. This beautiful park boasts having many native trees and wildflowers that are in bloom all summer long.

Enjoy Lunch by the International Fountain

One of Seattle’s favorite gathering spots is International Fountain – a 200-foot wide bowl with water sprays that are synced to music from 11am to 8pm. Take along a picnic lunch and enjoy the aquatic show while doing some people watching at this popular sight.

Take an Underground Tour

Bill Spiedel’s Underground Tour is a very unique way to spend a day exploring Seattle’s underground system of subterranean passages that were once the main roadways and storefronts of old downtown Seattle. Your guide will tell you stories of the early pioneers who helped make Seattle the great city it is today.

Explore Kubota Garden

Kubota Garden is a 20-acre Japanese-American garden with a Northwest influence that’s filled with ponds, waterfalls, ginkgo trees, bamboo and Japanese pines. Plan on arriving early because the park is only open during daylight hours each day.

We hope that all of our patients and their families have a fun-filled, safe summer! Try to get out and enjoy some of the many outdoor events and attractions Seattle has to offer while basking in the summer sun!

Braces

Braces Now vs. 30 Years Ago: What’s The Difference?

April 27, 2015 Stephanie Port

We meet people every day who had braces when they were younger, and due to various reasons, are now getting braces again as an adult. After seeing examples of braces used today, we often hear, “braces have changed so much!” The pictures below illustrate the differences between the types of braces used in the 1980s and those used today.

From this:

To this!

The braces that Dr. Peralta uses are less visible because they are made of a “clear”, ceramic material and are significantly smaller in size. Because of their smaller size, they are also more comfortable because the mouth does not need to adapt to as much foreign material.

The advanced materials used today allow the braces to move the teeth more quickly and precisely than they did 30 years ago. After the removal of the braces/bands in the 1980s, it would take additional time for the gaps between the teeth to close. It is for this reason that today’s braces allow for more precise final results!

If you’re an adult who has questions about braces or would like more information on how our Seattle orthodontist can help you, give our office a call and we will be happy to help you out!

Braces

Loose Brackets: What To Do

April 16, 2015 Stephanie Port

Our Seattle WA orthodontist Dr. Jorge Peralta and his staff believe that successful treatment and great results happen when our patients are educated about orthodontics and know what to expect during treatment. When you first had your braces put on, we talked to you about taking care of your braces so that you can go through treatment without any problems. However, it is possible that a bracket can loosen.

The brackets are the metal or ceramic pieces that are attached to each tooth with a resin material. If a bracket loosens, it may poke into your gums, tongue or cheek causing some discomfort.

To alleviate any discomfort you may feel, we recommend putting a small ball-shaped piece of orthodontic wax over the irritating part to keep the bracket from moving so that your discomfort is alleviated.

Schedule A Repair Appointment

A loose bracket is typically not an emergency so it is perfectly fine to wait until the next available business day to call us for a repair appointment. If the loose bracket comes out of your mouth, please save it and bring it with you when you come in for your appointment. In most cases, we do not charge our patients for broken bracket repairs so you typically don’t have to worry that the repair will cost you money. It is important to call and notify us of the broken bracket so we can determine if a special repair appointment is necessary.

Why Brackets Loosen

Usually, the reason a bracket loosens is because the patient ate something hard, sticky, crunchy or chewy. This is why it’s so important to steer clear of these types of foods while you’re wearing braces. Brackets also can loosen due to a blow to the mouth or face. This is why we urge all our patients wearing braces to use a protective mouthguard while playing sports or when participating in any activity that runs a risk of injury to the head, face or mouth.

We are always available to speak with you so please do not hesitate to contact us during regular office hours with any questions you may have!

Office News

Peralta Perks: Our Referral Rewards Program!

March 23, 2015 Stephanie Port

Do you know we have a referral rewards program for patients who refer their friends and family to Dr. Peralta? It works like this:

As a way to show our appreciation for spreading the word about our Seattle orthodontic practice, we offer a $50 treatment credit or gift card to both our patient and the friend they referred after beginning treatment. If it is an immediate family member who begins treatment, we go so far as to discount the entire records fee from the cost of treatment.

We work hard to be the orthodontist that you want to tell others about! If you have any questions about our referral program or would like to refer someone you know, feel free to contact us or visit our Refer A Friend page to fill out the online form!

Orthodontics

Retainers 101: How To Keep Them Clean

March 13, 2015 Stephanie Port

Even though getting your braces removed is a momentous occasion, your orthodontic treatment does not end the day you get your braces off. This is when the retention phase of your treatment starts. The retainers we provide you with are used to hold your teeth in their new positions while the gums, ligaments and bones adapt to their new positions. Because your teeth will always try to return to their original positions, it’s very important that you wear your retainers according to Dr. Peralta’s specific recommendations.

How to Clean Your Retainers

Part of your responsibility in the retention phase of your treatment involves keeping your retainers clean. To help you do this, we recommend regularly brushing your retainers using a soft toothbrush, a dab of non-abrasive toothpaste (without tartar control) and cool to lukewarm water. The reason why you should use a soft toothbrush and avoid abrasive toothpaste is because repeated scrubbing can scratch the surface of the retainer to give bacteria a good place to hide. Just brush your retainer thoroughly on all sides using gentle brushing strokes and then rinse thoroughly using cool to lukewarm water. It’s very important to not use hot water, as doing so can cause your retainers to warp and no longer fit properly.

We also recommend using a product called Retainer Brite. This product consists of water-dissolving effervescent tablets designed to keep your retainers sparkling clean and odor-free. Simply follow the instructions on the package, which involve soaking your retainers in the solution. When done, rinse your retainers using cool to lukewarm water.

Contact Us Immediately If You Have Problems

If you damage or lose your retainers, contact us right away to schedule an appointment. A good way to avoid losing your retainers is to never wrap them in napkins and leave them lying on a table during mealtime as you may mistakenly throw them away. Instead, keep the retainers in the case they came in when eating. Also, never put your retainers in your pocket without the case – this is a sure-fire way to break them. Retainers are costly to replace so please treat them like you would valuable jewelry!

Our Seattle, WA orthodontics team is always here to help you with any questions or concerns you may have. If you have any questions about caring for and cleaning your retainers, please contact us during regular office hours.

Orthodontics

Pre-Braces Checklist – What to Do Before Getting Braces

February 17, 2015 Stephanie Port

The day you get braces marks the beginning of your journey toward a healthier and more beautiful smile, so congratulations are in order! To make the transition from bare teeth to braces as smooth as possible, there are some things you might want to take care of before your appointment. We’ve put together this checklist of six to-do’s to get you ready for your first couple of days in braces.

Stock Up on Soft Foods

Your teeth will be a bit sore when your braces are first placed on your teeth, which means that you’ll want to only eat soft foods for the first couple of days. Therefore it’s a good idea to stock up on soft foods like soups, mashed potatoes, fruits for smoothies, oatmeal, Jello, yogurt, cottage cheese and pudding. Because you’ll need to avoid hard, crunchy and chewy foods throughout your treatment, make sure you always have a good supply of soft foods to enjoy while wearing braces.

Eat Your Favorite Candy

When wearing braces, you’ll have to steer clear of sticky, hard, chewy and gooey candy as it can easily damage or break your braces. If you have some favorite candy you enjoy snacking on now and then like caramels, taffy or licorice, pick some up and enjoy it before you come in to have your braces placed on your teeth. If you do decide to indulge in your favorite sweet treats before your treatment starts, try not to overdo it and remember to brush and floss your teeth well afterward.

Wear a Mouthguard That Doesn’t Conform to Your Teeth

It will feel odd when you first have your braces put on your teeth. Your speech may be affected somewhat as well as you won’t be used to wearing braces. A good way to prepare yourself for the feeling of having something on your teeth is to wear a mouthguard that doesn’t conform to your teeth. You can buy a simple mouthguard at any sporting goods store for only a few dollars. Just pop it in and wear it for a few minutes each day prior to coming in to having your braces put on.

Decide What Colors You’d Like Your Bands to Be

Nowadays orthodontic patients wearing metal braces can show off their unique style and sense of fun by choosing the colors of their bands. If you’re going to be wearing metal braces, decide what colors you’d like your bands to be before your appointment. You can choose just one color or you can mix or match colors – it’s up to you. Many of our patients who are students like to show their school spirit by wearing their team colors. Having colors to choose from helps make orthodontic treatment more fun!

Take Ibuprofen

When your braces are being placed on your teeth, you will feel some slight discomfort and pressure. For this reason, you can take an ibuprofen just before coming in to have your braces put on.

Take a “Before Selfie”

Many of our patients like to document what they look like before and after treatment by taking photographs of their smiles. If you’d like to do the same, consider taking a selfie or two before you come in to have your braces placed on your teeth. Then be sure to save the photo so you can look at it later when your braces come off to see how the appearance of your teeth and smile has improved.

Your first day in braces is an exciting one, and we want you to be fully prepared! Use our checklist as a guideline, and feel free to contact our Seattle orthodontic office if you have any other questions at all!

Office News

Join Us for the Cove to Clover 5k!

February 2, 2015 Stephanie Port

Did you make a resolution to get healthier in 2015? We have the perfect event to motivate you to really get moving…the annual Cove to Clover 5k! This event covers 3.1 miles and begins at the Normandy Park Cove and ends in Burien Town Center with a St. Patty’s Day celebration!

Every year Orthodontics of Burien sponsors and participates in this great local cause that raises money for local kids to gain access to adventures in the great outdoors. Erin, our office manager, is the Treasurer for the organization and has been lucky enough to see the impact the organization has made in the lives of local kids. From scaling high ropes courses, to sailing the Puget Sound, to building snow caves and learning survival skills, participants truly gain life skills and increase their confidence by being a part of this unique non-profit organization.

Please let us know if we can include you on our 5k team! Provide us with your email address and we will send you a special code that will give you a discount for the race entry fee. We look forward to seeing you on race day on March 15th, 2015!

For more information and to register, go to http://www.covetoclover.com/.