No appliance garners as much negative attention as headgear. Originally developed in the 1800s, the purpose of headgear is to help guide growth of the face and jaws, balance the profile, and create a healthy bite. It is most effective when worn between the ages of 10-14 because this is when most growth occurs.

 
While the majority of orthodontists still recommend the use of headgear today, Dr. Peralta often has the pleasure of reassuring his patients that they will never be asked to wear headgear. He believes the headgear appliance is too cumbersome and most patients will not wear it. So, he recommends other modalities to create the same final result. These include inter-arch elastics, inter-arch springs, and the Forsus appliance.

 
Rest assured that while orthodontic treatment is not always easy, Dr. Peralta is always looking for the best and most comfortable ways to accomplish ideal results. If you are wondering if you or a family member is in  need of orthodontic treatment, or if it has been recommended to you, call our Burien or West Seattle offices today to schedule a free consultation!

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!

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.

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. 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!

5. 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.

6. 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!

Lately at Orthodontics of Burien, we have been getting a large volume of questions about TMD and TMJ. That’s why we thought it would be beneficial for everybody if we gave an overview of what these acronyms actually stand for, what symptoms you may be experiencing if you are suffering from a jaw disorder, and how our Seattle orthodontics team can help.

Why Does it Seem Like TMJ and TMD Refer to the Same Thing?

First off, let’s take a look at what those acronyms actually stand for:

• TMJ refers to the temporomandibular joint, which is the ball and socket joint that connects your jaw bone to the rest of your head.
• TMD on the other hand, stands for temporomandibular disorder, which, as indicated by the “disorder” portion, is something that is diagnosable and symptomatic.

The confusion arises because TMJ and TMD are both used interchangeably, even by some orthodontists, to describe tempomandibular disorders. This is why, while TMD is the correct way to denote this group of disorders and TMJ only refers to the actual joint, you see both TMJ and TMD used to describe the same set of symptoms and diagnosis.

What Is TMD and What Are The Symptoms?

TMD refers to most disorders that affect the TMJ, jaw muscles, or facial nerves. The cause of these disorders is not known, but trauma to the area can increase the chance of suffering from a TMD. Symptoms include severe pain around the ear and jaw, difficulty shutting the mouth, clicking in the jaw, and jaw tenderness.

How Can Orthodontics of Burien Help?

Orthodontics of Burien has extensive experience in treating TMD and is here to help. First, you will need to schedule an appointment with Dr. Peralta so we can properly diagnose whether you are suffering from TMD or from something else with similar symptoms. Once diagnosis has been confirmed, we will work with you to create an extensive treatment plan.

Thank you for reading about TMJ/TMD from Orthodontics of Burien! If you are suffering from TMD-like symptoms, or have any questions about orthodontic diseases or treatments, feel free to contact us today and one of our friendly staff members will be happy to assist you.

Here at our Seattle, WA orthodontics practice, patients often ask us if it’s necessary that they have teeth extracted before getting braces. That’s why we’ve decided to dedicate this blog post to the topic.

Removing teeth is sometimes required in order to achieve the best orthodontic results. Straight teeth and a balanced facial profile are always the goal of orthodontics. Whether or not we extract teeth before orthodontic treatment is determined on a case-by-case basis and comes down to analyzing facial features, the profile, the amount of crowding present and incisor tooth position.

Extraction of Primary Teeth

Everyone has two sets of teeth during their lifetime – primary teeth and permanent teeth. One of the first things your orthodontist does at your initial consultation is to see how many teeth you have. While everyone is different, primary teeth usually come out by a certain age and in a certain order. These teeth can be problematic if they fall out too early or too late. If they come out too early, a plan can be put into place that will maintain the space until the permanent, replacement teeth grow in.

If the primary teeth do not fall out soon enough, they can create an orthodontic problem or indicate that a problem already exists. Therefore, it’s sometimes necessary to remove primary teeth to make sure there is normal eruption and development of the teeth that come in later.

Extraction of Permanent Teeth

While most parents don’t have concerns about their children having primary teeth removed, many people are hesitant to have permanent teeth extracted. There are several reasons why permanent teeth may need to be extracted before braces are placed and these are:

• Crowding – If the amount of space required to align the teeth is less than the space available, permanent teeth may need to be extracted. If the patient has moderate to severe crowding and insufficient gums or bone, it may be necessary to extract permanent teeth prior to orthodontic treatment.

• Protrusion – If a patient has protruding front teeth, extracting teeth on either side will allow the orthodontist to move the teeth into the proper positioning so that the patient obtains a good facial profile.

• Overbite or Underbite – If the upper and lower jaw sizes are different or mismatching, it may be necessary to extract teeth to compensate for the problem. This extraction of teeth can eliminate the need for jaw surgery in most overbite patients and in some underbite patients. Most patients with overbites or underbites are willing to have two upper bicuspids removed in order to prevent the need for jaw surgery.

At Orthodontics of Burien, we don’t always jump to extraction if we can avoid it. Dr. Peralta is able to plan treatment in a way that negates the need for extractions. Here is an example of a patient of our’s who did not have extractions, but might have been a candidate for them at another orthodontic office:

Before:

After: 

In other cases, extraction is necessary in order to move the teeth into ideal occlusion, as seen in the before and after images below of one of our patients.

Before: 

After: 

The teeth most often removed for orthodontic reasons are the first bicuspid or pre-molar teeth and the molars. Approximately 20 to 25 percent of patients require extraction of permanent teeth with their orthodontic treatment. When you are first seen by Dr. Jorge Peralta, our Seattle orthodontist, he will provide you with a comprehensive evaluation to determine whether or not some teeth should be removed prior to placing braces on your teeth.

Braces-Friendly Holiday Recipes

Now that the holiday season is in full swing, many of us are planning get-togethers with friends and family where plenty of food will be enjoyed and shared. While it may seem that there are so many delicious holiday foods off limits to those wearing braces, there are in fact many tasty food options you can enjoy while in orthodontic treatment. Our Seattle orthodontist Dr. Jorge Peralta along with his staff have put together some of our favorite braces-friendly holiday recipes we’d like to share with you.

Southwest Soft Taco Bake
Everybody loves tacos! This oven-baked taco casserole makes a great lunch and a perfect dish to take along to holiday get-togethers when meeting up with friends and family.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
½ cup chopped green pepper
½ cup chopped onion
2/3 cup water
6 flour tortillas, cut in half
1 can (15 oz) Mexican style diced tomatoes
1 can (15 oz) refried beans
1 can (15 oz) corn, drained
3 cups shredded cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In skillet, cook beef, onion and green pepper over medium heat until meat is browned. Drain. Add water and taco seasoning. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes, then add black beans, tomatoes and corn. Simmer for another 10 minutes.

Place four tortilla halves in bottom of lightly greased 13×9 baking dish. Spread half the refried beans on tortillas. Then spread half the beef mixture on top and sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. Repeat layers and top with remaining tortillas and cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until heated through and cheese is melted. Serves 8 or 9.

Soft Gingerbread Cookies Dipped in White Chocolate
These soft and delicious cookies are great for taking along to holiday get-togethers. They also taste wonderful with a tall glass of cold milk or a hot cup of tea, coffee or cocoa.

Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1½ cups canola oil
2 eggs
½ cup molasses
4 cups flour
4 teaspoons baking soda
1 tablespoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
2, 11-oz packages white chocolate chips
¼ cup shortening

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar and oil in mixing bowl; mix well. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Stir in molasses. Combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add the molasses mixture. Form dough into 1-inch balls and roll balls in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cookie springs back when lightly touched. Place cookies on wire racks to cool.

Melt white chocolate chips and shortening together in saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Dip each cookie halfway into mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper to harden. Makes about 7 dozen.

Holiday Meatballs
While others are enjoying solid meats which can be difficult to chew, you can dine on these tasty holiday meatballs that literally melt in your mouth.

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
½ cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon minced onions
1 tablespoon minced green pepper
½ teaspoon oregano
1 egg, beaten

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine all ingredients together, mix well using hands. Form 24 equally sized balls and place in lightly greased casserole dish. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes.

Enjoy the meatballs as they are or serve with mashed potatoes and soft cooked vegetables. These meatballs are also great when served with a smooth cheese or pasta sauce over angel hair pasta, topped with a bit of Parmesan cheese.

Why See an Orthodontist?

It’s rather common for people to wonder why they should see an orthodontist instead of a regular dentist when they’re seeking orthodontic treatment. After all, dentists and orthodontists both deal with teeth and both are doctors. While many dentists do offer braces and other orthodontic treatment options like Invisalign, it’s always best to have your orthodontic treatment done by an orthodontist.

Unlike a dentist, an orthodontist continued his or her education for two or more years after graduating from dental school. This further education includes special training to address more serious dental problems such as issues concerning tooth and jaw alignment. There’s a reason that dentists are the most common referrers of orthodontic patients. These dentists understand that special treatment that only an orthodontist can provide is needed, which might include braces or other orthodontic appliances.

Orthodontists: Providing More Than Just a Pretty Smile

An orthodontist will create straight, beautiful smiles for his or her patients. Besides a great smile, an orthodontist is responsible for other aspects of oral health as well. There are many problems with the mouth that can usually be corrected or improved by seeing an orthodontist, including:

• Sleep apnea – snoring and mouth breathing
• Grinding or clenching of the teeth
• Speech issues
• Tooth decay and gum disease
• Issues chewing food properly

Orthodontists are also experts in dental and facial development. Orthodontic professionals have been educated on how to master the physics of tooth movement as well as understanding the biology of facial development and guidance. This means that patients obtain better overall results with orthodontic treatment when an orthodontic specialist has provided it.

No two people have the same facial structure or teeth and jaw configuration, therefore orthodontics is never a one-size-fits-all solution. An orthodontist provides each of his or her patients with a very thorough oral examination. This evaluation involves taking specialized orthodontic records, which may include X-rays and 3D images. This attention to detail is done with the intention of determining the best possible treatment plan that will ensure an ideal outcome. For an orthodontic specialist, this outcome is straight teeth, a healthy bite and facial symmetry.

Visit your Local Seattle, WA Orthodontist! 

Although there are dentists providing orthodontic services in the area, it is best to schedule an appointment with an orthodontic specialist like our very own Dr. Peralta at Orthodontics of Burien. If you are searching for a beautiful smile and are in the Seattle area, contact us to schedule your complimentary first visit!