Q&A

The short answer is virtually anyone! Your teeth will always move in response to consistent force being applied to them at any age. Children, teens and adults who would like to see improvement in the alignment of their teeth or their bite, should consider orthodontic treatment.

An orthodontist is a dentist who has also completed an additional two to three years of specialized education and training in orthodontics after dental school.

Orthodontics is the dental specialty that focuses on straightening teeth and correcting the relation of the upper and lower teeth (referred to as the “bite”), thereby improving airway and jaw function, oral health, and, of course, the appearance of your smile.

Braces are fixed orthodontic appliances, meaning they’re bonded to the teeth. They’re used to align the teeth and bite. The types of braces we offer at Shine Orthodontics include:

• Metal braces
• Clear braces
• Lingual braces (braces hidden on the back of your teeth)

In addition to braces, some patients may need auxiliary appliances when there is a significant enough discrepancy in the shape of the jaws.

Clear braces and metal braces rely on a combination of brackets, which are glued to the teeth, and memory wires, which engage the brackets and align the teeth. Clear and metal braces work the same. There is a sequence of wires that generally progresses from small and flexible to large and rigid. Each wire will move the teeth closer to their ideal orientation. Our Thornton lingual braces also utilize brackets and wires, but they’re placed on the back of the teeth and the wires are self adjusting.

At Shine Orthodontics, we’re a Thornton, CO Invisalign and Invisalign Teen provider. Invisalign involves a series of custom, clear, plastic aligners that slip over the teeth. The removable aligners exert steady, gentle pressure to shift the teeth into place as you wear them.

Invisalign treatment can be a great choice for the right case, usually mild to moderate in severity. Sometimes, it is hard to determine how complex your case actually is, which is why visiting an orthodontist is the best first step in finding out if Invisalign is the right option for you. If you’d like to see if you’re a candidate for our Thornton Invisalign or Invisalign Teen treatment, schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Scheer today by calling us at 303-452-7777.

The Invisalign company, Align Tech, is the leading producer of an orthodontic appliance called a “clear aligner.” Clear aligner therapy differs from braces in how it works, but for mild-to-moderate cases, a similar result can be obtained.

Shine Orthodontics uses the latest technology of 3D scanning to get a digital impression of your teeth, and Dr. Scheer then uses that to plan your treatment. Extreme care is given to the final prescribed position of the teeth, as well as the feasibility of how they are moved. After the case has been designed, you will get a series of custom aligners to wear for about one week each. Each set of aligners will move the teeth a little closer to their final position.

Visiting an orthodontist for care is an absolute must for this mode of treatment, because failure to take into account all aspects of how the teeth are moving relative to each other, and failure to consider the inherent limitations of using plastic to move teeth, will result in an appliance that does not work well.

Dr. Scheer is an advanced Thornton Invisalign provider and has completed the company’s Orthodontic Masters Program, available to only orthodontists, as well as the company’s Advanced Orthodontic Masters Program, which is only available to a select few orthodontists. He has the skill and knowledge to design a system of tooth movements for you that will deliver an exceptional smile, and a healthy bite.

Lingual braces work very similar to traditional braces except that the brackets are on the back side of the teeth. The word “lingual” comes from the Latin word “lingua,” which means tongue, and it refers to the surface of the teeth that is facing the tongue. Each bracket has to be custom-made for each tooth because the surface anatomy on the lingual side of the teeth has much more variation. At Shine Orthodontics, we offer advanced InBrace® lingual braces in Thornton. These hidden braces are more comfortable, efficient and easier to care for than conventional lingual braces.

No. You should never feel any real braces pain. However, within a few hours of initially having the braces placed, the teeth will begin to become a little sore. The soreness will usually peak about 24 hours later and typically lasts for a total of three days up to a week. Any discomfort is mild and can be alleviated with over-the-counter Tylenol or Advil. Luckily, we have excellent technology available to us and can deliver very low levels of force still capable of moving the teeth. The result is that braces are way more comfortable than they were in previous decades.

There is no best age at which to start orthodontic treatment. The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that a child have their first orthodontic evaluation between the ages of seven and eight. The first reason for this recommendation is because the timing to initiate treatment is determined more by the development of the teeth than by age, and there is a big difference between the two. The second reason for the AAO’s recommendation is that it allows any significant orthodontic issues to be detected and intercepted before they progress into something more serious, thus turning a potentially complicated case into an easy, predictable case.

There are some orthodontic problems that may arise during a child’s development that are best treated early, prior to getting all of their adult teeth. Some of these issues can negatively affect the growth and development of the jaws, and early treatment, also known as Phase 1 treatment, is needed. Phase 1 orthodontic treatment will correct the problem in six to 12 months and will allow a more favorable growth pattern to follow while the child still has a lot of growth remaining. When they’re older and have all of their permanent teeth, a second phase of treatment, called Phase 2 treatment, is indicated to finish the case to a perfect result.

Typically, the amount of time wearing braces, whether doing a Phase 1 followed by Phase 2 or just doing one comprehensive treatment, will be about the same. The advantage of breaking up treatment into two halves like this is you can fix a bad growth pattern of the jaws early and allow future growth to normalize. In certain cases, two phases of treatment can prevent the need for surgery or extractions down the road.

In general, the goal of Phase 1 treatment is to correct problems that may lead to unfavorable growth of the jaws. This is one of the reasons that the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) advocates that children have their first orthodontic evaluation when they are seven to eight years old. The majority of children will not need Phase 1 orthodontic treatment, and Dr. Scheer will simply monitor your child over the years and let you know when the time is right to start treatment.

Having braces may require some adjustment initially but will not stop you from participating in school activities. Most musicians and singers report that they are able to perform at the same level with braces as they could without braces. If you play a contact sport, the only thing you will need is a mouthguard, which is a good idea anyway.

Plaque on the teeth causes all sorts of problems, such as inflammation of the gums and decay of the teeth. Having braces on the teeth makes it more difficult to clean plaque off of the teeth, and good oral hygiene is critical. There are products available, such as a Waterpik, that can help. At Shine Orthodontics, we work diligently with our patients to ensure that oral hygiene is not a problem for their orthodontic treatment.

Once your braces come off, however, the health of your teeth and gums will be greatly improved because straight teeth are easier to effectively brush and floss.

TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint, which is your jaw joint. Diseases of the jaw joint are referred to as temporomandibular disorders, or TMD. TMJ/TMD is a complex issue that may be made worse if the teeth don’t fit together properly. Along with straightening the teeth, making them fit together properly (i.e. fixing the “bite”) is one of the major goals of orthodontic treatment. A healthy bite helps prevent damage to your teeth throughout your life, and it also helps correct and prevent problems in the jaw joint. At Shine Orthodontics, every patient is screened for TMJ issues, and if there is a problem, we can help you correct it.

Airway and breathing problems are a hot topic in orthodontics because recent advances in technology have allowed us to study the issue in more detail than we could before. People who have inadequate airways may experience improper breathing when they sleep, which results in decreased oxygen saturation of the blood. In its most severe form, it is called obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). For these people, it is a major problem because it can lead to daytime sleepiness and decreased cognitive ability, stress on their relationships, hypertension (high blood pressure), stroke and decreased life expectancy.

At Shine Orthodontics, every patient is screened for airway and breathing problems. If a problem is detected, or if you suspect that you or your child may have this problem, then our orthodontist will be a part of your team to help fix it. Dr. Scheer can expand your upper jaw, which will allow better breathing through the nose and help change the position in which the tongue rests inside your mouth. We may also make you an appliance to wear at night to help you breathe easier. Ultimately, though, you will want to see a sleep medicine specialist to manage your care. We’ll help point you in the right direction.