What is an Expander?

What is an Expander?

Expanders are used for certain conditions when the upper jaw or palate is narrow. Expandtion can be done before adulthood, the palate is actually two seprate bones connected down the middle by a non-bony suture.

Fixed Rapid Palatal Expander

Advantages of this technique include more room to align the teeth, a broader more esthetic smile, a more stable final result and sometimes even easier to breathing through your nose!
Relatively heavy forces applied quickly (to minimize orthodontic tooth movement) will cause the two palatal bones to separate.  After a period of time new bone fills in and preserves the increased width of upper jaw.

A typical expansion procedure involoves activation of the appliance once a day for about 3-4 weeks.  This is followed by 3-4 months of stabilization before the appliance is removed.

For most patients it is the size and bulkiness of the expander that make it the most uncomfortable. Soreness of teeth can be expected and, as the appliance expands the mid facial bones, some discomfort under the eyes and around the nose may occur.  A large space can be expected to open between the front, center teeth.  This is because one tooth goes with the right side the other goes with the left side, each is a seprate bone.  This movement stretches the gum tissue between the incisors; and over a period of a few months they will be pulled back together.  Fixed (glued in) appliances are almost always necessary to acheive an ideal alignment.

When expanding:

If you experience a GREAT deal of pain activating the appliance, you are unable to turn the screw, or if the appliance becomes loose we ask our patients to call our office and make an appointment IMMEDIATLEY!

If you are unable to make the observation appointment during the expansion phase DO NOT continue to expand past your appointment date.

The most important part: Might not be fun, but it is FAST!

What will I need after I get my Braces?

Care Package

              Patients who are receiving braces or orthodontic appliances for the first time are going through a lot of uneasy feelings. 

They are thinking:  Is this going to HURT tonight?
                               What am I going to LOOK like?
                               Will I TALK funny?
                               What am I going to EAT?
                               Do I have to wear a MOUTHGAURD?

To ease your transition into the whole orthodontic experience,  we tell our patients that it will be a little achey, or tight like a new pair or jeans, but to take Ibuprofen.  We tell them to improve their speech to read a book out loud or sing in the car ride home.  Soft foods are the best for the first few days and Milkshakes and smoothies are GREAT, and mouth guards are a must when it comes to Sports.


Here are  a few things that will help you on your journey to straight teeth:

• Ibuprofen
• Books or Magazines- to read out loud and keep their minds off the appliances in their mouth
• Smoothie King Gift Card
• Jump Rope- To keep their mind off of their teeth hurting
• Sugar-less Gum- For our braces patients that can not take medication to ease the pain
• Favorite soft foods
• Chap stick, Lip gloss or ESO - To prevent dry chapped lips
• Wax- for if you get bumped in the mouth or get a sore from the braces rubbing

These will make your loved one feel so much better and comfort them in their time of need.  Remind them to Smile it makes the whole process go faster!

Facebook Challenge

WE NEED YOUR HELP!

Century Orthodontics Facebook Page 

Whats going on at Century

Century Orthodontics has some new things that we are offering and doing different in our office.

We are promoting our Facebook page.  Why? Well we love to stay in touch with our patients.  We like to see whats going on in their lives.  It helps show off the great smiles that the kids and adults are receiving.  As you know smiles are contagious we would love to help more people smile.  The more smiles we can bring to the world means a better place for all of us.  So if you are not a friend of our staff page yet or haven't liked our business page please do so.

We will be offering great prizes this summer. We are trying to get 1000 likes but the end of the summer.  We need your help. Please help us reach this goal by sharing our link with your friends and family.  Starting April first we are launching our 1st Facebook only contest. Our Fans will have to like our page then pick the Staff members T-shirt who they like the best.  The staff member with the most likes will receive a Special Prize to the spa or dinner and the movies.  Everyone who voted for our staff members T-shirt will be entered to win an ipad mini.  ONLY if we get a 1000 likes.  So we are asking everyone and everyone that we ask to ask someone.

What other fun things are we doing?

We are changing the way we do contests in our office too.  We going to have more guessing contests. We will also have two photo challenge contests.  This Summer we are going to ask all of our patients to make their Century Orthodontic T-shirt fun.  They can design it anyway they want to.  We will take a picture and share it with all of our offices and on Facebook. July 28th will be the last day to share them for the August contest. Then In the month of August our patients will pick their Favorite T-shirt, Most Creative and Most Crazy.  The T-shirts with the most votes will get a Special Summer Prize that will be announced in August.

Faces without Braces

We will be asking all of our bracket removal patients if they would like to share their new smile with Facebook   We then take a special picture that can be shared on Facebook for friends and family to see.  We just ask that patients and parents sign a release so that only the patients that would like to have their picture on Facebook have them on Facebook.

New Brace Face.

Patients with their new tooth jewelry will also be asked if they would like to share their smile on Facebook   This is such a great way to share with your friends and family your new smile.  Patients love the chance to show off their new bling!  Most people don't realize that braces are some of the most expensive jewelry that most people will wear.  These brackets are beautiful and you may make them as colorful or camouflaged as you like.

Mother & Father's Day

Patients who schedule their appointments the week before Mother or Father's Day will receive a special gift to give to their parent or Motherly or Fatherly figures in their life.  We will also be taking pictures to share on Facebook with Parents and friends.

Please ask if you have questions about any of the new things that are going on.  If you haven't read our blog before please look at past blogs.  There are many interesting articles not only about how to take care of your teeth but also fun things that we do.  Don't forget to visit our Webpage www.centuryorthodontics.com