Smile Designers | Scott D. Galkin, DMD

What are metal braces made out of?

drgalkin — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 14:42:52 +0000

Standard metal braces are made out of stainless steel. This is one of the best metals to last long periods of time in the mouth. This is because stainless steel does not corrode, does not cause reactions when left in the mouth, and can be polished so that they will not irritate the mouth. Stainless steel has been used for over 60 years in orthodontics and is proven as the best substance for brace manufacturing.

How long does orthodontic treatment take?

drgalkin — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:40:39 +0000

This is a question that does not have an exact answer. Everyone’s treatment is personalized and orthodontic treatment time varies from person to person. It all depends on the type and severity of that case. Some cases with minor tooth movement can be finished in a year to a year and a half. More complex cases can take up to 3 years and a few even longer depending on the severity.

How often do I have to see my orthodontist during treatment?

drgalkin — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:38:26 +0000

Unlike years ago, when orthodontic visits took place every 3 to 4 weeks, most patients need to see the orthodontist every 6 to 8 weeks. This is due to better technology in the braces and the wires that move the teeth more gradually. These gradual movements are better for the teeth, less painful, and allow us to see patients less frequently with better results. This is a win for everyone involved.

What sets an orthodontist apart from a regular dentist that ‘does their own braces?’

drgalkin — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:35:31 +0000

An orthodontist is a specialist who has specific training and schooling in tooth movement, as well as jaw growth and development. This gives the orthodontist a distinct advantage over a regular dentist that does braces. The other advantage is that an orthodontist does tooth movement all day and as a result has greater experience in how to move teeth. This is very important as teeth do not always respond as expected and the more experience and training the better.

What are the advantage of digital X-rays?

drgalkin — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:12:51 +0000

Digital X-rays are the becoming the standard of care in dentistry. The main advantage is that the radiation needed for each X-ray is significantly less than conventional film X-rays. Digital X-rays can also be developed more quickly, which leads to less time for each appointment that X-rays are taken.

What is a Herbst appliance?

drgalkin — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 15:10:38 +0000

A Herbst is an orthodontic appliance that helps correct jaw discrepancies in growing children. Some children have a lower jaw that is deficient in growth and lags behind the upper jaw, even during their adolescent growth spurt. A Herbst appliance helps reposition the lower jaw forward to stimulate it to grow more in line with the upper jaw. It is a full time, cemented appliance and is usually worn for about a year. A profile X-ray is the tool that an orthodontist uses to determine if a Herbst is the appropriate mode of treatment.

Can I whiten my teeth during orthodontic treatment?

drgalkin — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 01:41:06 +0000

No. If you attempt to whiten your teeth while they are being moved you might produce ‘shadows’ on the teeth. This is because as teeth move the gums move with the teeth and end up exposing some areas of the teeth that we’re previous covered by gum. As a result some areas will be whitened and others areas, covered by gums, will not be and a different color will appear on each tooth. The only way to avoid this is to not whiten your tooth until 4 weeks after finishing orthodontic treatment. This allows the gums to reform at a stable position and each tooth to be whitened evenly.

Is it good to have spaces between baby teeth?

drgalkin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:40:09 +0000

Spaces between baby teeth might not look the best, but spaces are the optimal way to allow the permanent teeth to fit in the mouth. Permanent teeth are generally bigger than the baby teeth that they are replacing. So having space between enables these bigger teeth to come into the mouth without being blocked. It is much better to have excess space than a lack of space for teeth as closing space is much easier to do than making space.

At what age should finger or thumb sucking be stopped in a child?

drgalkin — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 01:12:16 +0000

Many infants suck their fingers, thumbs, or a pacifier. This is as part of their normal development. Unfortunately if these habits are not stopped by a certain age, they can cause damage to developing teeth and jaws. The general age that any oral habit should stop is age 2, this is the age when all of a child’s baby teeth should be in their mouth. If a habit continues after this age; a few majors dental issues will arise. First a narrow or constricted upper jaw will develop. This is a result of the constant inward pressure by the cheeks during the sucking action. Another result of a prolonged oral habit is flared or pushed out upper front teeth. This will give a presentation as “buck teeth,” which have much more of a chance to be traumatized if a child falls or hits his/her mouth. These are all reasons to make sure that a finger, thumb or pacifier habit is stopped as early as possible in a child’s development. If a habit persists; an orthodontist should be consulted and a strategy should be made to stop the habit and correct any dental issues that have formed.

How long do orthodontic retainers need to be worn?

drgalkin — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 01:11:36 +0000

This is a question that Dr. Galkin gets asked all of the time. Retainers are given to orthodontic patients at the completion of treatment to keep their teeth from relapsing or shifting out of place. There is no time during one’s life when their teeth become “set in stone” and do not need need retainers to hold them in place. As a result of this, Dr Galkin tells ALL of his patients that retainer wear is life long or for as long as they want their teeth to remain straight. In other words, once a patient stops wearing their retainers they are at risk for having their teeth shift. And if teeth do shift, further orthodontic treatment might be the only option to put them back into place.