My Teeth Are Shifting, But I Don't Want To Wear Braces

If your teeth have shifted since your teenage years, and you're starting to think you might need to wear braces as an adult – perhaps for the second time - fear not. You'll be happy to know one of the most common methods for re-aligning slightly crooked teeth isn't braces at all - it's a cosmetically unobtrusive spring retainer.

Whether or not you've worn braces previously, most people are familiar with what a retainer is, and the purpose behind wearing one. After all, it’s fairly safe to assume that at one point in our teenage lives, we all knew someone who wore a retainer – and likely tossed it into the lunchroom trashcan a few times as well. What many incorrectly assume, though, is that retainers only come into play after having worn braces for a few years. Thankfully, for adults with a few teeth to straighten, that's not the case. A spring retainer is a pretty simple device. Its role is simply to apply force to your teeth so they can be aligned correctly. As a result, they can be worn by anyone with a need to straighten their teeth. Wearing braces is not a prerequisite.

Spring retainers are made from a variety of materials, and can be purchased with the traditional support wire that straddles the front of one's teeth, or with a clear plastic front-piece for a more cosmetic effect.  For a retainer to produce the results you desire, however, the same rules apply as they did when you were a kid – you've got to wear it, and you've got to listen to your dentist. Correcting misaligned teeth, and keeping them straight, requires vigilance and a good routine, and it's the only way to get sustained results. In fact, for many people, not wearing a retainer the right way in the past is likely to be the reason they need to wear one again as an adult!

Mildly crooked teeth are something many of us deal with in the decades following our teen years – even if we didn't wear braces when younger. Rest assured, there are plenty of solutions these days that can correct misalignment, and help get your smile back to straight again. 

Fun At Health Fair

This has been a really great spring season thus far! The birds are chirping, the days are getting longer, and things are looking up! It's a time for growth, rejuvenation and rebirth and that's why I was very excited to do the Riverside Baptist Health Fair earlier this month!

One of our great patients asked me if I would volunteer. She explained that each year they have a health fair at her church where different providers come from all around the community and do screenings and provide information to help people with the resources they need. They had never had a dentist before but fair-goers in the past had asked for resources concerning their smiles and she was nice enough to think of asking me to attend.

The patient that asked me to come (Joan) met me at an informational talk I did at the Pinecrest Community Center. She knew that I was not shy to present and could answer questions as needed. I was happy and honored she asked me and said of course I would help out at the fair.

Well... The health fair was great! There were people from all over - many came from the community and many from the church itself. Everyone was very nice and they seemed to appreciate my presence there. They were not shy about asking questions and I even got to look in a couple mouths. 

I love answering questions and meeting new people. I give my cell phone freely and tell people to call me anytime if they have a question or what to "talk teeth". It was a great experience overall and I hope to do many more fairs in the future!

 

Thanks Joan for inviting me to the health fair. It was great!!

 Me at the health fair... We were talking teeth in a BIG way!

Here for you :)

 

I'm really excited because we have been very busy lately  making changes and updates to our dental office! New paint, updated furniture and beautiful art have given our reception room a fresh new look and one of the additions I am most enthusiastic about is our extended hours. I am proud to say that we have arranged for our excellent quality care to be offered Monday through Friday with late evening hours on Tuesdays and Wednesdays! 

This is great news for all of those hard working folks out there that know it is important to go to the dentist but find it difficult to take off from work. With dental appointments available as late as 7:30pm it should be easier to get those teeth cleaned, whitened or get those veneers you've always wanted :) Also, with more extended hours we are here for you in case of an emergency or tooth pain which has a habit of striking at the worst possible moments. 

So please keep Fisher & Addison Dental in mind when you are planning for your oral health. We're great with kids and the later hours are perfect time to come to the dentist without having to miss school and without parents having to miss work. 

We are a full service general, cosmetic and family dental office providing beautiful crowns, bridges, implants, invisalign, root canals, extractions, dentures, implants, bone-grafting, BPA-free white fillings and more! And WE ARE HERE FOR YOU!