Back To School With Braces

Caring for braces especially for students in school can be quiet hectic due to the restrictive devotions to maintain the braces and for this reason, Hinesly Orthodontics has decided to put up an article which will make caring for orthodontic braces easy in school. As a student who just had an orthodontic treatment, you should be rest assured that it is the best that can happen to give you the perfect smile again but the care for your teeth and gums help make it very effective. Take a look at your new braces, you can notice a lot of nooks and crannies that can trap food and plaque and that means a great risk of tooth decay is imminent if not properly cared for, therefore you need to pay special attention to cleaning your teeth. This might look hectic but right here the team of Hinesly Orthodontics has a few great tips to keep your braces in top condition.

1. WATCH YOUR DIET

As an orthodontic patient with braces, it is very important for you to select your diet with caution. We know that there are several foods in school which tastes great but don't look great in your braces. Certain foods can either break a bracket or some foods are sugary and can have negative effects on the natural ability to brush behind the bracket. Be sure to make decisions on foods based on what is healthy, tasty, and won't harm your brackets.

Food to avoid: As an orthodontic patient we would advise that you desist from:

• Sticky or gooey foods 
• Hard foods
• Sugary foods
• Acidic drinks 

2. WEAR A MOUTHGUARD
With braces on your teeth, you might be wondering if you should desist from sports or retire from being the captain of your favorite sports team, but the truth is orthodontics does not affect your ability to play sports. You can keep on with your braces and sports if and only if you have your mouth guard on. Mouth guards are safety measures that can mean the difference between just a bruised, fat lips and thousands spent in orthodontics repair work. While you are in any kind of physical activity (including gym classes), it is advisable that you wear a mouth guard which can protect your teeth and braces from flying sports balls, swinging elbows or an accidental fall or hit.

3. BRUSH AND FLOSS REGULARLY
Braces can easily trap food, and this trapped food can lead to other inimical dental problems. Because of this, it is very important to brush your teeth after every meal and to floss at least once a day.

4. DON'T CHEW ON PENCILS
Pencils, pen, and rulers are all hard objects and most times when you get bored, anxious or plainly destructive you are tempted to chew on them in class. Obviously, this can be destructive in the moment and can be grossly inimical over time. It is important that you don't practice these habits while wearing braces.

We know that maintaining braces in school is can be tough. That is why we ensure to give you the best plans of action to help you out.

For more questions and inquiries that you may have, we are always at your service. You can always contact Hinesly Orthodontics.

There's No Age Limit On A Beautiful and Healthy Smile

Don't let age stop you from having the straight teeth you've always dreamed of. Braces aren't just for kids anymore. Parents are still making regular trips to the orthodontist's office, but these days more and more are leaving their kids in the waiting room.

As you age, your teeth break down. Unfortunately, it's one of the most visible signs of aging. As teeth wear, the lower and the upper jaw move closer together. Shortening of your teeth causes your lips to change, creases to form on the sides of your nose and mouth, a deep crease develops between your chin and lower lip and jowls develop on the sides of your jaw. Crooked teeth and a bad bite can also contribute to gum and bone loss, tooth decay and abnormal wear of the tooth enamel.

Orthodontic treatment at later stages in life can dramatically improve your personal appearance and self-esteem. Numerous technological advances have made braces less noticeable, less painful and even less time-consuming.

As America's baby boomers have become more health conscious, they're rejecting the notion that loosing teeth and dentures are a routine part of growing older. These days people are exercising more and eating healthier and braces are another way of demonstrating that you care about yourself and your overall health. Some adults shy away from braces because they want to avoid having a mouth full of metal. Fortunately, with the advancement of technology we have also advanced our treatment options.

Options for adult braces include:

Traditional metal braces

"Clear" ceramic braces

Ceramic braces are similar to traditional braces, but their brackets are made of tooth-colored

porcelain, and so only the connecting wires are visible.

Lingual braces

These braces are attached to the back of the teeth, facing the tongue. Though you cannot see lingual braces, they can be irritating to the tongue and may be more difficult for your orthodontist to adjust.

Clear aligners

Clear aligners are custom-fitted, removable appliances that are placed over your teeth. The major advantages are that aligners are essentially invisible and are easier to clean than braces because they can be removed during eating. You will wear each set of aligners for about two weeks, and then put on a new pair to further adjust your teeth. 

                

Don't let you age be the reason you pursue a healthy and beautiful smile. Contact us today for a consultation to find out what treatment options may be best for you. 

Benefits Of A Beautiful Smile

Everyone wants a naturally aligned and beautiful smile, and it is no secret that orthodontic braces or clear aligner therapy can help deliver one. There are greater benefits to wearing braces than just having straight teeth. You will gain many oral benefits in addition to cosmetic ones.

Oral Health: Crooked and/or crowded teeth often overlap each other making it difficult to keep those tight spaces clean.  Brushing and flossing become more difficult allowing bacteria and plaque to build up.  This can eventually lead to periodontal disease and decay. With orthodontic treatment your teeth will become properly aligned which will allow more effective brushing.

Speech Impediments: The position of you teeth play a role in speech.  When the dentition is out of alignment, either the teeth are too far out or pushed back too far, this can affect speaking patterns and possibly cause embarrassment and frustration.  Orthodontic treatment can readjust the positioning of the teeth to allow for clearer and more professional speech.

TMJ prevention: TMJ (Temporomanibular Joint) can be prevented by receiving braces as orthodontic treatment. TMJ can occur from stress on the jaw joint in people that have an incorrect bit pattern or misalignment of the bite. Teeth that have been aligned by braces also have a better bite pattern and this helps with chewing.

Our goal is to the enhance the quality of life for those who come to us for their orthodontic health care. If you have any questions regarding braces as orthodontic treatment feel free to contact us today.

Hinesly Orthodontics 

Tecumseh Office 

126 Herrick Park Dr.

Tecumseh, MI 49286

(517) 423-6300 office

Ann Arbor Office

2433 Oak Valley Dr., Ste. 200

Ann Arbor, MI 48103

(734) 769-7600 office

Dentist vs Orthodontist

Recently there has been a lack of understanding about who should be providing your orthodontic care. Most patients contemplate on whether they should seek treatment for braces or clear aligners from their general family dentist, or a certified orthodontic specialist. Making the decision to get orthodontic treatment is an important one that will affect your dental health for a lifetime, so it’s important that consumers are informed of the significant differences in care between a certified orthodontist and a general dentist.

In reality, just like not all doctors are the same, the same fact is true when it comes to dentistry. Did you know that all orthodontists are dentists, but only 7% of dentists are orthodontist? This is determined by training, as all general dentists complete 8,000 hours of dental training for their dental degrees, orthodontists start with this same training and continue on with over 4,000-6,000 hours in an accredited residency program to learn orthodontic basics. A general dentist is wonderful for routine dental work, but the scope of their practice is preventive, cosmetic, and restorative. Orthodontists, on the other hand, are trained specialist and have the expertise in smile and facial aesthetics, jaw function, facial growth and development, tooth movement, alignment of teeth and jaws, and straightening of teeth. Thus, orthodontists have the best experience, judgement, and certifications to give the best orthodontic treatment for all patients with braces.

You will notice today several general dentists are advertising orthodontic care such as Invisalign, as well as offering special discounts for these treatments. We urge you to recognize that these general dentists are not orthodontic specialists recognized by the American Dental Association.

At Hinesly Orthodontics we understand that your smile is priceless and want you to be confident in knowing that our orthodontic office is the clear choice for braces.

Instances Where Clear Aligners Aren't The Answer

Below, Dr. Hinesly and the Hinesly Orthodontics team cover some of the instances where clear aligners just aren't the answer.

• If you're looking for the fastest treatment possible – Clear aligners usually can't move teeth as quickly as fixed appliances. So if you're looking for the fastest way to achieve your desired result, clear aligners may not be the best bet.
• If you need to move molars – Molars have much stronger roots than your other teeth and would require significantly longer to move with clear aligners. A fixed appliance is the best choice in this instance, especially if you have a substantial overbite or underbite that needs to be dealt with.
• If you're the type who often forgets or loses things –If you would forget to wear your aligners for the prescribed amount of time (usually at least 22 hours per day), clear aligners are probably not the best choice for you. Forgetting to wear them can delay treatment and even make it so you need to regress to the previous set of aligners to be able to move forward with treatment. Also, losing aligners delays treatment and is expensive since you need to buy replacements to stay on course. Replacing a lost set of aligners usually takes between seven and ten days.
• If drastic tooth movement is required – Fixed appliances deliver much more significant tooth movement. So if your case is a drastic one, clear aligners may not be the best choice.

Feel free to talk with Dr. Hinesly about your options regarding braces and clear aligners. We know there are pros and cons to both, so let’s find the option that works best for your life and for your specific needs in terms of treatment.

EASY MICROWAVE RECIPE | Low Carb Cinnamon Roll Mug Cake

Try this super fluffy and moist cinnamon roll inspired mug cake which packs a protein punch and is low carb. It’s also ready in under a minute and completely braces friendly!

Ingredients

• 1 scoop vanilla protein powder (32-34 grams)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 T coconut flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 T granulated sweetener of choice
• 1 large egg OR 1/4 cup liquid egg whites (see notes for Vegan option)
• 1/4 cup milk of choice (I used unsweetened almond)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

For the glaze (optional)

• 1 T coconut butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp milk of choice
• pinch cinnamon

Directions:

1. Grease a microwave safe bowl with cooking spray and add the protein powder, baking powder, coconut flour, cinnamon, sweetener of choice and mix well.
2. Add the egg/whites and mix into the dry mixture. 
3. Add the milk of choice and vanilla extract- If the batter is too crumbly, continue adding milk of choice until a very thick batter is formed. granulated sweetener of choice and extra cinnamon and swirl over the top. 
4. Microwave for 60 seconds, or until just cooked in the center. 
5. Top with glaze and enjoy!

Have Fun This Spring

Spring is in the air! As the flower buds are peeking out and birds are starting to chirp, it's time to leave those thoughts of snowstorms behind. Spring can be a wonderful time to explore the outdoors or go for a walk around town. Get your family moving together and establish some healthy habits, away from the electronics indoors. We have 5 fun ideas to get you in the mood for the loveliest season of the year.

1. Dust off the sports gear. Find a kick a ball, throw a Frisbee, shoot hoops, whatever sports activity that you and your family enjoy doing.

2. Get dirty in the yard. Mow the grass. Pull weeds. Till flower beds. Replant. Cut back. Find the fun in getting sweaty, and teach your kids how to manage the landscaping while you do it.

3. Explore the outdoors. Hike a trail and check out the plants budding out of the ground.

4. Go to a baseball game. The beginning baseball season is one of the annual markers that warm weather is just around the corner. If you don't have it in your budget for pricey pro tickets, look into local league games, college, or even high school games to watch.

5. Make Something. Whether you're experimenting with a new recipe or creating a new craft, making something new will give your kids a sense of satisfaction.

After being cooped up all winter, everyone's ready for some fresh Spring air. We hope you will step into the warm weather with suggestions of fun activities for the entire family.