What causes orthodontic problems?

Many orthodontic problems (malocclusions) are inherited. Examples of
these genetic problems are crowding, spacing, protrusion, extra or missing
teeth, and some jaw growth problems.
An example of a common inherited problem would be having a small or
missing upper incisor. If left untreated, an unsightly and poor functioning
occlusion may result. Decisions and plans are made soon after the
discovery of this issue so the proper treatment can be planned to provide
the best possible outcome.
Other malocclusions are acquired as a result of habits such as thumb- or
finger-sucking and tongue thrusts, dental disease causing premature loss
of baby teeth or due to late loss of baby teeth, accidents, or developmental
anomalies.
A common example of a developmental anomaly is having a poor nasal
airway which often promotes a narrow upper jaw and crossbite. Correction
may be palatal expansion but an ENT evaluation to determine the cause of
the obstruction is always advised.
It is important to have an orthodontist evaluate these problems early and
suggest appropriate and well-timed corrections. The treatments can be
preventative, interceptive, or comprehensive. It is always better to have an
early orthodontic exam and possibly avoid the more complex therapies that
can happen when a problem is neglected.
General dentists, pedodontists and pediatricians are being trained to
recognize growth and development problems; they are often the
gatekeepers to specialty care. Don’t hesitate to ask a health professional
questions about your young loved ones. We would love to answer any questions
you may have, please call to schedule an appointment at:
Sacramento: 916-441-3925
Fair Oaks: 916-966-1751
daftandstamos.com

Braces or….??

Back in the day, you could have any kind of braces you wanted as long as they were metal and placed on the outside part of your teeth. Today these still exist, but you have a couple other options to consider when deciding on how you want to create the perfect smile – clear plastic trays and lingual braces (braces on the tongue side!).

Clear plastic trays are often referred to as Invisalign, as this is the company that started it all. Invisalign can be described as a series of these plastic trays, each tray moving teeth just a little until you have used enough trays to align all the teeth.  Invisalign is still the big name in town, but there are other companies moving into this space, including businesses offering treatment without ever having to visit an orthodontist. (Side note: as a group of humans who cares about the health and well-being of other humans, please do not seek orthodontic treatment without the supervision of an orthodontist!) A big advantage to this type of treatment is that the trays are nearly invisible and so much more esthetic than regular braces. Also, for better or worse, the trays can be entirely removed for eating and oral hygiene.

Another option is lingual braces.  The example used by our office is INBRACE. INBRACE places something like braces on the tongue-side of your teeth, so they are practically invisible. For mild corrections of crowding or spacing this is an exciting alternative to regular braces and has some advantages over moving teeth with clear plastic trays. Aside from the obvious esthetic benefit, INBRACE custom bends their wires so that treatment is efficient and it is easy to maintain excellent oral home care.

All of these options have inherent advantages and disadvantages. If you are interested in hearing more about regular braces, Invisalign, or INBRACE, among the many other products at our disposal, please feel free to call our office in downtown Sacramento or Fair Oaks and we can set up a free consultation to help determine the best treatment method for you.

Daftandstamos.com

Sacramento 916-441-3925, Fair Oaks 916-966-1751

Why choose Daft, Stamos, and Myers?

 

The number of choices for orthodontic treatment today can be overwhelming.  Options range from traditional private practices (like ours) to managed care offices (corporate dentistry like Western Dental) to do-it-yourself options like Smile Direct Club (please don’t!). The 2 former options should have trained orthodontists who you can actually speak with and who are directing treatment. As trained specialists, we believe you will receive the best care from someone who has dedicated their professional life to treating orthodontics only.  You can check out our February blog for more information on why that matters.

Today we would like to share some reasons why you should visit our offices and why you might consider receiving orthodontic treatment from us.  I think one of the biggest reasons can be simply stated as: we care. Our mission in life is to provide exceptional orthodontic care and excellent service to our patients and their families. From the moment you walk in our door and see Shelby or Lori smiling as they help you through any initial questions or concerns you will begin to understand that this place may be a little different. You will also find that Donna, Mel, and Margie are gentle as they remove the colors from around braces and change wires, and they always take interest in anything happening in your life. Kim and Pat are excellent resources for any financial information and will help you best utilize any insurance benefit.

Drs Daft, Stamos, and Myers all share in this philosophy. All of our decisions are made to benefit you. Yes, we straighten teeth, but we also pay special attention to how your teeth function so that you receive not just a smile that will last a lifetime but also a bite that prevents you from having more problems later in life.

We do braces (and Invisalign and growth modification and much more!), but we treat people.  If you are considering orthodontic treatment for yourself or a friend or family member, give us a call and drop by for a complementary exam.  Find out for yourself how we can help you get the smile you want and deserve.

Sacramento office- 916-441-3925

Fair Oaks office- 916-966-1751

www.daftandstamos.com

Early Orthodontic Treatment Part 2

Even though most people think of pre-teens and teens when they think of orthodontics, there are good reasons your child should get an orthodontic evaluation much sooner. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a check-up with an orthodontic specialist no later than age 7.  

 Orthodontists can spot subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth while some baby teeth are still present. 

 While your child’s teeth may appear to be straight, there could be a problem that only an orthodontist can detect. 

 The check-up may reveal that your child’s bite is fine. Or, the orthodontist may identify a developing problem but recommend monitoring the child’s growth and development, and then if indicated, begin treatment at the appropriate time for the child. In other cases, the orthodontist might find a problem that can benefit from early treatment. 

 Early treatment may prevent more serious problems from developing and may make treatment at a later age shorter and less complicated. In some cases, the orthodontist will be able to achieve results that may not be possible once the face and jaws have finished growing. 

  Early treatment may give your orthodontist the chance to: 

 • guide jaw growth 

 • lower the risk of trauma to protruded front teeth 

 • correct harmful oral habits • improve appearance 

 • guide permanent teeth into a more favorable position 

 • improve the way lips meet 

  Through an early orthodontic evaluation, you’ll be giving your child the best opportunity for a healthy, beautiful smile. Because patients differ in both physiological development and treatment needs, the orthodontist’s goal is to provide each patient with the most appropriate treatment at the most appropriate time.

If you have questions about whether or not your child should be seen we are more than happy to conduct a complimentary examination for you. A referral from your child’s dentist is not necessary but we will communicate our findings to you child’s dentist. If we feel that your child is not ready to benefit from treatment we will monitor your child’s dental development on a regular basis until it is the ideal time to intervene.

www.daftandstamos.com

916-441-3925 Sacramento

916-966-1751 Fair Oaks

Early Orthodontic Treatment

Over the past few years more and more parents have been bringing in their 7-10 year old children for an orthodontic examination. Most often their dentist has referred them but now, more often, the parents have noticed that more and more of their child’s classmates are wearing braces and they want to know “Why?”. “Should my child be starting this early?” Or, “I didn’t get my braces until junior high school, what’s going on?”

While it’s true that we are placing more orthodontic appliances on 7-10 year olds, the benefits of early treatment is on a case-to-case basis and only the more severe problems require actual braces. The primary reason for early treatment is that some dental and jaw discrepancies are much easier to correct when the teeth and jaws are in their most active development stage, 7-10 years of age. Normally it will not eliminate the need for braces when all of the permanent teeth erupt, but it will usually result in a shorter time period with braces and a more ideal result.

The most common appliances that you see have the purposes of making room so that permanent teeth will not require removal to make space for all of the teeth, or widening a narrow upper jaw, or beginning the correction of more severe bite issues or severe malalignment issues that affect the child’s self-image. We can even use new technology from companies like Invisalign to treat certain problems at this early age!

If you have questions about whether or not your child should be seen we are more than happy to conduct a complimentary examination for you. A referral from your child’s dentist is not necessary but we will communicate our findings to you child’s dentist. If we feel that your child is not ready to benefit from treatment we will monitor your child’s dental development on a regular basis until it is the ideal time to intervene.

www.daftandstamos.com

916-441-3925 Sacramento

916-966-1751 Fair Oaks

Why go to an orthodontic specialist instead of a general dentist?

“Anyone can straighten teeth, right?” 

“My dentist offers Invisalign.”

“I can order clear aligners online, take my own impressions at home, and straighten my own teeth!”

Specialists exist in all categories of medicine.  Take, for example, a cardiologist.  A cardiologist is specially trained in the diagnosis and treatment of problems related to your heart.  If you, or someone you know, is having heart-related problems, then logically you want that problem treated by the best person available-the cardiologist.

Now, let’s take this one step further.  When you were describing your concerns to your general-practice physician he or she said that they have access to some new techniques that allow them to treat your heart, or perform your surgery, at a lower cost than the cardiologist.  Do you agree to treatment with the general-practice physician to save some money, or do you ask to be referred to the cardiologist?

I know very well that treatment of crooked teeth is not a life-or-death matter, as can be the case with heart problems, but the result of improper orthodontic treatment can have a lasting effect on your teeth and smile.  Your orthodontist is specially-trained to treat not just your crooked teeth but also how your teeth bite together.  This is not something we do as a small part of our day.  We spend our waking hours focused on understanding all the factors as to why your teeth are not straight as well as the different ways to fix them.  Our responsibility is to listen to your concerns and then help you to understand the different options available for treatment.  Our goal is to give you a bite, or occlusion, that functions properly so that you can chew efficiently and not wear down your teeth prematurely.  Our dedication to your smile results in a customized smile that fits your face and personality.  In summary, your orthodontist knows what to do, and when to do it…at least when related to your teeth and smile!                                                                                                                                                                

Our New Blog

First of all, Happy New Year from Drs. Daft, Stamos and Myers!

This year we will publish a regular blog intended to help our patients and community understand the value of orthodontic treatment and what options might be best for you and your loved ones.

We have a wealth of knowledge to share from our combined 80 years of experience and education from USC, UCLA, UOP, the U of Detroit and the U of Notre Dame in addition to our regular continuing education that keeps us on the cutting edge of patient care.

Some of the topics we look forward to discussing are:
Extraction vs non-extraction therapy
1 phase vs 2 phase treatments
Deciding between Invisalign, metal braces or clear braces
Wisdom teeth extraction
Maintaining the benefits of your treatment for life

Please let us know what questions and topics you would like to see covered in future posts.

We wish you a healthy and happy 2019 and look forward to seeing you soon!

Sincerely Drs. Daft, Stamos and Myers
www.daftandstamos.com