Dr. Cynthia Wong

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Avoiding Staining While Wearing Braces

When you get your braces off, you are going to have a wonderfully straightened smile. Many patients cannot stop smiling the day they get their braces off! However, with poor dental hygiene, sometimes the day the braces come off can reveal some uneven staining. At Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics in Orland Park, IL, we want all of our patients to know how to take good care to avoid staining with braces. Keep reading for our tips!


 


Keep it Clean


Be sure that you are brushing and flossing as often as you are supposed to. This means brushing in the morning, before bed, and after meals. You will also need to floss every day. While wearing braces, you will need some special supplies to take good care of your teeth.


 


Use Special Dental Supplies


There are tiny tree-shaped brushes called interdental cleaners that should be used to brush the sides of the brackets under the wires. These are important so that plaque does not build up around the brackets. A regular toothbrush can be used to brush along the tops and bottoms of the brackets. You will also want threaders that can be used to easier flossing.


 


Watch out for Stain-Causers


Dark foods and drinks are able to stain teeth if they are consumed frequently. Although they can stain teeth slowly over time, since you are most likely wearing braces for at least one year, you will want to make sure you are paying attention to these stain-causers. Examples are coffee, cola, blueberries, and beets. Drink dark liquids through a straw, limit the amount of dark foods and liquids consumed, and rinse your mouth after consumption.


 


Braces create a beautiful smile and healthy teeth. Make sure your beautiful smile stays beautiful after braces by keeping these tips in mind. To schedule an appointment at Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics in Orland Park, IL, call our office at (708) 444-8341 or visit our website, www.drcynthiawong.com

Wednesday, June 22, 2016

Cavity Basics

Cavities are just about as common as a cold and although they mostly occur in children, adults need to be aware of them too. It isn’t unusual for bacteria to be found in your mouth, however, when bacteria mixes with acid, food pieces and saliva in the mouth it creates a sticky substance called plaque. The acids in plaque damage the enamel covering your teeth and create holes in the tooth called cavities. Although Dr. Cynthia Wong offers a variety of filling options for cavities, she would prefer you avoid them altogether.


Developing cavities is a process and they just don’t appear overnight. In the early stages, tooth decay can be stopped. The best way to prevent cavities is by reducing the amount of plaque and bacteria in the mouth and the best way to do this is by brushing and flossing daily. Cavities caught in the very early stages can be reversed, however, caries that have destroyed enamel cannot. It is important to schedule a professional cleaning with our doctors every six months to reduce your risk of tooth decay.


If you have questions about dental health or oral hygiene, don’t hesitate to call us. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.drcynthiawong.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics in Orland Park, IL, call 708-444-8341.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016

Athletes and Mouth Guards

Mouth guard use has been shown to reduce the risk of sport-related dental injuries. Imagine playing a sport that you love, when suddenly, a tooth gets knocked out. Smiling, talking and eating would be difficult and it would probably take you some time to recover. When it comes to protecting your mouth during sports, a mouth guard is an essential piece of athletic gear that should be part of your standard from an early age. Fortunately, Dr. Cynthia Wong can supply her athletic patients of all ages with custom-fitted mouth guards for proper protection.


Custom mouth guards are made from exact and precise models of an individual’s own teeth. They are also made of resilient and tear-resistant materials ensuring a proper fit. A properly fitted mouth guard absolutely must be protective, comfortable, resilient, tear resistant, odorless, tasteless, and allow room for you to breathe. Because Dr. Cynthia Wong’s custom-fitted mouth guards are made for your mouth and your mouth only, they are more reliable than over-the-counter mouth guards.


If you think you may benefit from a custom-fitted mouth guard, please give us a call. To learn about the services we provide at our practice, visit www.drcynthiawong.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics in Orland Park, IL, call 708-444-8341.

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

What is an Underbite?

The main cause of an underbite is a misalignment of the lower jaw, which is usually present at birth. An underbite, clinically called prognathism, is the malocclusion or “bad bite” that happens when the lower teeth overlap the upper teeth. Just because your mouth may have this problem doesn’t mean that it’s untreatable. If you have been diagnosed with an underbite, Dr. Cynthia Wong can correct the problem with dental braces.


Although far less common than overbites, underbites still affect 5-10 percent of the population. An extreme underbite can cause facial abnormality, resulting in an extended chin. In addition to the aesthetic problem, underbites including difficulty with chewing, swallowing and speaking. Underbites may also wear down tooth enamel and increase your chances of developing tooth decay or other dental problems such as TMJ disorder.


To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.drcynthiawong.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics in Orland Park, IL, call 708-444-8341.

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Overbite Complications

If you have been diagnosed with an overbite, this simply means that your top teeth extend beyond your bottom teeth. It is a common dental problem that Dr. Cynthia Wong can correct with dental braces. Overbite teeth are considered a type of “bad bite.” It can either be noticeable or unnoticeable, but it some extreme cases it can make your jaw look significantly larger or your bottom jaw look much smaller.


Most often, overbites are inherited as traits just as the color of your eyes or the freckles on your cheeks. Other causes of misaligned bites may result from an early loss of baby or adult teeth, gum disease, or common oral health problems in children, such as thumb sucking. Once Dr. Cynthia Wong confirms your overbite with X-rays, she may take regular photographs of your face to further examine the relationship between the teeth, jaws, and head. From there, an individualized treatment plan will be developed to give you the smile you’ve always dreamed of.


To learn about the services we provide at the practice, visit www.drcynthiawong.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics in Orland Park, IL, call 708-444-8341.