Night Guards

Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics offers custom night guards to help patients overcome the negative effects of bruxism. Bruxism is defined as any regular teeth grinding or clenching of the jaw. Stress can intensify bruxism, but it is most often caused by an abnormal bite or crooked teeth. Some teeth grinders consciously grind their teeth and clench their jaw, but some only do so while asleep and may not even realize it.  Waking up with a dull headache or experiencing pain and stiffness in your jaw are signs you may be grinding your teeth overnight.

Patients who continually grind their teeth often end up needing crowns, bridges, root canals and implants. In severe cases, tooth loss can occur and partial or complete dentures may be needed.  Wearing a custom night guard protects the surface of the teeth, and also properly aligns the jaw to improve breathing and sleep. To fit you with a custom night guard a dentist takes an impression of your teeth, and the night guard is manufactured in a dental lab. This is an easy step to take to protect your teeth with an added bonus of improving sleep! 

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

Clear Braces

Traditional braces are still the most common way adults and children correct their teeth. Methods like clear aligners have become popular, but are not effective for everyone.  Traditional braces use silver brackets and wires that work together to straighten teeth.  This method has always been effective, but results in a metallic look dreaded by teens everywhere. Dr. Cynthia Wong has a solution for every orthodontic patient, and clear braces could be the one for you.

Aesthetic improvements have been made to traditional braces that can achieve the same results without the metallic element.  Brackets are now available in clear and translucent forms that are designed to resist staining over time.  To connect these brackets, wires the color of natural teeth are used.  The final look is not totally invisible but is much more subtle than traditional silver braces and doesn’t look metallic.  Almost any orthodontic patient can achieve the same great results as traditional braces offer with a better disguise during treatment.

To learn about the different types of braces available to you, visit www.drcynthiawong.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics in Orland Park, IL, call 708-444-8341.

Retainers after Orthodontic Treatment

Choosing the type of retainer once orthodontic treatment is complete, typically depends on the patient’s individual preference, but Dr. Cynthia Wong will recommend what she thinks is best. Once orthodontic treatment ends, the use of retainers is critical to upkeep all of the hard work that went into straightening your smile. There are two types of retainers that Dr. Cynthia Wong would like to discuss; fixed and removable.

Fixed retainers are usually a thin wire that is placed across the front of the lower or upper front teeth, which is bonded in place with cement similar to that applied on the brackets of braces. Despite the fact that they may require more maintenance than a removable retainer, they are the best option, because they keep teeth in place 24/7. A removable retainer, on the other hand, is a combination of wire running across the front of the lower or upper front teeth and are held in place with a combination of acrylic material and hooks that insert in or around the back teeth to hold the retainer in the place.

If you have questions regarding your orthodontic retainer, 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.