Dr. Cynthia Wong

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Orthodontic Assessments

Your children’s dentist will monitor their teeth for developmental issues, but they’ll likely refer them to us for a comprehensive orthodontic assessment. At Dr. Cynthia Wong’s Orland Park office, we’ve overseen many children’s orthodontic therapy, providing them with a lifetime of healthy, beautiful teeth. To help families understand the importance of orthodontic assessments, we thought it would be a good idea to describe what to expect.


We’re going to use digital x-rays to determine where a child’s adult teeth are likely to erupt. From the time they’re around seven years old, we can reasonably predict whether their wisdom teeth are at risk of being impacted and if the other teeth are becoming too crowded. However, orthodontic therapy usually does not begin at this age outside of extreme circumstances, such as breathing difficulty or facial deformity. We’ll also ask children questions about whether they have difficulty chewing, whether their jaws or teeth are often sore, and whether they feel fatigued. These questions can help us to determine whether misalignments might be a contributing factor to temporomandibular joint disorder and sleep apnea. We’ll also inspect the wear patterns of their enamel for signs of nighttime teeth grinding. After making an impression of a child’s mouth and running the x-rays through our modeling software, we’ll be able to develop a treatment plan and demonstrate to them and the parents any particular concerns we may have about the future movement of their teeth and jaws.


Cynthia Wong, DMD, operates at 15614 S Harlem #B, Orland Park, Illinois, 60462. To contact her office, call 708-444-8341 or visit Dr. Cynthia Wong and send a message.


 

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Retained Baby Teeth

The development of the adult teeth in a child’s jaw is of great concern to us at Dr. Cynthia Wong’s Orland Park orthodontic office. We recommend that children get their first orthodontic assessment when they are about seven years old, at which point a few adult teeth will have come in but the jawbones remain pliable. Even when the adult teeth come in without complications, some correction is often necessary. But there are also cases in which the baby teeth fail to fall out.


Normally, as adult teeth push toward the gum line, the roots of the baby teeth dissolve. This is what allows them to fall out just before adult teeth come in to replace them. But the tooth roots may fail to dissolve if the adult tooth is coming in at the wrong angle or out of place, resulting in a person having two sets of teeth. This condition most commonly affects the lower incisors. The baby teeth would usually be extracted because of the threat of overcrowding they present and the difficulty of cleaning them, and the adult teeth would likely need to be realigned.


In some people, certain adult teeth simply do not develop. The most common instances of this are the upper lateral incisors. In these cases, the baby teeth would not fall out and would be extracted. These patients may require orthodontic spacers to keep their teeth from migrating together and filling the gap while they are undergoing preparations to replace the missing teeth with implants.


Cynthia Wong, DMD, operates at 15614 S Harlem #B, Orland Park, Illinois, 60462. To contact her office, call 708-444-8341 or visit Dr. Cynthia Wong and send a message.


 

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Adult Orthodontics

Dr. Cynthia Wong provides orthodontic care for adolescents and adults.  It is often recommended to start treatment on an adolescent patient once all the permanent teeth have come in, but adults can still get great results from orthodontic care.  There are several options for adults beginning orthodontic treatment, and the best one for you will depend on what needs to be corrected.


To correct bite issues and straighten teeth, the traditional braces method includes brackets on the teeth and connecting wires that are tightened over the course of treatment. Clear braces use the same method but the materials are tooth-colored to avoid a metallic look.  Accelerated orthodontics are applied to correct cosmetic issues in about six months. Severe misalignments and bite issues can’t be corrected in such a short time, but if your concerns are purely cosmetic, it’s a great option for a short treatment time that can completely transform your smile. Invisalign treatment is popular because of its almost invisible appearance.  A treatment plan consists of a series of clear aligners that straighten teeth over time.  Come see us and find out what will be best to correct your smile!


To learn more about all the orthodontic treatments 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.