Causes of Crooked Teeth

Although everybody wants to be born with straight teeth, this is not the case for most people. The majorities of people have some crooked teeth and require braces or invisalign to straighten their teeth. At Dr. Cynthia Wong, DDS, we want our patients to understand why your teeth may be crooked and the solutions.

A possible reason for your teeth being crooked is crowding which happens when there isn’t enough room in your mouth to fit all of your teeth. With no room for your teeth to fit naturally, your teeth can rotate or become displaced.

Other causes of crooked teeth can include thumb sucking and losing your baby teeth prematurely. Children that suck their thumb when their permanent teeth are developing can push the teeth forward and cause crooked teeth. If your children's baby teeth begin to fall out prematurely, the development of their permanent teeth can be altered as well.

Regardless of your age, braces and invisalign are the best solutions to fixing your crooked teeth. We encourage our patients with children to come in for a consultation to see if their children need braces. Research has shown that fixing orthodontic problems are easier when their mouth is still growing and is flexible.

To learn more about all of the services we provide, visit https://www.drcynthiawong.com/our-practice for more information and to schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics in Orland Park, IL, call 708-444-8341.

National Children's Dental Health Month

Every February is National Children’s Dental Health Month to raise awareness about the importance of oral health for children. At Dr. Cynthia Wong, DDS we encourage our patients to bring their children in for a free consultation to see if their children need braces.

Children need braces when their teeth are crooked or if there is crowding. When their teeth don’t have room to grow in naturally, they will begin to shift and become crooked. At our practice we offer a variety of options for braces for your children.

There are a few options for your children to choose from outside of traditional braces. We offer clear braces which are translucent and make it hard to notice you have braces at all. An alternative option to traditional braces is removable aligners called invisalign. Invisalign braces use clear aligners to straighten your teeth. The benefits to invsalign are they are comfortable, removable and are less irritable on gums.

During this month we want your children to be aware of the importance of oral health care including braces to make sure they have the best smile!

To learn more about all of the services we provide, please visit https://www.drcynthiawong.com/our-practice for more information and to schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics in Orland Park, IL, call 708-444-8341.

Water Flossing with Orthodontics

Flossing is crucial when it comes to maintaining great oral health. Cleaning between the teeth is an important step to remove food particles that have been left behind after brushing. Flossing can significantly reduce periodontal disease and cavity-causing causing bacteria that leads to tooth decay, but sometimes the act of flossing is difficult for a patient with orthodontics. Dr. Cynthia Wong may suggest using a water flosser for those hard to reach places!

A safe, easy, and effective way to remove plaque around dental braces is to use a water flosser. A water flosser is a handheld device that sprays streams of water in steady pulses. Not only is this beneficial to patients with traditional braces, water flossers are also an option for people who have trouble controlling traditional floss by hand. It’s important to brush your teeth at least twice a day and floss at least once a day to reap the maximum benefits of a healthy mouth!

To learn more about orthodontics and the 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.

New Years 2019

What an amazing 2018 it has been for all of us at Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics! We’ve had so many new patients join our family as well as continuing to work with our patients who have been coming here for years. There is no better way to kick off the New Year than to come to see us and make 2019 the year of healthier teeth.

We offer a variety of services to handle any issues you may have with your teeth including braces mouth guards. If patients notice they are waking up with sore jaws or snoring really there is a good chance you’re grinding your teeth and need a mouth guard. If left untreated, grinding your teeth can cause teeth loss, muscular pain, and headaches. Custom mouth guards are made to fit your mouth and keep your teeth from grinding.

If your teeth aren’t straight and would like to fix that we offer a variety of options including Invisalign, traditional braces, and clear braces. With so many choices we can find the right braces for you so 2019 can start with a straight smile!

To learn more about braces and all the services we provide, visit https://www.drcynthiawong.com/our-practice for more information and to schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics in Orland Park, IL, call 708-444-8341.

Pacifiers and Tooth Development

Dr. Cynthia Wong and her staff are often asked by parents about weaning their small child off a pacifier.  Infants are soothed to a sense of security by pacifiers, and when the time comes it is one of the hardest habits to break.  It can require a great deal of persuasion, but because of the effect they can have on the growth and development of the teeth and mouth, children should stop using pacifiers by the age of two. 

Prolonged pacifier use can cause changes in the shape of the roof of the mouth, prevent proper growth of the mouth, and create problems with tooth alignment.  Narrowing of the roof of the mouth and misalignment of the jaws can also occur.  Using a pacifier too long can also lead to a variety of complications including tilting in of the bottom teeth, and slanting in of the top and front teeth. Until the age of two, any alignment problem with the teeth or developing bone is usually corrected within six months after pacifier use has stopped.  We can help and support parents having any trouble weaning their child off a pacifier before that age.

If you have questions about pacifiers and tooth development, visit www.drcynthiawong.com for more information. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics in Orland Park, IL, call 708-444-8341.

Mouth Sores

Cuts and sores are common with new braces, as your mouth adapts to metal brackets being in your mouth and touching the sides of your cheeks and bottom lip. It is important to brush and floss carefully so your gums don’t become inflamed and grow over your braces causing sores. The sores will cause sensitivity at first, but your mouth will eventually adapt to the braces and sores will become less likely to occur over time. There are ways to deal with the sores and limit the sensitivity and time they last.

When you first notice sores in your mouth it is important to use wax which is tasteless and can be obtained by most drug stores and dentists/orthodontists. Applying the wax will prevent the metal from irritating your mouth and should be reapplied throughout the day. Salt water is a good way to treat sores after they first appear because salt water disinfects the sore and numbs the sensitivity. It is best to use warm water and swish the water around for about a minute.  You can do this throughout the day whenever you feel irritation. At Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics we suggest avoiding spicy foods while any mouth sores heal.

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