Fluorosis

Dr. Cynthia Wong treats patients of all ages at Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics, though a large majority are children and adolescents. Because of this, she often treats the dental phenomena known as Fluorosis. This occurs when a child is exposed to an abnormal amount of fluoride. The results are thin and white streaks on the teeth. Fluorosis isn’t harmful, but it does alter your child’s appearance. To learn more, visit our office in Orland Park, IL.

 

It’s important to note that fluorosis isn’t a dangerous or harmful condition. This isn’t a cause for concern. Children are the only ones at risk because fluorosis affects teeth that haven’t emerged from the gum line. Fluoride is a mineral that naturally occurs in our water supply. It keeps teeth clean and healthy! It’s only recommended that a child is evaluated for fluorosis because it is a sign of a nutritional imbalance.

 

The best way to minimize a young child’s oversaturation of fluoride is through breastfeeding. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that parents breastfeed their child until it reaches the age of three. This is not possible or recommended for everyone. Breastmilk contains all the necessary nutritional elements that your child needs. Using formula increases your child’s risk of fluorosis. That’s because many types of formula require water. As mentioned, water is one of the largest sources of fluoride. You also need to pay attention to how much toothpaste you’re using. Your Orland Park dentist recommends brushing your child’s teeth as soon as they come in. Children under the age of three should never use more than a grain of rice worth of toothpaste.

 

Once a child reaches the age of three, they should start brushing twice a day. Being negligent of their dental care guarantees gum disease and cavities. Children don’t need more than a pea-sized amount of toothpaste each time. Make sure they aren’t swallowing it after brushing. Using too much toothpaste or ingesting dental products is a surefire way to develop fluorosis.

 

At Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics, your child’s health is our top priority. If you are interested in learning more about Fluorosis or our orthodontic services, contact our office in Orland Park, IL. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong, visit her website or call 708-444-8341.

Broken Retainer

After your braces are removed, you will require some sort of retainer. This might be bonded, removable, or a combination. But what should you do if you break your retainer? You’ll need to reach out to Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics right away! It must be replaced immediately. Your retainer keeps your teeth in their new position, maintaining all your progress. Schedule your appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong as soon as possible. Contact her office in Orland Park, IL.

 

You might not notice right away when a bonded retainer is damaged. It’s one of the reasons you need checkups with your Orland Park orthodontist. No matter how careful you are, wear and tear put your retainer at risk. There are also hard foods and sports injuries too.

 

Do not try fixing your retainer by yourself. It needs to be repaired by an orthodontic professional only. You may cause more damage to the retainer, or even injure yourself. There are a few things that you can do while you wait. First, buy an over-the-counter nightguard. This works as a makeshift retainer for your teeth. It helps prevent your teeth from moving too majorly while you sleep. Make sure to avoid any harder foods too. These will damage your retainer even more.

 

Pay attention to any irritated or injured areas. Treating these early stops them from worsening. Try gargling with salt water to soothe these spots. You might also want to invest in an antibacterial mouth rinse too.

 

Straightening your teeth with orthodontic treatment is a lifelong investment. Your retainer is what keeps it all together after! Contact Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics right away when your retainer is damaged. She is located in Orland Park, IL. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong, visit her website or call 708-444-8341.

Getting Your Braces Removed

After all the appointments, discomfort, and pain, you’re finally getting your braces off! Congratulations! There’s no need to be nervous before your last orthodontic adjustment with Dr. Cynthia Wong of Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics. It’s a straightforward and simple process. Just in case you are worried, your Orland Park, IL, orthodontist has put together this simple guide. Here is everything you need to know about getting your braces off.

 

The braces removal process is quick. It takes about an hour maximum. The best part is that it is completely painless! The only thing you’ll notice is a bit of pressure and some scrapping while finishing everything up. Your orthodontist clips off the brackets while a scrapper or polisher removes the adhesives from the surface of the teeth. After Dr. Wong finishes, your teeth will look brand new! The only thing you might notice is some white spots where the brackets were. These are easily treated though.

 

Almost everyone requires a retainer of some sort after removal. This is to keep your newly aligned teeth in place. Your teeth will be loose for a while so they need the support. The type of retainer and how long you wear it depends entirely upon your Orland Park, IL, orthodontist’s discretion. There are both permanent and removable retainers. With removable retainers, it’s recommended you wear them at all times in the beginning. Once your teeth set a bit more, you can start just wearing it at night. Dr. Wong will let you know when and how long you should be wearing it for.

 

After your braces are removed, care for your teeth just like you always have! Always brush twice a day for at least two minutes! You should also floss daily. Keep up with any followup orthodontic appointments and regular cleanings.

 

Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics is located in Orland Park, IL. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong, visit her website or call 708-444-8341.

Treating Braces Pain

When the phrase “beauty is pain” was coined, it wasn’t used in reference to orthodontic care. But anyone who has braces would most likely agree! Braces are aligning teeth that are out-of-place. They are literally moving your bones, so some discomfort is expected. But what can you do when the pain gets out-of-hand? Dr. Cynthia Wong of Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics has some tips for alleviating your discomfort. Located in Orland Park, IL, she provides you with top-tier orthodontic care.

 

Braces pain is split into two causes, internal and external. External pain is the irritation of the gums and soft tissues in the mouth from the orthodontic gear itself. This happens when the brackets and wires cut or rub the mouth. Over time, your mouth toughens in these vulnerable areas. Talk to your Orland Park, IL, orthodontist about products for relieving discomfort. Different over-the-counter products provide relief to cut or scrapped soft tissues. Internal factors, however, are caused by changes in the blood flow. This is from the orthodontic gear placing pressure on the teeth.

 

Pain relief is found through over-the-counter pain medications. These remove the aches stemming from pressure. Motrin or Advil are the best for this. There are also topical pain relievers you can try. Talk to your orthodontist for suggestions. Dr. Wong also recommends dental products that target oral aches. Try following this advice too! After an adjustment to your braces, try eating softer foods. This includes pudding, jello, pasta, and softer vegetables. You should also use a soft-bristled toothbrush to avoid irritation.

 

It’s also important to protect both your mouth and braces. A facial injury forces your braces towards your vulnerable areas. A trauma or fall to the face will knock or break wires and brackets. If you play sports, always wear a mouthguard.

 

If you are having problems with orthodontic pain or have suffered an injury, reach out right away to Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics. We are located in Orland Park, IL. To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong, visit her website or call 708-444-8341.

Orthodontic Emergencies

No matter how careful you are, orthodontic emergencies do happen. When these occur, contact Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics right away. Conveniently located in Orland Park, IL, Dr. Cynthia Wong will see you as soon as possible. Many of these emergencies are handled over the phone. The more serious troubles require an office visit. Just remember that there is no need to panic. Here are both minor and major emergencies and what you should do.

 

Minor emergencies are the ones handled over the phone. You won’t need to see Dr. Wong to fix these problems. Call our office and we will walk you through the issue. Discomfort is the main issue we hear about. As your braces move your teeth, there is bound to be some achiness. Invest in over-the-counter pain medication to relieve the pressure. Others find relief through warm salt-water rinses. There are also over-the-counter dental products that focus on pain relief. Another common emergency is minor wires that move out-of-place. Use a clean utensil, like a q-tip or tweezers, to push the wire into a comfortable position. You can also cover it in dental wax.

 

A major orthodontic emergency constitutes serious harm or danger to your mouth and braces. A situation we frequently encounter is broken or loose brackets. Call our office right away when this happens. If the orthodontic gear isn’t applied correctly, it won’t work. Your mouth is also at risk of getting seriously injured by the exposed sharp materials. If a piece of your braces falls out, do your best to locate it. Bring it with you to your appointment. Other major emergencies focus on injuries or facial trauma. These can happen from a hit to the face, sports, or even a fall. After being cleared of other injuries, we can fix any broken orthodontic gear.

 

Dr. Cynthia Wong Orthodontics is located in Orland Park, IL. We provide quality and family-friendly orthodontic services. Our goal is to keep you healthy and happy, with a smile that can’t be beaten! To schedule an appointment with Dr. Cynthia Wong, visit her website or call 708-444-8341.

Pregnancy Gingivitis

Maintaining good oral hygiene is of critical importance when a patient is undergoing orthodontic treatment. If you are pregnant, you may have noticed that you develop gingivitis and your gums bleed more easily. Although this is distressing, it is also expected. We at the Orland Park orthodontic office of Dr. Cynthia Wong pay especially close attention to pregnant women’s gum health to ensure that their orthodontic therapy will be completed on time and satisfactorily.

Pregnant women’s bodies produce large amounts of the hormone progesterone. This hormone triggers the growth of new blood vessels. Although it is necessary elsewhere in the body, it causes the gums to become especially sensitive and prone to swelling. Gingivitis occurs when oral bacteria produce acid as part of their metabolization process. When they have a lot of food available to them, they’ll produce and multiply more. The acid becomes stuck in the biofilm created by bacteria on the teeth, leading to tooth decay and gum recession.

If a patient with fixed braces suffers extensive tooth decay and instability, the orthodontic brackets may have to be removed prematurely. Patients must frequently use Christmas tree toothbrushes to push food debris out of their brackets and use threaders to loop floss around their wires. People with Invisalign must also brush and floss twice daily, and also brush the aligner. Pregnant women who are eating more should be aware that carbohydrates are easy for oral bacteria to digest, so they should be quick to brush away debris from crackers and similar foods. They can also combat oral bacteria by drinking more water and using nonalcoholic mouthwash.

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.

 

Oral Hygiene during Halloween

Halloween is always a challenging time for oral hygiene, but that’s especially true for people with traditional braces. People not only have easy access to sugary candy, but also sugary and acidic drinks. We’ve been in the orthodontic business for a long time at Dr. Cynthia Wong’s Orland Park office, so we wanted to advise parents and patients on some of the pitfalls of Halloween treats and how to mitigate them.

There are two issues to beware of: exposure to sugar and impact on the structure of braces. Sticky candies can dislodge orthodontic elastics and wires; hard candies can break them. As alternatives, consider soft, chewy candies such as chocolates. These candies are still high in sugar and will need to be quickly brushed off the teeth, but the risk from sugar has more to do with the length of time it remains on teeth than the sugar content of the food. To ensure the teeth are not exposed to sugar for long periods, limit the consumption of candy and soda or cider to set mealtimes, when the mouth is producing more saliva and the sugar can easily be brushed away afterward. Drinking more water throughout the day will also keep the mouth clean of sugar and acid. Lastly, we want to remind patients that it is much easier to maintain oral hygiene with Invisalign, but brushing and flossing must still be done regularly and that people shouldn’t put their aligners back in while there is still sticky material trapped between their teeth.

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.