BDS INSIGHTS by Dr Manish Khazane

If the upper arch of teeth is too constricted, you know, more like a narrow "V" than a fat "U" then the upper teeth may not fit over the lower teeth. If the back teeth are "crossed" then it is a posterior crossbite. The ideal arch shown here has all the upper teeth just over the bottom teeth. In the constricted arch, one side has shifted into crossbite and now fits to the inside of the bottom teeth. This can be unilateral or one sided or bilateral consisting of a crossbite on both sides. The effect of this is to accentuate crowding. It may also affect the positioning of the mandible into a shift or off-center bite. During growth this may lead to asymmetry*. Crossbites in general can be back teeth or front teeth. It may affect one tooth or all teeth. It can be caused by prolonged thumb or finger sucking, pacifier sucking, restricted airway from large adenoids and tonsils leading to mouth breathing and also can occur due to other genetic and dev...

Most teenagers, and most adults for that matter, are really occupied with their appearance. One of the main reasons for getting braces is to improve one's appearance, but who actually wants to wear braces for two years or so? Those metal braces, yuck. Well, today there are some options that were not available when we were kids. First, braces are made up of brackets and/or bands that attach to the teeth. Then there is a wire of some sort that goes around the arch connected to the brackets in some manner. In the past you had to place a metal band around each tooth. Now there are bonded brackets, which are getting smaller and brackets that need no attachment device to connect the wire. The wire usually is attached by a small wire ligature or an "O ring" type alastic. These come in many colors and usually must be replaced monthly. Some kids pick out colors to make a fashion statement. There will be pink, purple, orange, or even black, team colors?, holida...

  When we move teeth orthodontically, what happens is that a small pressure exerted over a long period of time stimulates the cells in the bone to resorb in the direction of tooth movement. Once a space is made, the tooth is pushed into the space. Bone fills in behind where the tooth once was located. The process repeats itself again till the tooth is in the final desired position. This process can take place at any age. Yes, you can get braces at 40 years of age! The only caveat is that it usually is easier when the patient is younger. Isn’t most everything? There are however, certain things that can only be done in a growing patient (a preteen or teenager). Once growth ceases, the boney growth of the face halts as well. When a child is growing, certain forces can be applied to guide the growth. That’s usually one of the things a headgear does. So, when is the best time for my child? Well, it depends on the discrepancy or problem you are trying to cor...

If a baby tooth is lost prematurely, you may need a space maintainer to "save" the space. What does that mean? Baby teeth are there for a reason. One key reason is that they save space for the permanent tooth, which will erupt into its position when the baby tooth is lost normally. If a primary tooth (baby or milk tooth), has to be removed early due to say, an abscess, or is knocked out in some kind of trauma, a space maintainer may be recommended to save the space. If the space is not preserved, the other teeth may drift causing difficult to treat crowding and orthodontic problems. If it is a front tooth then you don't need a space maintainer. However, you can place a Pediatric Partial to replace the teeth for cosmetic reasons. Now "Spacers" may be in there for a while, but they are not permanent. They are removed when the new tooth (usually a bicuspid) erupts or the abutment teeth get loose. Kinds of Space Maintainers: 1. Fixed Space Maint...