When it Takes a Miracle, We’re Here!
Are you in Pain?
Call Dr. Harin Shodhan
For the Same-Day Emergency Dental Appointment
Braces (Orthodontics)
The human body is impressive and sophisticated, but far from perfect. During our development, our teeth might not come in properly. For others, there simply isn’t enough room in their mouth for all their teeth. But, modern orthodontics has continued to improve corrective techniques. With braces, you can address teeth that are misaligned and affecting your smile.
At Shodhan Dentistry of Yucaipa, we are proud to offer top-of-the-line orthodontic treatments for both you and your family. Having a set of straight teeth is not only an aesthetic benefit but a way to improve your overall dental and physical health.
What Are the Advantages of Braces?
We all know that the end goal of braces is to align your teeth. With straighter teeth, you can become more confident in your smile. That much we all know. After all, who doesn’t want to be able to flash a set of straight teeth with every smile? However, there are also several other benefits that braces bring to patients.
Improved Chewing
When all your teeth are aligned, they should match well on both the top and bottom. With this proper alignment, chewing foods is much easier. You will even be less likely to get stringy foods stuck between your teeth.
Easier Maintenance
With straightened teeth, brushing and flossing become much more manageable. Your toothbrush can reach every part of each tooth more efficiently, and flossing also becomes simpler. No more having to reach at odd angles just to floss between two overlapping teeth, or struggling to get your toothbrush’s bristles in the right place.
Reduce Cavities
Now that your teeth are easier to clean, you’ll be at a decreased risk for tooth decay and periodontal disease. When your teeth are unaligned, there can be extra room for food to get stuck, where it can cause cavities and inflammation of the gums.
Help With Speech Impairments
The structure of our teeth plays a vital role in producing the sounds of languages. For patients with speech impairments, having straighter teeth can help them adjust and improve the sounds they make.
A Safer Bite
With teeth that are misaligned or protruding, you risk biting yourself while chewing or speaking. These bites can lead to sores or mouth infections, which no one wants to experience. Braces help keep your teeth’s positions in check.
Less Wear On Your Teeth
When your teeth are misaligned, they are more at risk for grinding and chipping. Braces help by moving your teeth into positions where they slot well between the upper and lower sets.
Do I Need Braces?
If your teeth don’t appear straight to you, there is a good chance you could benefit from braces. There is no definite line between people who need braces and those who can get by without them. However, below are some signs that you or your child might be a candidate for braces.
- Visibly crooked or crowded teeth
- Flossing and brushing around individual teeth are difficult
- Often biting your lip, tongue, or cheek on accident
- Teeth don’t close together when your rest your mouth
- Some speech sounds feel strained
- Difficulty and tiredness while chewing food.
Orthodontist Yucaipa
Dr. Shodhan will be able to tell early on if you or your child are candidates for braces. With children, we can assess any likely future problems with alignment from an early age. The sooner you begin orthodontic correction, the better the results will be.
How Long Do You Need Braces?
We understand that no teenager wants to spend all their high school years wearing braces. Even though they come in different colors, most patients want to spend as little time with braces as possible.
The truth is, the amount of time you will need braces can vary from patient to patient. The length of your or your child’s orthodontic treatment depends on the extent of alignment needed. Generally, we recommend starting sooner rather than later.
A full orthodontic treatment can take about 24 months on average. But there is plenty of room for variation. Patients who require only minor correction may spend as few as nine months with braces. Others who need a more thorough treatment can expect up to 30-36 months to gain the full benefits that braces have to offer.
Get Your Braces Today in Yucaipa
If the alignment of your teeth has been causing you or your child problems, then it may be worth your time to learn more about treatment options. Schedule an appointment today to receive an evaluation from Dr. Shodhan, the best dentist in Yucaipa.
During your or your child’s appointment, he will go over what your orthodontic treatment would look like. You’ll learn about a general timeline for your treatment and what end results you can expect. We are glad to answer all your questions and keep you informed every step of the way.
How we make dental care better
Multilingual staff
Our team speaks multiple languages to make sure our patients feel comfortable.
Affordable care
We offer transparent pricing and accept most PPO dental plans, FSAs, and HSAs.
Convenient scheduling
We offer online booking and same-day availability to make sure you’re seen ASAP.
Kind words from
our patients
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
200+ 5-star reviews!
Kind words from
our patients
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5
200+ 5-star reviews!
My wife and I are new to Dr. Shodhan's office and she has told me this is the best dental office she has ever been to. Dr. Shodhan is very gentle and his staff is always in a happy, fun kind of mood. We felt very comfortable!
Rob Sanders
Dr Shodhan is the best! I highly recommend his expertise. Plus his prices are very fair. Don't go to Mexico!! He is truly the best. I've had root canals and crowns done by Dr. Shodhan. I couldn't be happier with his work. PLEASE go see Dr. Shodhan!!
Larry Holloway
Schedule an
Appointment
Frequently Asked Questions
Like any type of orthodontic treatment, braces are bound to cause soreness or pain from time to time. These sensations occur because orthodontic appliances force your teeth to move through the jawbone and the gums. Typically, soreness occurs at the beginning of your treatment and when your braces are adjusted to advance the treatment and subsides within several days. Additionally, if braces rub against the soft tissue in the mouth and cause sores, you can use special dental wax to relieve the irritation.
Braces are suitable for people with a wide range and severity of orthodontic issues, such as:
- Overbite
- Underbite
- Crossbite
- Crowded teeth
- Gaps between the teeth
- Rotated teeth
Additionally, to have braces, you are required to have healthy teeth and tooth roots, jawbone, and gums, with no active decay or gum disease.
Both braces and clear aligners function in a similar way: they apply pressure to the teeth to make them gradually move and align in a desired way. Traditional braces are bonded to the teeth and have metal wires. Clear aligners are transparent plastic trays that are less noticeable in the mouth than braces and can be removed at will. Typically, aligners are considered more comfortable in daily use than traditional braces, but they may not be suitable for treating severe or complex cases of tooth and bite misalignment.
Typically, it takes 2 to 4 weeks to get braces, from your first consultation to the braces application. The appointment to bond braces to your teeth typically takes 1 to 2 hours.
To establish good braces care, it is recommended to adhere to the following rules:
- Maintain a thorough oral hygiene routine by brushing your teeth twice a day for 2 full minutes and flossing every evening.
- To effectively floss with braces, use special floss threaders to remove food debris and plaque between the teeth and underneath the wires.
- Avoid hard, crunchy, and sticky foods to prevent damaging your braces.
- Rinse your mouth after every meal or brush and floss your teeth if possible to prevent food debris from lingering between the wires.
The majority of dental insurance plans cover orthodontic treatments, including braces, only for dependents under the age of 18. However, braces coverage may also depend on whether or not it is a medical necessity or a purely cosmetic procedure.
When wearing braces, it is recommended to avoid hard, crunchy, and sticky foods, as they can damage or break the wires, making braces ineffective. Examples of food you should avoid with braces include nuts, popcorn, crackers, toffee, raw carrots, etc.
You may need to wear a retainer after braces if there is a risk of your teeth shifting back to their original positions. Some people may be recommended to wear a retainer for 1 to 2 years, while others will need to wear their retainer for longer (sometimes indefinitely at night) to preserve the results of their treatment.