What's the point of these rubber bands? Do I really have to wear them all the time? What if I double up at night?

Many people who go through orthodontic treatment are required to wear elastics or rubber bands toward the end of their braces.  Elastics are used to help correct a patient's bite into an ideal position.  Whether you are in braces or Invisalign, the importance of elastics is essential. 

At our Akron orthodontic office, Dr. Barnett and Team work tirelessly on patient education to make this point about cooperation clear.  Without a patient doing the work, the end will never be in sight. 

There are different circumstances that could require the use of elastics; such as, an overbite, an underbite, or a crossbite.  Elastics are connected directly onto the brackets on a specialized hook designed to secure the rubber band in place.  They connect from top to bottom.  The pull of the rubber bands helps to move the teeth into the correct positions by stimulating the cells in the bone surrounding the teeth; therefore, the teeth then shift into the new correct position.  This is only successful when the elastics are worn full time, about 21-22 hours a day.  Part time cooperation will never make progress. As the bone begins the process of changing but when not worn consistently, it always has to “begin again.”  Thus no progress is made.

In today’s busy times, we find more and more people struggling with cooperation.  Whether it is forgetting after a meal to replace them, sports or activities that interfere, or just the "annoyance" of wearing rubber bands in general, some people just can't seem to commit.  Patients think that "doubling-up" on elastics will suffice; some will wear two elastics on each side at bed time and wear nothing during the day.  As brilliant as this seems, it does not work.  The teeth need constant light pressure in order to move.     

          Commonly we hear kids say they forget to put them in after lunch.  If you struggle with this, try setting an alarm/reminder on your cell phone to go off after lunch. Another idea is to keep a bag of elastics as a bookmark in your textbook for the first class after lunch. You can also try placing the rubber bands on a finger while snacking.

          If you really cannot commit to the cooperation, talk with your orthodontist about a non-compliant approach to bite correction.  We use a lot of “fixed” appliances to correct bites.  Ultimately though, each individual patient is in charge of his or her future.  Take some ownership to the process and achieve that awesome result!

---->CHECK OUT THIS FUNNY CLIP WE HAD ONE OF PATIENTS MAKE<---- br="">

 

From Both Sides of the Orthodontic Chair

A writing by Taylor, first a patient and now an assistant at Barnett Orthodontics:

Throughout middle school and the beginning of high school I had begged my parents for braces. I saw all of my friends with them and for some reason was just fascinated with the whole process. I was always so happy and excited for anyone who finally got their braces off and had that PERFECT smile-- I was even a little jealous. Although my smile wasn't horrendous, I still wanted the perfection that came with braces.

My family and I had gone for a consultation with an orthodontist (not Barnett Ortho) who wanted to treat me for 4-5 years.  My parents and I could not see any reasoning behind all this extensive work, time and money.  My teeth were not all that bad!  

We then decided to get a second opinion and came to Barnett Orthodontics. From the moment I walked in the office, we simply loved it! Everyone was so friendly and welcoming and I felt a lot more comfortable than in the previous office. Dr. Barnett had a different idea about my treatment and my parents were a lot more excited about choosing this office for me. 

I was always so excited about my appointments and seeing the improvements that came with them! Loving my braces so much actually inspired me to go to a school for a degree in dental assisting. Dr. Barnett was so supportive and allowed me to come to his office to observe and even complete my externship hours for school! He and the team are so helpful, great teachers, and just as friendly as I had thought with my first impression of the office! I loved the job the assistants had and felt like I really fit in well with the team. Dr. Barnett and the team thought the same thing and after completing school and interviewing, Dr. Barnett offered me a position to be a permanent member of his team. I was so excited! 

I cannot be more thankful my family had made the decision to originally come to Barnett Orthodontics; my smile looks amazing and I know it will for years to come.  Some of my friends who had gone to other offices have good, but not-great smiles.  I love connecting with patients and seeing their excitement as their smile changes- just as I had been during my treatment. 
 
Knowing that I am helping patients build their confidence by acquiring great smiles is a wonderful feeling and I have Dr. Barnett and the team members of Barnett Orthodontics to thank for the great experiences and opportunities to come!  We're proud to me the premier provider of orthodontic services to Akron and it's surrounding communities.  

Come check out for yourself!

Dentists and Orthodontists Need to Work Together

Seeing your dentist every six months is an important part of any orthodontic treatment. Sometimes, it makes the difference in the final aesthetics of the smile.

There's nothing more gratifying than taking off someone's braces and seeing them smile. It's truly an amazing moment and we feel lucky to get to experience it daily at Barnett Orthodontics. Smile after smile, there's nothing better.

There are some patients however, who as part of their treatment plan, don't get that instant gratification the day their braces are removed. Instead, they need to wait on their dentist to cosmetically alter their teeth now that they have been straightened. These cases, require multiple disciplines of dentistry to work together to obtain an ideal result. While often more complicated to work on, it's sometimes even more gratifying to see the final result.

Jeff B's teeth are a great example of one such case. Congratulations on finishing your treatment! What a change...and a special thanks to Dr. Tim Cox for doing an amazing job on the cosmetic dentistry to fix the two front teeth.

Making Akron area patients' smile is a TEAM effort.

Instant Orthodontics? Staight teeth in 6 Months???

Recently I had a patient ask me about an advertisement promising to treat ANYONE with braces in only SIX months. As the old saying goes, if it sounds unbelievable, then it probably is. I suppose it's not a totally false statement, it's just an incomplete promise, an incomplete result and very misleading.

The truth of the matter is that almost anyone's teeth can be improved or straightened rather quickly--in about six months. But to perfect the alignment and to correct the bite, it takes considerably longer. Unfortunately, across the US and on-line (not in Akron Ohio) some individuals are promoting their six month braces as a better option than conventional orthodontic treatment. They promise it is more comfortable, more aesthetic, healthier and most importantly to the consumer, FASTER.

Wanna get rich quick, want to lose tons of weight, regrow all your hair, make money from the comfort of your own home, have braces on your teeth for as little as six months...get the point.

Make sure you're an educated consumer. Do your research and chose wisely.