Category: Orthodontics

Orthodontic treatment is a great investment because it can last a lifetime. Overall health goes hand-in-hand with good oral health. Experiencing tooth problems or pain throughout your life can be miserable and costly. Avoid that pain and enjoy a beautiful and attractive smile that can boost your confidence.

Orthodontic treatment can solve numerous dental problems such as crooked and unevenly spaced teeth. Here are the benefits you can expect following a successful orthodontia plan at South Meadows Dental & Orthodontics in Reno, NV.

1. Improved Appearance

You deserve a smile that can light up a room. When your teeth are aligned, bright, and sparkly clean, you’ll have an appearance that creates a great first impression. Your smile is perhaps the most memorable part of any conversation, and you’ll thank yourself for making the confidence-boosting investment in orthodontic treatment.

2. Better Dental Hygiene

Dental hygiene affects your self-image and your relationships. Having straightened teeth helps your appearance, but it also motivates you to maintain your dental health. Straight teeth are easier to clean, making flossing and brushing more effective than when teeth were crowded or overlapping. This reduces the risk of developing cavities, gingivitis, or periodontal disease.

3. Reduced Wear of the Teeth

Unhealthy biting, due to misalignment, may result in uneven or excessive wear of your teeth. Wearing causes teeth to be fragile, worn, or broken. There is also risk of losing gum tissue and bone density, as a result of unhealthy stress placed on these supporting structures. Proper alignment of your teeth, through orthodontia, will help prevent such problems.

4. Positive Psychological Impacts

Having well-aligned teeth and a beautiful, healthy smile has a positive influence on your confidence and self-esteem. At South Meadows Dental & Orthodontics, we continuously encourage you to maintain the health and beauty of your teeth.

5. Successful Restorative Procedures

Through interdisciplinary collaboration, our dentists, Dr. Brian Struby and Dr. Jamie Smith, are best able to complete a restorative procedure when your teeth are aligned properly. Orthodontic treatment creates a strong foundation that allows other treatments to be more stable and successful in the future. This might involve procedures like replacing missing teeth using dental bridges or implants and restoring your teeth using porcelain veneers, dental fillings, and crowns.

Schedule a Consultation

Our friendly, dentists and board-certified orthodontist are here for your oral health needs. At South Meadows Dental & Orthodontics we can create a personalized treatment plan that meets your goals, giving you a healthy mouth and beautiful, straight smile. Schedule an appointment with us today by calling (775) 413-2976 or filling out our contact form online.

If you are wondering when to bring your child for an orthodontic evaluation, Dr. Meagan Struby and the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that kids should seen by the age of seven.

Why 7? At this point, most children have their 6-year molars and a few adult teeth.  Their skeletal pattern of growth is usually apparent at that time, as well. Although most kids do not require orthodontics at seven years old, it is wise to establish a baseline and /or intercept problems that have already arisen. Early treatment can improve future dental outcomes and, sometimes, boost a child’s confidence!

Orthodontic treatment at the appropriate age sets a better, less-complicated stage for their dental development. Prompt intervention may help to avoid extraction or even jaw surgery in the future.

Below are several issues that can be identified by Dr. Struby and treated, if necessary.

1. A Crossbite

A crossbite occurs when your child’s upper jaw is too narrow, which sometimes looks like the lower jaw swings to one side.  You might observe that when your child bites down, the face seems off-center or that they are chewing in a funny way. Expanders are used to treat crossbites.  Parents:  If you had an expander, as a child, there is a likelihood your child may need one as well.

2. An Underbite

This condition is usually a result of a mismatched growth between the upper and the lower jaws.  Either the upper jaw is too small or the lower jaw is too large.  Another possibility is that the upper teeth grew in angled backward. When such a problem is not treated early, there is a concern that it can lead to jaw surgery.

3. Severe Overbites

Depending on the severity of your child’s overbite, an early correction using a bite plate retainer may be recommended. Improving the deep bite at a young age, helps to reduce wear of the front teeth, may improve gum tissue support around the teeth, and allow for proper development of the lower jaw.

4. Digit Sucking, Tongue Thrusting, Nail Biting

Children with a thumb or finger sucking habit change the shape of their palate, with the posture of their tongue and thumb. This might cause airway problems, crowding issues, protrusion of teeth, and bite issues. Early treatment for such habits usually involves a “habit-reminder” appliance.

5. Severe Teeth Crowding

When your children have lost some of their baby teeth, the adult teeth should grow to replace them. However, adult teeth may come in sideways, too high, overlapping other teeth, or impacted.

In certain situations, it is important to align the crowded teeth, to foster better growth and development of the jaws and remaining teeth.

Schedule an Appointment

When in doubt, visiting a board-certified orthodontic specialist for a consultation will provide you with valuable information about your child’s future orthodontic needs.

If your child is experiencing such issues, contact us at South Meadows Dental & Orthodontics to book an appointment with Dr. Meagan Struby.

When it comes to getting specialty dental work performed, your regular dentist will likely refer you to an orthodontist. An orthodontist is different from a dentist because they have the experience and training to focus on issues like straightening teeth and correcting bites. Most people don’t think much about their dentist’s qualifications, so it can seem easy to ignore these for your orthodontist as well. However, it’s extremely important to choose the right orthodontist, just as you would any other medical professional.

As you look, you’ll start to notice that there are two main categories of orthodontists. These are board certified and non-board certified. While it makes initial sense to go with the orthodontist who is board-certified, it can still be helpful to understand what you’re getting from each category.

What Does Board Certified Mean?

It’s important to note that not all orthodontists choose to be board certified. This certification is done on a voluntary basis by the individual. The board that orthodontists answer to is the American Board Of Orthodontics, or ABO. The board evaluates each orthodontist who voluntarily applies to be board certified.

During this evaluation, each orthodontist undergoes a rigorous demonstration of their abilities. They have to bring actual detailed case reports of treating a variety of orthodontic issues at their practice to the board. Each person applying to be board-certified will need to showcase their knowledge, judgment, and clinical skills to a highly-respected panel of examiners.

The Four Main Objectives Of The ABO

The American Board Of Orthodontics utilizes four main objectives when evaluating candidates for board certification. Each one is aimed at enhancing the individual’s standard of practice of orthodontia. These goals are:

• Evaluate Knowledge And Clinical Skills By Conducting Exams
• Continued Re-Evaluation Of Knowledge And Skills For Recertification Exams
• Develop Quality Continuing Education Programs In Orthodontics
• Promote Certification Expertise Throughout The Globe

Getting Certified Takes Time

As the board certified experts at South Meadows Dental & Orthodontics know, it can take five to ten years for the initial process of certification! After certification has been granted by the ABO, each orthodontist must be recertified every ten years to maintain their status.

Having the title of Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics is a long way of saying “board certified,” but it’s something you can look for as you search for an orthodontist. Dental professionals who reach this title have undergone voluntary examination by their peers, meaning they’ve had their knowledge and clinical skills properly tested and continue to pursue proficiency in their knowledge going into the future.

Board Certification Isn’t Mandatory

As you’ve likely determined by now, board certification is not mandatory to practice in the orthodontic field. In fact, only about one third of orthodontists practicing in the United States are actually board certified. This sets those who are certified well apart from the rest in their field.

Given the choice of whether or not to choose a board-certified orthodontist, it simply makes sense to do so. They’ve proven to have the right knowledge and clinical skills in their field. And, the best part is that they continue to learn and practice as they’re required to get re-certified. As with everything, it comes down to making the best possible choice for your health and dental wellbeing.

Is Our Orthodontist Board-Certified?

Yes! Dr. Meagan Struby is a board-certified orthodontist with over 15 years experience.

Schedule a Consultation

Our team of board certified dentists and orthodontists are excited to meet and begin achieving your dental goals with the right treatment plan for you. To get started, we invite you to contact our Reno office by calling or filling out our online form.