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orthodontist | Wayne Family Orthodontics

Holidays With Braces

By | Braces | No Comments

Holidays are coming up fast, and with them come parties, candy, and other treats. Unfortunately, many of these treats are damaging to your child’s braces. How do you make the holiday fun, while maintaining excellent oral health and not damaging any wires or brackets? Our office is here to help.

First, know what your child should not be eating. The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends avoiding such things as bubblegum, caramel, hard candy, hard pretzels, jelly beans, licorice, lollipops, popcorn, and taffy. These can damage your child’s braces and render them broken or less effective. They can also get stuck in between braces and increase the occurrence of cavities.

Second, help your child understand that there are many things they CAN still eat. To help guarantee this, volunteer to bring something they can eat to holiday parties, as is appropriate. Make sure your family treats are braces-friendly. Here are some options:

–thinly sliced apples sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar

–cheese platters

–brownies cut into holiday shapes and decorated

–orange slices dipped in chocolate

–peanut butter cookies (no nut pieces)

–fudge (no nuts)

–ice cream

–pumpkin pie

–fruit pie

–cake

Of course, when eating sugary snacks and treats, make sure to keep portions small, and have them rinse their mouth with water afterwards. Make sure to remind them to brush and floss extra-well that day.

For more information, call Wayne Family Orthodontics in Wayne, New Jersey at 973-341-3180. Dr. Muhammad Abey and our whole team will be happy to help you keep your smile bright this holiday season.

Types of Malocclusion & the Solution

By | Malocclusion | No Comments

Braces and other orthodontic treatments are used to treat malocclusion, which means having crooked teeth or a “poor bite.” One’s bite is the way the upper and lower teeth meet. Malocclusion is sometimes a cosmetic problem, but crooked teeth are also hard to care for properly. This can lead to tooth decay, or even tooth loss.

The most common kinds of malocclusion are:

Upper protrusion (overjet) – The upper front teeth are pushed forward. This can be caused by a small lower jaw or by thumb-sucking, which may cause the roof of the mouth to change shape. Upper protrusion is sometimes referred to as buck teeth or overjet.

Spacing or crowding problems – If a patient has too much or too little room in the mouth, spacing or crowding problems can occur. Crowding can keep the permanent teeth from coming in properly or at all.

Open bite – The upper and lower front teeth do not overlap, thus creating an opening straight into the mouth. An open bite can also be present on the side(s) of the mouth.

Overbite – If a patient has an excessive overbite, the upper front teeth sit too far over the lower front teeth. In extreme cases, this causes the lower teeth to bite into the roof of the mouth.

Underbite – The front lower teeth are in front of the front upper teeth.

Cross bite – A cross bite occurs when some or all of the upper teeth are on the wrong side of the lower teeth.

Rotated teeth – A tooth is turned or tipped.

For more information about malocclusion and to set up your next visit with our orthodontist, Dr. Muhammad Abey, feel free to call Wayne Family Orthodontics at 973-341-3180 today.

Don’t Let Bad Alignment Ruin Your Smile

By | Braces | No Comments

Don’t let bad tooth alignments ruin your smile. Fix your teeth with orthodontic treatments and braces designed to give you an aesthetically pleasing configuration of teeth that you can marvel over. You smile makeover into a mouth masterpiece can be achieved by contacting our team at Wayne Family Orthodontics for a consultation. We will gauge your current level of misalignment and help you determine what type of orthodontic braces could work best for you. Here are some of the benefits:

– Orthodontic braces promote healthier teeth and gums. Straight teeth are much easier to brush and floss than misaligned teeth.
– Straight teeth can fix jaw alignment issues and can help prevent Temporomandibular Joint Syndrome, also known as TMJ.
– Bite problems caused by misalignments can be fixed with orthodontic braces.
– Various types of clear braces can be near invisible and potentially removable for eating.
– With straighter teeth, self-esteem can drastically improve, as well as interactions in social settings and amongst peers.

If you are interested in learning more about our orthodontics services at Wayne Family Orthodontics, or would like to set up an appointment with Dr. Muhammad Abey, feel free to call us at 973-341-3180. Our office is located in Wayne, New Jersey. Come in now to learn all about what a straight smile can do for you!

How Do I Care for My Retainer?

By | Retainer | No Comments

Retainers are handy appliances that can keep your teeth in their correct positions after orthodontic treatment. They can help you maintain the straight and healthy smile you’ve worked so hard for. Because it helps you, you need to help it by cleaning and caring for it regularly. To help you do so, Dr. Muhammad Abey has some tips.

The first tip he has is to clean your retainer each time you clean your smile. You can clean your retainer by soaking it in denture cleaner. All you need to do is fill a cup with warm water, add the cleanser, and then add the retainer. Just let it soak for the recommended amount of time. When it is done soaking, rinse it off with water.

The second tip is to keep your retainer in a safe place. It’s important to put it in its little retainer box. Once it’s secure in its container, you need to place the container in a place that is free from harm as well as a place you won’t forget. This can be in your bathroom cupboard, bathroom drawer, or bedside table.

If you have any questions about how to care for a retainer in Wayne, New Jersey, please call our orthodontic team at Wayne Family Orthodontics. All you need to do is dial 973-341-3180 and we will be happy to give you the answers and information you need to keep your retainer in tip-top shape!

Take Your Oral Health Care to New Heights With Malocclusion Treatments

By | Malocclusion | No Comments

Not all smiles grow in straight. In many cases, teeth erupt above the gum line in a crooked pattern that can mar the appearance of your smile and even affect your oral health. These bad bites are referred to as malocclusions.

Take your oral health care to new heights with malocclusion treatments. For more information about malocclusion, see below:

– Misplaced midlines: The upper and lower incisors do not line up with the direct center of each other.
– Rotation malocclusions: Teeth are positioned out of alignment.
– Transposition malocclusions: Teeth erupt above the gum line in the wrong location.
– Overbites: The upper and lower incisors do not line up and the top sticks out.
– Spacing malocclusions: Irregular spaces and gaps between teeth.
– Underbites: The upper and lower incisors do not line up and the bottom ones stick out.
– Open bites: The upper and lower incisors do not line up when you bite down.

No matter the malocclusion treatment you desire, Dr. Muhammad Abey and our team at Wayne Family Orthodontics are here to give you the smile you want. If you would like to schedule an appointment to come see us at our dentist office in Wayne, New Jersey, please contact us at 973-341-3180 to speak with a member of our team. Come in and become a success story with a healthier smile today.

The Best Ways to Care for Your Retainer

By | Retainer | No Comments

Your retainer is made of sturdy and reliable materials. However, that doesn’t mean it can withstand anything. In fact, it’s very important to take good care of your retainer each and every day so it can do its job of keeping your smile straight and healthy. To help you keep your retainer in tip-top shape, Dr. Muhammad Abey and our orthodontic team have some recommendations for you.

Step No. 1: Store your retainer properly – If you keep your retainer in a safe and secure place, there is a small chance you’ll lose or damage it. So, to help you properly store your appliance, we recommend placing it in its case right after you take it out of your mouth. After doing this, put the case in a safe place, like your backpack, purse, pocket, or bathroom drawer. No matter what, do not keep the retainer in a hot environment. The hot temperature can warp and reshape it.

Step No. 2: Clean your appliance regularly – Make it a habit to clean your retainer each time you brush your teeth. To properly clean it, you can soak it in denture cleaner. All you need to do is put the cleanser pod into a warm cup of water, put the retainer in the cup, and let it soak for the time that is recommended on the cleaner label. When the time has passed, rinse the retainer with water before putting it back over your teeth.

If you follow these steps, there is a high chance you’ll maintain a strong retainer as well as a straight and top-notch smile. To learn more about how to take good care of a retainer in Wayne, New Jersey, please feel free to call Wayne Family Orthodontics at 973-341-3180 at your earliest convenience. Our orthodontic team will be happy to help you in any way we can!

Malocclusions Can Ruin Your Smile

By | Orthodontics | No Comments

Malocclusions are improper alignments of your teeth and jaw. If your teeth are out of alignment, the chances of optimum oral health care can drop drastically. Straight teeth are much easier to clean than crooked teeth and they are less likely to cause you issues in the future.

Malocclusions can ruin your smile. Here are some of the most common types:

– Underbites, also sometimes denoted as bulldog teeth, consist of the lower incisors protruding our further than the upper incisors.
– Overbites, also sometimes denoted as upper protrusions, overjets, or buck teeth, consist of the upper incisors (front teeth) protruding our further than the lower incisors.
– Some malocclusions consist of overcrowded teeth. In this case, there is not enough space between each tooth, causing overlay between the teeth, with bends and curvatures often taking place. Spacing issues can also refer to too much space between the teeth, resulting in abnormally large gaps.
– Open bites are malocclusions that have disconnected top and bottom incisors when biting down.
– Crossbites are malocclusions that happen when the lower jawbone protrudes further out than the upper jawbone.
– Deep bites, also sometimes denoted as closed bites, consist of extreme forms of overbites in which the lower incisors bite into the area behind the upper incisors.
– Misplaced midlines are malocclusions that happen when the center of your incisors fails to properly line up with the center of your lower incisors.
– Several other types of malocclusions include extra or missing teeth, various types of rotation issues, and transposition malocclusions.

If you have a misalignment issue and are looking for orthodontic treatments, you can contact Wayne Family Orthodontics to schedule an appointment with Dr. Muhammad Abey. We can be reached by calling us at 973-341-3180 or stopping by our office in Wayne, New Jersey. It’s never too late to treat your smile!

What to Do If Your Braces Are Hurting Your Smile

By | Braces | No Comments

If you are having trouble with your braces because they’re hurting your lips, cheeks, and gums, take heart. Orthodontic wax is here to help make your braces-wearing more comfortable. Orthodontic wax can cover the troublesome spots of your appliance and give you the relief you’re looking for. To help you properly place the wax, your orthodontist, Dr. Muhammad Abey, encourages you to follow these instructions:

Wash your hands: Make sure to wash your hands before you place the wax. You don’t want to introduce any bacteria to your mouth, especially if you have a cut or sore.

Brush your teeth: Brush your teeth with a soft-bristled toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste. This will help clean the area so you don’t trap any food particles or plaque under the wax and promote tooth decay and gum disease. This will also help keep the wax cleaner. If anything, remove the food that is stuck in the area where you plan to apply the wax.

Shape the wax: Take a small amount of wax—about the size of the area you’re going to cover—and roll it into a small ball. Roll the wax for at least five seconds. The warmth of your fingers will soften the wax and make it easier to place. Be careful not to use too much wax. Using too much can make the wax fall off.

Place the wax: Locate the sore areas of your mouth. Then, use your thumb and forefinger to press the ball of wax over the bracket or wire. Rub it back and forth a couple times to make it stick into place. The wax should stick out of your braces a little bit, forming a small lump.

Wearing braces doesn’t have to hurt if you know what to do. For more information and details about orthodontic wax in Wayne, New Jersey, please feel free to call Wayne Family Orthodontics at your earliest convenience. All you need to do is dial 973-341-3180 and our orthodontic team will be thrilled to help you!

The Steps to Expect During Your First Orthodontic Appointment

By | Orthodontics | No Comments

The orthodontic world is intimidating to many people. If you are one of these people, our orthodontic team is happy to tell you what to expect during your first orthodontic appointment in Wayne, New Jersey, so the experience is less intimidating and more comfortable.

When you come into Wayne Family Orthodontics and meet with your orthodontist, Dr. Muhammad Abey, you can expect the following treatment steps:

Step 1: The goal of this first appointment is to see if treatment is needed. So, your orthodontist will thoroughly examine your mouth by taking a series of X-rays and photographs. Then, he will give you an accurate diagnosis and will explain any orthodontic issues you might have.

Step 2: If treatment is necessary, our team will make impressions of your teeth. These impressions will help your orthodontist create a treatment plan just for you. Then, we will review your insurance benefits and will explain your financing options.

Step 3: Lastly, our team will describe the appliance your orthodontist recommends in detail. You will also receive a treatment time estimate.

As you can see, there is nothing to be afraid of during your first orthodontic appointment. For more information and details, please feel free to call our office today at 973-341-3180. We look forward to hearing from you!

How Retainers Can Keep Your Smile Straight After Braces

By | Braces, Retainer | No Comments

You’ve done it. You finished your time with braces and now you have a beautifully straight and even smile. Dr. Muhammad Abey has checked that your mouth is functioning well, and now it’s time to remove the braces! Now it’s time to make sure that progress stays with you by using a retainer.

The periodontal ligaments that anchor your teeth in your mouth are still trying to pull your teeth back to their original positions. The customized retainer our orthodontist makes for you will combat that pull. You will need to wear the retainer until the tension eases so there’s no more danger of relapse.

As the tension in the ligaments changes and relaxes, Dr. Muhammad Abey may tell you to change when you should wear your retainer during the day and how long you should wear it. You will likely need to wear your retainer for the same amount of time as you wore your braces

For the first few days after you start wearing a retainer, your mouth might salivate more. This is natural and to be expected. After a while, your mouth will adapt and your saliva production will return to normal.

If your braces are about to be removed, and you have questions about retainers, you can call Wayne Family Orthodontics’s office in Wayne, New Jersey at 973-341-3180 for a consultation.