Six Month Smiles in Silver Spring & Hyattsville, Md.
If you are considering braces, one thing that may be stopping you is the thought of wearing them for years. However, with Six Month Smiles from Dr. Allen Gotora and Stellar Dental, you can have a great smile in just months instead of years!
What is Six Month Smiles?
Straightening teeth with traditional braces can take as long as two years. Straightening teeth with Six Month Smiles (as the name implies) requires, typically, six months. For some patients it may take as few as four months, and for others it may take as long as nine months.
Who can get Six Month Smiles?
People typically think that braces just help to correct crooked teeth. However, Six Month Smiles can help many issues that can cause problems:
- Diastema, a space or a gap between two teeth;
- Overbite, the overlapping of the lower teeth by the upper teeth;
- Open bite, a disorder where the front teeth, both upper and lower, are forced outwards so that the upper and
- lower teeth don’t touch each other when the mouth is closed;
- Crowding and overlapping teeth; and/or,
- Canted midline, which occurs when the front teeth don’t line up properly along the facial midline.
What is the procedure to get Six Month Smiles?
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To determine if Six Month Smiles are right for you, Dr. Gotora will first want to perform a comprehensive examination of your teeth. Besides checking the health of your teeth and gums, he will also take X-rays, intraoral and facial photographs, and impressions of your teeth. These impressions will be used to make models that will be sent to the Six Month Smiles lab. There, they will determine the precise tooth movement necessary to correct the tooth issues. They will also determine how the braces should be placed.
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The brackets will be sent to your dentist in a custom-fabricated tray that will let Dr. Gotora place them exactly where they need to be on your teeth. When you come for your next appointment, Dr. Gotora will fit you with the clear brackets and the tooth-colored arch wires.
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He will apply an adhesive agent to the teeth and to the brackets, and then he will insert the tray onto your teeth and hold it in place until it is properly bonded to the teeth. The tray is removed, and the adhesive is hardened using a special light, to ensure that the brackets are securely attached to the teeth.
Once the brackets are set, Dr. Gotora will attach tooth-colored arch wires to the brackets and make any needed adjustments to them.
What happens after my Six Month Smile braces are placed?
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Immediately after your braces are placed, your teeth may feel tight and a little sore, because the teeth are moving into a new position. You can try an over-the-counter pain reliever for the soreness. But, one of the other advantages of Six Month Smiles is that teeth are less sore than with traditional braces.
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After your braces are placed, you will visit Dr. Gotora every four to five weeks so he can adjust your arch wires. This adjustment gradually moves the teeth into the right position. Adjusting the arch wires will only take about 10 to 15 minutes at a time. Your teeth may feel a bit sore after your braces are tightened.
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While you are wearing your braces it is very important to take good care of your teeth — after all, you want them to look great once the braces come off! Many orthodontists recommend brushing your teeth at least three times a day. Make sure you floss thoroughly as well.
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To help keep teeth healthy, avoid sticky foods, as they easily get stuck behind braces. Avoid hard foods, as these can break braces or the bond between the brackets and the teeth. Avoid sugary foods and drinks, since the sugar can be hard to get off of teeth.
What happens when my treatment is complete?
Once your braces are removed, you may need to wear a retainer. This might be a removable retainer that you have to wear at night or a permanent retainer on the back of your teeth. Retainers help to ensure that your teeth don’t move back into their old position.
How much will Six Month Smiles cost?
The cost of any dental procedure varies by patient. Dr. Gotora will be able to give you an estimate of the cost once he examines your teeth and determines exactly what will need to be done.
Six Month Smiles have been used for years with great success, and Stellar Dental is happy to be able to offer patients this procedure! Make an appointment today to talk to Dr. Gotora about Six Month Smiles. Stellar Dental has two convenient locations in Silver Spring and Hyattsville. Call (301) 754-1900 or (301) 853 1567 to make an appointment today!
