Dennis J Flanagan DDS MS Blog Rockford Winnebago IL

Choices, choices, choices!

Posted on September 29, 2015 by Dr. Dennis Flanagan

In our practice, we like to put our patients first. It even says so in our mission statement. One of the many ways we put our patients first is by giving them options for how they can achieve the smile they have always wanted, or in many cases, very definitely needed.

We can do traditional orthodontic treatment with braces. In those cases, we have two options for the type of braces a patient will wear. The first option is metal braces made of high quality stainless steel. This is the type of appliance that everyone usually pictures what they think of braces. Our metal brackets are small and comfortable, and our patients can choose colored ties that go around the braces.

The second option is the latest clear ceramic braces, called Clarity Advanced. They blend in so well with the teeth that you hardly know that they are there. Unless, of course, you want to have colors on your clear braces, which also looks pretty cool. These high tech braces do not stain and are also very comfortable to wear.

The third option is Invisalign, a series of clear plastic aligners that can straighten your teeth. Everyone has probably seen the commercials and ads for Invisalign. The aligners are made of a thin, clear plastic that is very comfortable to wear, very unobtrusive, and are very “stealthy”. Invisalign is definitely the least noticeable option for straightening your teeth. Because they are removable, it’s also the option that is easiest for cleaning your teeth. The only change in what you do now is brushing your aligners when you brush your teeth.

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While we do offer all of theses options, not all of them may be appropriate for every case. The most important factor is what type of treatment will produce the best final result for each patient. Invisalign is not the best option in some cases because it does not treat certain problems as well as braces. Clear braces are not appropriate in certain situations because they are harder than the enamel on your teeth, and can damage the enamel. But these limitations only apply to a small percentage of patients.

Our philosophy in our practice is to always do what is best for the patient. Giving our patients options for the type of treatment and appliance they will have is doing “what is best for the patient”, so that is why we give our patients choices.

What is the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist who does orthodontics?

Posted on August 18, 2015 by Dr. Dennis Flanagan

In two words, a lot!
An orthodontist is a dental specialist trained in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics (which is the actual name of the specialty).
But what does that mean? As an orthodontist, we are trained to not only straighten teeth, but to also diagnose and treat abnormalities of growth and development of the jaws and face.

All orthodontists start out as general dentists. In order to become a trained and licensed orthodontist, you have to attend and graduate from an accredited dental school. After graduating from four years of dental school, you then must go through an additional two to three year residency in an American Dental Association accredited orthodontic training program. During an orthodontic residency, students spend approximately eight hours a day, five days a week learning how to diagnose and treat patients with all kinds of orthodontic problems. This includes classes in subjects such growth and development, mechanics, and statistics as well as treating patients hands-on. In all, an orthodontic resident will spend thousands and thousands of hours learning to do what we do.

Contrast this with a general dentist who does orthodontics (remember, even clear aligner treatment like Invisalign is orthodontic treatment). Like your family physician who can treat all different kinds of medical problems, your family dentist can legally perform all types of dental treatment. Unlike an orthodontist, however, a general dentist does not have to have thousands of hours of special training to provide orthodontic treatment for their patients. Most general dentists may only take a weekend course (without any hands-on training treating patients) before treating patients with orthodontic treatment in their office. To be fair, a general dentist may be able provide decent results treating simple orthodontic problems.

So to summarize, an orthodontist has thousands of hours of training and practices orthodontics full time. It is all we do. A family dentist has a very minimum amount of training and does orthodontic treatment part time in their office. Orthodontic treatment is more than just straightening teeth. It is a life changing event in the life of most children who undergo it. So ask yourself, who do you want treating your child? Your family dentist with a minimal amount of training, or a trained and licensed orthodontic specialist who does nothing but orthodontics?

Expansion appliance- what is it?

Posted on June 24, 2015 by Dr. Dennis Flanagan

What is an expansion appliance and what does it do?

Some children are born with an upper jaw that is too narrow and small. As a result, it does not fit correctly with the lower jaw. This causes a crossbite of the back teeth, and sometimes even the front teeth. An expansion appliance is used to make the narrow upper jaw grow wider.

This is possible because when we are born, our upper jaw is actually two separate bones, divided in the middle from front to back. These two bones grow together usually around the age of 17 or 18. Once this happens, an expansion appliance can no longer be used to spread the two halves of the upper jaw apart and make it grow wider. Adults need a surgery to make a narrow jaw wider.

It is best to correct a crossbite as early as possible, usually around the age of 7 or 8. This can prevent abnormal growth of both jaws. This is one type of first phase treatment, also called early treatment.

What does an expansion appliance not do?
It cannot make the lower jaw grow wider. This is because unlike the upper jaw, the lower jaw is one solid bone almost from birth.
It cannot prevent the extraction of permanent teeth in cases of severe crowding. Putting an expansion appliance in simply because a child’s teeth are crowded is not proper treatment. If the upper jaw is the correct size, making it wider with an expansion appliance will then make it not fit with the lower jaw.

If you are told that your child needs an expansion appliance or you think your child may need one, the best thing to do is consult an orthodontic specialist.