Most impacted permanent canines are symptomless and most patients and parents of young patients are unaware of such impactions until they are informed of this clinical circumstance by a dentist. Frequently the deciduous (baby) canine will still be present, as such, poses for less of an esthetic issue than if the deciduous canine had exfoliated leaving an obvious space. Ectopic development of these permanent canines can lead to resorption of the roots of adjacent permanent teeth and future impactions of the canines, without early orthodontic therapy.

The prevalence of impacted upper permanent canines in the United States is 0.92% with females being at a higher risk than males (2:1). Genetics as well as other factors such as missing permanent lateral incision, and displaced lateral incisions one reasons that can contribute to impaction of upper canines.

The key to clinical success in treating maxillary canines that are ectopically positioned is early detection and early orthodontic treatment. At Saba Orthodontics we have been very successful with early treatment using palatal expanders, with or without extraction of primary (baby) canines at 6-7 years of age. This treatment typically takes approximately 6 months and can help avoid resorption of roots of lateral incisors, as well as future surgical exposure of the permanent canine.

Ectopic upper canine eruptive development can be unpredictable, and “cook book” approaches should be avoided for individual patients. For more information visit our website (www.sabaortho.com) or call 703-404-7222.

Definitions:

Ectopic Eruption: malposition of a permanent tooth within the arch.

Impaction: wrong positions of a tooth or teeth within the jaw bone which leads into its/their inability to erupt into the dental arch.

When this sort of treatments first started, the braces, the band and the wire were visible and quite often inhibited people from smiling and exposing their treatment to the world at large. Technology has since improved, so that such braces are not visible and such hidden braces are fixed behind the teeth. Treatment with braces can last from a couple of months to a couple of years depending on the severity of the problem. The braces need to be adjusted regularly by an orthodontist to ensure the proper alignment of the teeth.

Hidden braces are also called lingual braces and are fixed to the inside of the teeth. The mechanism with such braces is the same as the conventional braces and use is made of brackets and wires, which however are not visible to other people. With one type of lingual braces, known as Incognito braces, the brackets have to be individually designed for each tooth, using a computerized 3D technology which uses a scanned image of all the teeth provided by your orthodontist. The arch wires are robotically bent to facilitate orthodontic tooth movement in a more efficient manner. Your orthodontist works very closely with the lab to design the appropriate appliance system for your mouth, keeping the end result of your treatment in mind. Incognito braces are far superior to any other type of lingual braces that do not use the customization technique, in terms of comfort and treatment efficiency. Treatment time is reduced with Incognito braces, compared to all other types of braces, both the visible and hidden kinds.

Hidden braces work in the same way as normal braces. They are a much better cosmetic solution, as they are never seen and the person wearing them need not worry about smiling and announcing to the world that he or she is using braces to correct teeth defects. Normal braces do have a tendency to have food particles caught in them and this can at times be embarrassing. Even if food particles do get caught in hidden braces, they are not visible to outsiders because the braces themselves are not visible.

It takes two to three weeks to get used to hidden braces, because the tongue always feels they are an obstruction. There can also be speech problems for a week or two. These types of braces are available to anyone, adults and teenagers, however they have specially accommodated those who are about to get married within a few month and would like some improvements of their smile before the wedding day. Incognito braces are the best option for celebrities, and high school students who are about to graduate and do not want to show their braces. Lingual braces are an ideal option for athletes, involved in contact sports. As they will not have to worry about the braces tearing their lips in case of an accidental fall.

For more information on Incognito braces visit our website, www.sabaortho.com

Incognito is the most popular lingual device in the European Union, USA and Russia. Advantages that make it extremely attractive to adults and adolescents are quick results with minimum efforts. After impressions are taken from your mouth, Dr. Saba, a certified Incognito provider, studies exactly how she wants to move your teeth resulting in excellent results and a more convenient and comfortable orthodontic experience. She relays this information with the lab that will manufacture your Incognito brackets from gold.

The Incognito lab uses computer aided design technology resulting in a state of the art appliance, this technique works for patients with all kinds of different malocclusions. It is completely invisible, easy to keep clean and the only one who knows you are having orthodontic treatment is you. The wide bracket bases improve adhesion and the gold alloy used to make these braces is very hard and as thin as possible, this in itself is a big advantage in patient comfort.

Who can wear Incognito Braces?

• Athletes who play contact sports and are worried about having lip injury while playing sports from the traditional braces.
• Professionals who are in constant contact with customers.
• Musicians who traditional braces may make it uncomfortable for you to play your musical instrument, or just don’t want to show your braces, you can wear Incogntio.
• If you are self conscious of your appearance and would not feel confident wearing traditional braces or if you are about to get married and want to have straighter teeth by your wedding day without showing your braces, Incognito is the best option for you.
• If you qualify for tradition metal braces or Invisalign, you can wear Incognito braces.

Dr Shadi Saba offers this treatment in her Sterling,Va office. Call today for a free consultation (703-404-SABA) or learn more about Incognitio on our website!

Allergic rhinitis, where the nasal mucosa swells and blocks the flow of air through the nose, forces the child to breathe through his mouth. Most allergens that can cause this are usually airborne particles, such as smoke, foods and pets.

While there is a genetic inclination to develop allergies, research has shown that early treatment of allergic disease can alter the course of allergic symptoms for a lifetime.

The adenoids and tonsils may be enlarged in response to infection of the nose and sinuses. Since allergy predisposes to infection, allergies should be controlled before the adenoids and tonsils are removed. It is best to follow the recommendations of your pediatrician or your allergist for the best time to remove enlarged tonsils or adenoids

Asthmas, nasal polyps, foreign bodies, deviated nasal septa, are among other reasons a child may have difficulty breathing through his nose.

Treatment of nasal airway obstruction and mouth breathing should involve a multi-disciplined approach. The orthodontist is uniquely qualified to monitor the growing face and treat an undesirable growth pattern, with growth modification techniques. Dr. Saba has been actively involved with treating children with mouth breathing conditions in Loudoun County for the past eight years. She works very closely with other health care professionals such as otolaryngologists, allergists, and pediatricians ensuring early detection and treatment of breathing conditions.

Research suggests that an altered respiratory pattern, such as breathing through the mouth rather than the nose, could change the posture of the head, jaw and tongue. This in turn can affect the growing face. The alterations will occur in the muscles associated with the face, jaws, tongue and neck. The abnormal pull of these muscle groups on bones of the face and jaws slowly deforms these bones, eventually creating an open bite, where the front teeth cannot meet when the mouth is completely closed. The earlier in life this abnormal breathing condition takes place, the greater the alterations in facial growth will be.

The greatest increments of growth occur during the earliest years of life. By age nine most of the growth of the upper jaw in a forward and lateral direction is completed, and by twelve, 90 percent of the growth of the lower jaw has already occurred. Consequently, if a child has chronic nasal obstruction during the early critical growing years, facial deformities result, some subtle, some more noticeable. An Orthodontist is a dental specialist who is trained to diagnose and treat such conditions early on to avoid future complications that would require radical treatments such as jaw surgery.

If mouth breathing is not detected and/or treated early in childhood, by adolescence, the undesirable changes in growth of the facial skeleton, i.e. skeletal open bite, will manifest itself. The condition described as skeletal open bite is characterized by excessive vertical growth of the upper jaw (especially in the back of the mouth), coupled with backward rotation of the lower jaw, as well as excessive eruption of upper and lower molars. This type of open bite can be treated by an orthodontist, before the growth of the facial skeleton is complete. The treatment involves a growth modification strategy using extraoral appliances, or intraoral removable appliances to achieve ideal results.

Dr. Saba recommends examining all children no later than age seven for an orthodontic evaluation. Her goal is to eliminate all habits and any unusual breathing patterns before adolescence. Dr. Saba believes that significant growth modification is possible only in patients who are still growing actively, i.e. prior to loss of all baby teeth.

For more information contact Dr. Saba at her orthodontic office or call (703) 404-SABA (7222) for a complimentary orthodontic evaluation!

What are TMJ’s? (TMD’s) Temporomandibular disorders (TMD’s) are called “TMJ” in laymen terms. TMD/TMJ is a term that describes diseases involving the jaw joint, the disc, as well as the muscles that control jaw movements. TMJ’s have a component of function other than that of muscle-induced movement, namely, occlusion (“the bite”). Each time the teeth are together, a new force is generated by the meshing teeth. This force establishes a precise, rigid end point of jaw movement and dictates its final position relative to the temporal bone (base of the skull), a position that may or may not be in harmony with the one established by the muscles alone. Disharmony between the effect of the bite and that of muscle action may induce masticatory dysfunction or cause overloading of the disc within the joint. Besides a bad bite other factors that may contribute to TMJ symptoms are trauma to the face/jaw, clenching of the teeth, excessive gum chewing, systemic diseases, such as arthritis as well as stress and tension which are known to aggravate an existing TMJ problem.

The first step in definitive therapy is an accurate, confirmed diagnosis. Assuming that a diagnosis has been made, including what is wrong, where, and why, your doctor (Orthodontist) should be able to make a reasonably accurate prognosis as to how the future will unfold. Your Orthodontist should be able to predict to what degree therapy can be expected to produce favorable results, something of the time factor involved, what treatment modalities may be required, and what residual or progressive symptoms or conditions may remain for future consideration.

To find out if your TMJ symptoms can be treated with Orthodontics alone, please contact our office to set up a complimentary TMJ exam and consultation with Dr. Saba. Are you still wondering what are TMJ’s? (TMD’s) Contact Dr. Saba today!

With the iBraces™ System you get efficient, effective tooth movement and a great aesthetics solution to the traditional metal braces. Not only do patients love the “hidden” benefits of iBraces™, but additional benefits include:

• IBraces™ are customized for each patient; perfect for women, men, teenagers and adults.
• iBraces™ are more comfortable than traditional lingual braces and patients experience minimal discomfort and speech interference.
• Fewer adjustments, which mean fewer visits to the orthodontist.
• iBraces™ are flexible enough to be suitable for most orthodontic patients.
• iBraces™ are made from gold, nickel allergies are not a concern.

iBraces™ are the only 100% customized fixed appliance system for invisible orthodontic treatment on the U.S. market today. They are created using state-of-the-art technology and are completely customized to the shape of your teeth and to your dental situation. They have the unique prescription that your orthodontist creates for you built-in, to ensure you get the desired results that you want. Special instrumentation, equipment, doctor and staff training are required for this technique. These braces can be used on both arches or in combination with outside clear braces on the lower teeth.

Here is a video that will help you see what it is like!

Professional adults, musicians who play instruments, teens, athletes, models and more are gaining beautiful smiles without the interference or appearance of traditional braces.   Be sure to do your research.  Not all lingual braces are created equal, nor are the orthodontist who offer the treatment.

Saba Orthodontics provides iBraces™ as a treatment option and our staff is iBraces™ certified. Ask us about iBraces™ today!