Other Treatments

TMJ/TMD Treatment

Botox is a great way to treat symptoms from TMJ (temporomandibular joint) disorders and pain caused by tension in your jaw. When we inject Botox into your facial muscles that are afflicted with soreness and discomfort, Botox relieves the symptoms of TMJ and jaw tension by relaxing the muscles associated with the pain. The treatment can also eliminate chronic headaches and teeth grinding and help with minimizing lockjaw.

How Does Botox Treat Jaw Tension And TMJ Disorder?

Okay, here’s the skinny: on both sides of your head – at the point where the jawbone meets the skull, the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), which you use for talking, eating, drinking, and swallowing, can get sore from overuse. If this joint starts hurting, Botox can help relieve the pain by making your muscles less powerful, which can prevent excessive pressure on the joints from overactive muscles.

Where Do I Have to Go to Get Botox Injections?

Lucky for you, we can administer Botox right in our office. And best of all, most of our patients experience noticeable improvement within one to two days of their first treatment. And after two weeks, many of our patients find complete relief.

If you’re interested in learning more about Botox, fillers, and injectables, reach out to us today so that we can schedule you an appointment to learn more.

Other Treatment Options for TMJ

If Botox doesn’t sound like the treatment method for you, rest assured there are other options available for treating TMJ. For example, if your TMJ has been brought on by bruxism or teeth grinding, Dr. Meagan may suggest a mouthguard to prevent your teeth from grinding while you sleep. Some may also suggest anti-inflammatories, antidepressants, and muscle relaxants to relax the muscle and release tension.

If you’re looking for a treatment to relieve your TMJ symptoms, contact Silver Smiles Orthodontics today and request a free consultation with Dr. Meagan.

Two-Phase Treatment

Maintaining healthy teeth and gums requires regular orthodontic treatment. The majority of orthodontic cases only require a single phase of treatment; however, there are situations when a more intensive two-phase approach may be recommended. Two-phase treatment is an early orthodontic treatment used for treating malocclusions that may require two independent phases of treatment to correct.

The term “early orthodontic treatment” refers to the practice of correcting malocclusions prior to the full eruption of permanent teeth. Orthodontists often advocate starting treatment early because it increases the likelihood of a positive outcome and reduces the time and effort required to achieve those outcomes.

The typical age range for early intervention is between 6 and 9 years old. Issues that can be readily fixed with braces or other corrective equipment include crowding of the teeth, an extreme overbite or underbite, and other alignment problems.

Phase 1

During phase one, Dr. Meagan will examine your child’s teeth and jaw to determine the best course of action for correcting their alignment. Space maintainers and expanders and braces can be used to provide space for permanent teeth. This phase corrects your child’s bite and establishes a solid foundation for future orthodontic care or additional treatments.

Phase 2

Once the first phase is complete, we wait for the permanent teeth to erupt before moving on to the second phase. This may take a few months or a few years, depending on how severe the alignment problem is that is being corrected.

Phase two begins once all adult teeth have erupted and the jaw has matured. In this last phase, we will use braces or aligners to correct any issues with their teeth and jaw that weren’t addressed in the first, resulting in a confident smile. Your child may need metal braces or clear aligners, but this will depend on their individual circumstances.

It’s difficult to determine if your child may need two-phase treatment on your own. Silver Smiles Orthodontics suggests bringing your child in for a consultation by age seven. It is around this time that we can determine if a two-phase treatment is right for your child. Dr. Meagan can review your child’s X-rays, conduct a dental exam, learn about your child’s hygiene habits, and decide the best course of action. If your child is ready for their first orthodontic visit, contact us today to request a free consultation.

Botox & Filler

Nothing Goes Better With a Great Smile Like Glowing Skin

Why Orthodontics & Injectables?

As an orthodontic practice, our doctors are specially trained to diagnose, prevent, and treat a number of dental and facial irregularities, including neuromuscular and skeletal abnormalities of the developing or mature orofacial structures. This means our doctors are uniquely qualified to properly diagnose and prescribe the appropriate application of orthodontic interventions that include using injectables like Botox. In fact, many state medical boards already officially recognize and support orthodontists offering their patients injectables for both therapeutic and cosmetic applications.

What Is Botox?

The benefits of Botox go way beyond preventing wrinkles. In fact, Botox has several therapeutic benefits as well. For example, Botox can be used to treat trigger point pain, spasms of the eyelids, neck spasms, migraines, teeth grinding or clenching as well as Bells Palsy, to name a few.

By far, Botox is the most common non-invasive cosmetic treatment with over 6 million Botox treatments administered each year, according to Medical News Today.

How Does Botox Work?

Botox is a highly purified protein manufactured by Allergan that comes in the form of an injectable medication. It works by blocking the signal from the nerves to the muscles, which prevents them from contracting. This causes wrinkles to relax and soften. Beyond the aesthetic applications, Botox has also been proven useful in treating many medical conditions like the ones listed below.

Benefits of Botox

Currently, Botox is approved for over 20 different medical conditions, including the following therapeutic applications:

• Trigger point pain
• Blepharospasm (spasm of the eyelids)
• Idiopathic rotational cervical dystonia (severe neck and shoulder muscle spasms)
• Chronic migraine
• Teeth grinding and/or clenching
• Strabismus (crossed eyes)
• Post-stroke upper limb spasticity
• Hemifacial spasm

Aesthetic Benefits of Botox

Here are some of the many cosmetic uses and benefits of Botox:

• Reduces fine lines and wrinkles in the forehead, neck, and around the mouth
• Gives a refreshed appearance and enhances a beautiful smile
• Gives a refreshed appearance and enhances a beautiful smile
• Lift your lips

5 Myths of Botox Debunked

1. Botox Is Poison

In order for Botox to be poisonous to you, you’d have to receive over 2,500 to 3,000 units – that’s 25 to 30 vials! A typical Botox treatment only uses between 50 to 100 units at most. This small dose is well under the 2,500 to 3,000 units you would need to experience a serious health risk.

2. Botox Will Give You A “Frozen” Look

The only people who end up with a “frozen” look are patients that went to a doctor that was not experienced in administering Botox. The key to natural-looking results is to get the treatment done by an experienced doctor that understands the correct amount needed to achieve the best results. After all, the goal isn’t to paralyze all muscle functionality but rather to relax over-contracted muscles that are causing your wrinkles.

3. Botox Will Erase Your Wrinkles

Unfortunately, Botox won’t erase all of your wrinkles. The truth is there are two types of wrinkles – dynamic and static. Botox treats dynamic wrinkles by relaxing the muscle, thus improving the appearance of these wrinkles. However, static wrinkles don’t respond to Botox and require further aesthetic treatment. Our doctors can talk to you about which treatment is best for static wrinkles if you are interested.

4. Botox Is Only Used For Aesthetic Reasons

Not true. Botox can alleviate chronic migraines, teeth clenching, teeth grinding, and numerous other issues. Many of our patients when they get Botox for their forehead wrinkles notice that they have fewer headaches as a result. If you do suffer from teeth grinding, clenching, or any other issue listed above, give us a call and we can schedule an appointment for you to talk to our doctors about the best treatment for you.

5. Botox Has Immediate Results

Post-injection results aren’t instantaneous. Expect to see results within 1 to 3 days after. You’ll see maximum results between 7 to 12 days after you’ve been injected with Botox.

What Are Fillers?

As we get older our facial tissues begin to sag and we lose volume in our cheeks and under our eyes. With fillers, we’re able to restore the volume in your face so that you look younger and better–rested.

Not all fillers are created equal. In fact, different fillers do different things like:

• Plump up thinning lips
• Enhance or fill in shallow areas on the face
• Lift and define contours of the face to restore facial volume lost during aging
• Fill in or soften the look of recessed scars

What Are Fillers Made Of?

The most commonly used fillers are made of hyaluronic acid and are recognized by brand names such as Juvederm, Restylane, and Belotero. What’s cool about hyaluronic acid is that it’s a naturally occurring molecule found in your body that attracts and retains water. When injected into your shallow areas your face will feel lifted, defined, and more you!

How Long Do Fillers Last?

Depending on the product and the patient, the results can last from 12 to 24 months. Not bad, right?! If you’re interested in learning more about fillers, reach out to us today so that we can talk to you about your options.

Where Do I Go To Get Injectables?

Lucky for you, we can administer Botox right in our office. And best of all, most of our patients experience noticeable improvement within 1 to 2 days of their first treatment. And after 2 weeks, many of our patients find complete relief.

If you’re interested in learning more about Botox, fillers, and injectables, reach out to us today so that we can schedule an appointment to learn more.

Retainers

Retainer Instructions

How To Wear & Care For Your Retainer

Congratulations! Now that you have your braces off and are ready to smile, there are a few things you need to know:

• Wear your retainer EVERY night for two years after treatment. After the first two years, please continue to wear it, but it might not need to be an every-night commitment by that point. If your retainer feels tight when it goes in, your teeth are shifting and you need to be wearing it more often. Retention is a lifetime commitment.
• In the morning, take your retainer out and clean it with soap and cold water, and PUT IT IN YOUR CASE. You can also use denture-cleaning tablets to soak your retainer.
• Keep your retainer away from any kids or pets (if it’s not in your face, it’s in your case!)
• If you do happen to miss a few nights, make them up by wearing your retainer a little longer each day.
• Retainers are $200 each to replace ($400 for a set).
• You can also inquire about our Retainer Insurance plan to learn about alternative pricing.
• Please bring your retainer to every check-in appointment!
• Enjoy your new smile! If you have any questions, please contact our office.

Retainer Insurance

Secure the Investment You’ve Made In Your Awesome New Smile

The Details:

• $600 for the insurance plan
• Plan gets you up to two sets of retainers per year for five years after treatment
• Each retainer has a co-pay of only $20
• This provides savings of up to $1,600

Without insurance, each set of replacement retainers costs $250.

Common reasons patients need replacement retainers include dogs eating their retainer, worn-out retainers, retainers thrown away by mistake, and broken retainers.