Orthodontics

At our office, we know image can be everything. At an age when image is so important, the thought of having braces may intensify the already-delicate confidence of today's teens. Well, May is National Teen Self-Esteem Month, and during this time, parents are encouraged to act as positive role models, help stop negative self-images, and improve confidence and security among teenagers.

One of the great ways to improve your confidence is to improve your smile. And that begins with a consultation at our office. After all, what better time to avoid having crooked teeth in your adulthood than coming in for a consultation?

We invite you to give us a call to schedule a consultation or ask us on Facebook!

The number one goal of orthodontic treatment is to give you or your child a good bite, meaning straight teeth that work well with the teeth in the opposite jaw. A good bite makes it easier for you to eat, chew and speak. It can enhance your dental health and your overall health, and may well improve your self-esteem. As a part of your comprehensive dental health care plan, orthodontic treatment can help you retain you teeth—and your smile—for a lifetime.

Let your smile express yourself! Nothing can show the world how happy you are quite like a beautiful smile. In fact, it’s one of the first things others notice about you, too. With orthodontics, you can be proud to flash your smile, because you’ll know that your smile truly represents your positive attitude.

Make your mouth healthy! Straight teeth aren’t just pretty, they’re healthy as well. Teeth that are properly aligned are easier to clean, reducing the amount of plaque buildup and risk for gingivitis. The cleaner you keep your teeth, the longer they’ll last!

Feel free to live your life! Orthodontics is easier today than ever before, with treatment options that fit your lifestyle and schedule. From clear braces to removable aligners and totally invisible lingual (behind the teeth) braces, we can personalize your treatment to suit all your needs.

Did you know that back in 2002, Tom Cruise had braces? During this time, he was 40 years old and filmed Minority Report, Austin Powers in Goldmember and the Last Samurai. Check out his smile in Jerry Maguire, Rain Man or The Firm and compare to the post-braces Tom Cruise in Valkyrie or Tropic Thunder. The fact is, movie stars need to look their best for the silver screen, and it wouldn't be possible without orthodontists like Dr. Nirenblatt.

In fact, lots of Hollywood stars have had orthodontic treatment. Check out this slideshow of famous faces with braces. If you’ve thought about getting the perfect smile you’ve always wanted, please give Nirenblatt Orthodontics a call.

Rubber bands, or elastics, can be an integral aspect of orthodontic care, so if Dr. Nirenblatt has prescribed elastics as a part of your treatment, it’s important to follow the directions fully. Elastics help to align your bite or cause teeth to move in different directions and straighten more quickly. We will instruct you how to hook one end to an upper bracket and the other end to a lower bracket so the rubber band goes vertically or diagonally from one bracket to another. The tension of the rubber band produces pressure on the bracket, which causes the teeth to move and straighten. This tension is also sufficient to correct an overbite or an under bite in the jaw.

If rubber bands are a part of your treatment plan, there are a few things to keep in mind. With rubber bands, you won’t be able to open your mouth fully, so they will have to be removed when you eat and reapplied after meal time. Many times, rubber bands are only needed at night, so you won’t need to worry about eating with them. Also, if you try to open your mouth too wide, your rubber bands might snap – so be careful!

Failure to wear your elastics full time or as instructed can lengthen your treatment time and may make it more difficult to achieve an optimal result. But don’t worry; your time in elastics will be well worth it when you see your beautiful, new smile.

Dr. Bradley Nirenblatt and our team know having an attractive smile puts a spring in your step—or two—as well as increases your self-confidence, no matter if you’re 14 or in your late forties. Smiling not only makes people happy and puts them in a good mood, doing it often can even help you live longer, according to previous studies!

If you’ve been hiding your smile because you have crooked teeth or gaps between your teeth, it’s time to consider orthodontic treatment at Nirenblatt Orthodontics. You’ll be pleasantly surprised to learn how quickly and efficiently today’s most advanced correction techniques can straighten your smile! Dr. Nirenblatt offers a variety of orthodontic treatments, all customized to create the best results possible. As an Invisalign® Preferred Provider, he has worked with hundreds of patients to help them achieve a straight smile without sacrificing aesthetics and convenience. In addition to Invisalign and Invisalign Teen™, Dr. Nirenblatt also offers traditional clear braces, In-Ovation® Lingual Braces, temporary anchorage devices, and Tip-Edge Plus System of braces.

Don’t hide your smile any longer—give us a call today to schedule yours or your child’s orthodontic consultation.

Dr. Bradley Nirenblatt and his team are always available to answer your questions about your teeth and orthodontic treatment. We strive to provide our patients with quality care in a warm, family-friendly environment.

We also recognize that the most important questions are our responsibility to answer. Some of the questions that we hear in the office include:

-- Is it going to hurt?
-- Am I getting a shot?
-- How long will this take?
-- How much longer will I be in treatment?
-- Do I have to wear retainers?
-- How long do I wear retainers?

We also encourage you to ask us:

-- How is my oral hygiene?
-- Am I wearing my rubber bands enough?
-- If I wear retainers all the time, will it help my teeth from shifting in the future?
-- After treatment is over, will my teeth ever shift again?
-- Will I have to wear my retainers forever?

The next time to you have an appointment with us at Nirenblatt Orthodontics, please let us know if you have any questions. We want your orthodontic experience to be informative and comfortable.

There are a variety of foods Dr. Bradley Nirenblatt wants you to avoid while you're wearing braces. Some foods can occasionally damage braces, but certain foods can bend the wires or even break the brackets on your braces. If you’re wearing braces, you should avoid starch, sugar and gummy foods, as these foods can be difficult to remove during brushing. Foods that are high in sugar and starch tend to cause plaque, cavities and even tooth decay.

Avoid tough meats, hard breads and raw vegetables such as carrots and celery. Before long, you'll be able to bite a cucumber again. But you'll need to protect your orthodontic appliances when you eat for as long as you're wearing braces.

Foods you should avoid include:

• Chewy foods: bagels, hard rolls, licorice
• Crunchy foods: popcorn, ice, chips
• Sticky foods: caramels, gum
• Hard foods: nuts, candy
• Foods you have to bite into: corn on the cob, apples, carrots

Also, chewing on hard things (for example, pens, pencils or fingernails) can damage the braces. Damaged braces will cause treatment to take longer.

If you have any questions on which foods you should be avoiding and why, we invite you to give Nirenblatt Orthodontics a call or ask our staff during your next visit.

Some people ask why Dr. Bradley Nirenblatt and our team work so hard to give our patients straight teeth. Of course it’s nice to have a smile full of evenly-aligned teeth, but did you know that having straight teeth can also keep them healthier? In fact, straight teeth collect less plaque which make them less prone to decay and easier to keep clean! Flossing and other good dental health habits are also much easier when teeth are straight. With straight teeth leading to better oral hygiene, you are increasing your odds of keeping your own natural teeth for a lifetime!

If you’re wondering whether your teeth might cause problems because they are out of alignment, please give Nirenblatt Orthodontics a call to set up a consultation. Dr. Nirenblatt can help you decide whether or not you will benefit from orthodontic treatment.

At Nirenblatt Orthodontics, we strive to offer only the best orthodontic care. That means staying up to date on the latest technologies and orthodontic treatments. That's why Dr. Bradley Nirenblatt uses Tip-Edge PLUS brackets. Dr. Nirenblatt says that, "because of its small, single-wing design the PLUS Bracket System has plenty of inter-bracket width, allowing engagement of crowded teeth early on and easily in treatment. The vertical slot makes it easy to engage, upright and rotate teeth with spring auxiliaries if needed. Borderline extraction cases can be easily treated as non-extraction cases."

In Fact, Dr. Nirenblatt's orthodontic cases have been chosen to represent TP Orthodontic's Tip-Edge Plus Brackets. There is even a link on their website for orthodontists to e-mail Dr. Nirenblatt with questions about Tip-Edge brackets.

Dr. Nirenblatt has achieved successful treatment results for more than 10 years with Tip-Edge PLUS. If you have any questions about the Tip-Edge PLUS Bracket System, or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Nirenblatt, give our office a call!

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Happy October! For those who don't know, it’s National Orthodontic Health Month. This month-long event is organized by our pals at the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO.

Dr. Bradley Nirenblatt and our team realize that this is a great opportunity for us to raise awareness about the importance of oral hygiene. National Orthodontic Health Month also aims to recognize the dedicated work of orthodontists like Dr. Nirenblatt and other dental professionals in South Carolina.

The AAO recommends patients avoid the following Halloween treats, or recipes with these ingredients:

• Caramel
• Nuts
• Popcorn (including un-popped kernels)
• Taffy
• Jelly beans
• Hard pretzels
• Licorice
• Bubblegum
• Ice

If you have any questions, please feel free to give us a call, ask us on Facebook, or ask us at Nirenblatt Orthodontics during your visit this month!

"Today’s orthodontists have numerous types of brackets and prescriptions from which to choose. Our choice depends on what product we feel works best in our hands and will give us the best results for our patients. On the business side of our practices, we want a bracket that is reasonably priced, made of high quality materials, efficient in that it requires fewer appointments and is easy to finish cases with.

I was first exposed to Tip Edge brackets during my residency at Columbia University in 1990 and for more than 10 years, I have chosen the Tip Edge Plus bracket to meet these stringent requirements. Because of its small, single-wing design the Plus Bracket System has plenty of inter-bracket width, allowing engagement of crowded teeth early on and easily in treatment.

Because of its unique propeller design, the Plus Brackets allow me to begin correction of my patients’ malocclusion using light, two-ounce elastics from the day my patients get banded. Whether patients present with a Class II, Class III, deep bite, or open bite I begin correcting from day one when they are in the most motivated to see change happen. Rapid and early correction occurs because the Plus Bracket allows the tooth to tip in the direction I want, giving me greater control over the final outcome.

One of the nicest things about using the Plus Bracket is the elimination of most bite jumpers, use of strong Class II elastics and headgear to correct Class II malocclusions. From a patient’s standpoint, this is one less bulky and awkward device they need to keep in their mouths or keep up with. Proper dental hygiene is also much easier to achieve without bulky appliances and hygienists from referring offices are much happier when they see my patients maintaining proper oral hygiene. The elimination of these appliances reduces overhead, is more comfortable for the patient and simplifies day-to-day practice operations allowing us to see more patients with fewer appointments. Also, emergency visits are reduced when fewer appliances are used. It’s a win-win situation for both patient and doctor as we see lower overhead and they spend less time in the chair."

To learn more about Tip-Edge Brackets, contact us at Nirenblatt Orthodontics, or ask Dr. Nirenblatt during your next appointment! Take a look at the Tip-Edge Brackets before and after photos from our office below:

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Everyone loves fun facts. Fun, fun, fun! The American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, has come up with some fun facts about orthodontics that our team at Nirenblatt Orthodontics thought you might enjoy.

• There are nearly 4 million people in orthodontic treatment throughout the United States. Three out of four are younger than 18.
• The first mechanical treatment for correcting irregular teeth was suggested by Gaius Plinius Secundus (A.D 23-79).
• The American Association of Orthodontists is comprised of more than 12,000 members in the United States, Canada and abroad.
• The time required to complete orthodontic treatment ranges from 12 to 36 months depending on the nature and severity of the problem.
• Of the 160,000 dentists in the United States and Canada, 8,000 are practicing orthodontists.
• The cement that attaches the braces to the teeth is now made with a special fluoride-releasing substance.
• Wires activated by body heat used in today's braces originally were developed by NASA for use in the space program.
• In addition to alleviating or preventing physical health problems, orthodontics can boost self-esteem as treatment aligns teeth, jaws and lips.
• Famous orthodontic patients include: Dr. Joyce Brothers, Hale Irwin, Cher, Diana Ross, Phyllis Diller, Chelsea Clinton, Whoopi Goldberg, Daisy Fuentes and Brandi.

Let’s face it: sports-related injuries are common among children, let alone teens with braces. In a recent survey, the American Association of Orthodontists, or AAO, discovered that 70 percent of parents said their biggest worry is that their child will get hurt while playing sports. But 67 percent admitted that their child doesn’t wear a mouth guard when participating in organized sports such as football, basketball, baseball and soccer. That’s why Nirenblatt Orthodontics is helping spread the word that many facial sports injuries can be prevented simply by reminding your kids to wear mouth guards. Ask us—Dr. Bradley Nirenblatt will provide a mouth guard for any patient in active treatment. In addition, the AAO has provided the following tips for keeping your kids safe on the field this spring. Please remind them to:

• Wear mouth guards during contact sports
• Wear a helmet
• Stretch before and after a game or practice
• Wear protective eye wear
• Wear a face shield to avoid scratched or bruised skin
• Be observant—even as a spectator

All of these can reduce injuries. Only by using a mouth guard and other forms of facial protection can kids with and without braces avoid serious sports injuries. Be sure to avoid mouth guards that custom form to your teeth as these will resist any tooth movements Dr. Nirenblatt is trying to achieve.

Give us a call if you have any questions about mouth guards or your treatment at Nirenblatt Orthodontics.

Many parents assume they must wait until their child has all of his or her permanent teeth to see Dr. Bradley Nirenblatt for a consultation, only to discover treatment would have been much easier if started earlier. Did you know the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven?

That’s right—seven.

Ok, so what’s so great about age seven, you ask? Enough permanent teeth have arrived for Dr. Nirenblatt to make a determination about whether any problems are present. The first molars have come in, providing an opportunity to check for malocclusion, or “bad bite.” Also, the incisors have begun to come in, and problems such as crowding, deep bites and open bites can be detected.

Orthodontic evaluation at an early age provides one of two positive outcomes: For some, early identification or problems will lead to easier or shorter orthodontic treatment in the future. For others, a healthy prognosis will provide immediate peace of mind.

Early evaluation, of course, may signal a need for early treatment. For some children, early treatment can prevent physical and emotional trauma. Aside from spurring on years of harmful teasing, misaligned teeth are also prone to injury and are detrimental to good oral hygiene. So, if your child is nearing his or her seventh birthday, give us a call at Nirenblatt Orthodontics to schedule an appointment.

True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call the office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you can't take care of yourself. We’ll be able to schedule an appointment with Dr. Bradley Nirenblatt.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with Nirenblatt Orthodontics.

The following solutions may help you relieve your discomfort:

Poking Wire: Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.

Loose Bracket or Band: If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. If the wire comes out entirely, wrap the bracket with a tissue.

Loose Wire: Using a tweezers, try to place your wire back into place. If doing this and using wax does not help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If your discomfort continues, place wax on it.

Loose Appliance: If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part of your appliance.

Headgear Does Not Fit: Sometimes headgear discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by your orthodontist. Please refer to the instructions provided by your orthodontist. If the facebow is bent, please call our office for assistance. Surprisingly, headgear becomes more comfortable the more it's worn, so be sure you’re getting in the prescribed hours.

General Soreness: When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm salt water mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. If the tenderness is severe, take aspirin or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain.

Remember, after alleviating your discomfort, it is still very important that you call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem.