3 Benefits of Fixing an Open-bite

If your upper and lower teeth don't touch when your mouth is closed, your doctor calls this an open bite. An open bite affects the way we eat food. With orthodontic treatment this can be corrected. Here are three benefits of fixing an open bite.

1. Your teeth will be cleaner. When your teeth become straighter, it is easier to clean in between teeth and keep your smile healthy.
2. In many cases, red and swollen gums are a direct result of teeth that are too widely spaced or too crowded, which can be minimized by straightening your smile.
3. As a key part of your mouth, your teeth play an important role in your speech. Gapped, protruding, or crowded teeth can affect your speaking patterns. Straightening your smile can help.

Choosing to straighten your teeth is a big decision that affects not only your appearance but your lifestyle as well and the benefits of having properly aligned teeth extend far beyond a confident smile. Straightening your teeth can significantly affect your overall dental health. Schedule an appointment today.

What is Two Phase Orthodontic Treatment

Two-phase orthodontic treatment is a very specialized process that encompasses jaw and facial changes and tooth straightening. The major advantage of two-phase treatment is to maximize the opportunity to accomplish the ideal healthy, functional, aesthetic and comfortable result that will remain stable. In some cases interceptive treatment prevents adult tooth extractions or major jaw surgery.

Interceptive orthodontic care is one of the most rewarding treatment options that we offer to our patients. Interceptive care is exactly that, intercepting a problem before it gets out of hand. Treatment occurs at a younger age than conventional orthodontic care and is not typically as long. The idea is to shift teeth, manipulate growth, create space for unerupted teeth, break habits and prevent trauma before it is too late. Children between the ages of 7 and 10 are best suited for this sort of treatment. They are flexible, compliant and their growth potential is still at a maximum. Treatment usually lasts 4 to 12 months after which the child is monitored and the decision as to the need for a second phase is made. Most children will require a second, more comprehensive, phase of treatment in order to create a completely stable, functional and aesthetic occlusion.

Second phase treatment begins once most of the adult teeth have erupted. This phase usually requires 12 months with braces on all of the teeth. After the second phase of treatment retainers will be worn in order to hold the teeth in the correct position.

2 Ways Your Smile Changes when you get Older

As we grow older, our teeth shift. If you had orthodontic treatment as a teen or child, chances are as an adult your teeth will shift. Here are two ways your smile changes as we all get older.

1. When the lower and upper jaw don’t align, it is called a malocclusion in orthodontic terms. Simply, you may have a bad bite. A bad bite can cause headaches, a bad speech, clicking and popping jaw joints and can cause you to possibly grind your teeth.

A bad bite can be corrected at any age and through various ways such as Invisalign or braces.  An estimated 1.61 million adults underwent orthodontic treatment in the U.S. in 2018.

2. Retainers are so important after orthodontic treatment because teeth may shift. After orthodontic treatment a retainer is needed to maintain teeth in position. As we age, if teeth are restored or lost, new proper fitting retainers will be needed to prevent unwanted change.

Summer Health Tips

Summer has finally arrived! Summers in Illinois mean BBQ’s, spending time with friends and family, family vacations and tons of fun for everyone. With all the adventurous excitement of summer, it might be easy to forget a few of our regular simple tips that keep your smile healthy.

Stay on routine: 
Summer screams vacation and fun times for children. It is also the time where it is easy for routines to slip and forget. Don’t forget the nightly and morning routines from simply brushing your teeth to flossing to getting check up from both your dentist and orthodontist, if it falls during the summer.

Resist the temptation of sugary drinks:
Say no to the sugary drinks that have a high volume of sugar. Not only is it bad for your teeth, it is also bad for your health. Instead stay hydrated with water. This summer watch your intake of lemonade, soda and sports drinks - which are summer staples.

Traveling: when in doubt brush with bottled water:
Summer means family vacations for most families. If you’re traveling outside of the country or are out in the wilderness - brush your teeth with bottled water. It will reduce your chances of getting sick and keep your smile healthy beyond summer.

Brush 2 x a day:
With an abnormal routine at times during the summer - be sure to not forget the important step in keeping your summer smile healthy, brushing your teeth! The American Dental Association, recommends everyone brush their teeth for 2 minutes, 2 times a day.

At McClellan & Sagun Orthodontics in Kenilworth, IL, we have a tradition of creating great smiles by providing unparalleled orthodontic health care.

5 Reasons Why Summer is the Perfect Time to get Braces.

1.) There is more time to learn how to care for braces.
2.) Dealing with the soreness of new braces is more manageable at home.
3.) It's helpful to be home when adjusting to eating with new braces.
4.) It's easier to schedule appointments with more flexibility.
5.) It's helpful to adjust to braces before school starts.

Summer will be over before you know it! Call to schedule your appointment today. New Patient consultations are always complementary.

National Facial Protection Month

Did you know from the ages of 7 to 11 years old, children are most vulnerable to sports related mouth injuries? The importance of protecting our smile should be stressed enough and should remind our friends and community how easy it is to protect our teeth.

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Winner winner chicken dinner!! Ainsley guessed “how many eggs are in the jar?” CONGRATULATIONS 🎉🎈!!It’s filled with yummy treats and cash 💰😁, she guessed 278 and it had 281 Eggs. We are soooo Egggstatic for her! 🐣🐰HaPpY EaStEr 🐣 🐰 #mcclellanandsagun #kenilworth #braces #Invisalign #smile #orthodontist #easter #eastereggs #colorfuleggs

A post shared by Mart & Tim (@mcclellanandsagunortho) on Apr 18, 2019 at 2:24pm PDT

Do You Know these Orthodontic Facts?

Here are three random facts you may not know of orthodontics.

1. The word “orthodontics” is of Greek origin.
“Ortho” means straight or correct. “Dont” (not to be confused with “don’t”) means tooth. Put it all together and “orthodontics” means straight teeth.

2. Teeth move in response to pressure over time.
Some pressure is beneficial, however, some is harmful. Actions like thumb-sucking or swallowing in an abnormal way generate damaging pressure. Teeth can be pushed out of place; bone can be distorted.

Orthodontists use appliances like braces or aligners to apply a constant, gentle pressure on teeth to guide them into their ideal positions

3. Gold was the metal of choice for braces circa 1900.
Gold is malleable, so it was easy to shape it into an orthodontic appliance. Because gold is malleable, it stretches easily. Consequently, patients had to see their orthodontist frequently for adjustments that kept treatment on track.

2 Common Bites in Orthodontics

Our smiles are uniquely ours. However so is our bite. “In orthodontics, “bite” refers to the way the upper and lower teeth come together. A bad bite, called a “malocclusion,” happens when teeth meet improperly, or they don’t meet at all,” according to the American Association of Orthodontist.

There are various bites that affect how we speak, eat and our overall mouth. Two common bites, orthodontic treatment can fix is a crossbite and underbite.

A crossbite occurs when the upper teeth fit inside of lower teeth. Can be caused by misalignment of teeth or a misalignment of the bone; can affect a single tooth or groups of teeth. Your jaw may shift to one side if not corrected and wears down on your tooth enamel.

An underbite happens when the lower jaw sits in front of the upper jaw. An underbite impacts tooth wear and adds a stress on your jaw joints. Through orthodontic treatment, these bites can be corrected and help keep you healthy, beyond an aesthetically pleasing smile.

Do You Know these Orthodontic Terms?

When it comes to orthodontics, there are few things you may not know. One being terms and what they mean for you and your health.

Two Phase Treatment - 
Two phase orthodontic treatment is a very specialized process that encompasses tooth straightening and physical, facial changes. The major advantage of a two-phase treatment is to maximize the opportunity to accomplish the ideal healthy, functional, and aesthetic result that will remain stable throughout your life.

Banding - 
The process of fitting and cementing orthodontic bands to your teeth.

Bonding - 
The process of attaching brackets to your teeth using a special safe adhesive.

Interceptive Treatment - 
Orthodontic treatment that is usually done between the ages of 7 and 10. The objective of interceptive or early orthodontic treatment is to provide orthopedic intervention, so that later orthodontic treatment is less complex.

Dentist vs Orthodontist: What's the Difference?

There is a question most people seem to wonder when it comes to braces or invisalign. "Can my dentist give me braces or Invisalign?" The answer is a definite big NO! There is a major difference between an orthodontist and a dentist. At McClellan & Sagun Orthodontics in Kenilworth, IL, we have a tradition of creating great smiles by providing unparalleled orthodontic health care. Dr. Mart McClellan, Dr.Tim Sagun and our team strive to accommodate the needs of our patients and create a positive orthodontic experience.

An Orthodontist specializes in orthodontic treatment beyond the basic dental health care. The most common being, specialists in straightening teeth.

Our office is conveniently located to serve the communities surrounding Kenilworth, such as Wilmette, Winnetka and Glencoe, IL. Call us today for your initial orthodontic consultation! We look forward to meeting you and working with you as we continue our tradition of creating the North Shore’s best smiles!