Lets start with the elephant in the room....why is it called a Herbst appliance? It was named after Emil Herbst who invented it in 1904! Thankfully the current Herbst appliances have undergone several updates to make it more patient-friendly, and it is back in favour for correcting instances where the upper jaw and teeth protrude too far beyond the lower, usually due to a small lower jaw that sits too far back. Fitting a Herbst appliance will encourage the lower jaw to catch up in growth, and over time the change becomes permanent. It is completely contained in your mouth, attached ...
Benefits of Straight Teeth…
April 16th, 2013
Straightening your teeth is not just about a great smile. Whilst correcting crooked or crowded teeth can improve your appearance by bringing teeth, lips and face into proportion, it can also contribute to your overall dental health and wellbeing. Easier Brushing Having straight teeth will help you maintain better oral hygiene and reduce your long-term risk of decay and bad breath. Crooked teeth are harder to clean, allowing plaque to build up in areas that trap food residue, causing bacteria to multiply in the areas that are neglected, heightening the risk of developing cavities and bad breath. Nobody wants to spend any ...
Thumb Sucking…Orthodontic Concerns
September 14th, 2012
Babies are born with a reflex to suck any object placed in their mouth. This behavior helps during the first few months of establishing feeding, and disappears at around 4 months. Thumb sucking however, is not reflexive, and is believed to be a self-soothing practice. There are usually no ill effects from thumb sucking in early childhood, and most children naturally give up the habit somewhere between 2-4 years of age.  However, if thumb sucking continues past the age of around 7 when adult teeth are coming through there can be misalignment of front teeth, or possibly exacerbation of underlying jaw ...