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Perhaps you’ve heard from parents or older relatives what braces used to be like years ago—obvious, uncomfortable, hard to clean, and with inevitable tooth extractions to start off the whole lengthy process.

Today, brackets are much smaller and wires are more pliable. You can even choose ceramic brackets or clear aligners for an almost invisible effect. New tools make cleaning your braces easier than ever. And new braces technology means that treatment is often shorter. But what about extractions? Are they still inevitable?

For orthodontists like Dr. Lowder, the objective is saving teeth. And modern practices and technology have made this goal more attainable than ever before. There are several ways that modern treatment procedures can help avoid extractions.

• Early Intervention

We recommend that children visit our Idaho Falls, Rigby, Rexburg, Afton, and Salmon office for an orthodontic evaluation by age seven. Because a child’s jaw is still forming at this age, early intervention can lead to orthodontic treatment that expands the jaw in order to make room for permanent teeth, or starts correcting bite problems before they become more serious.

• High-Tech Planning

Today’s technology allows us to map out the progression of your treatment before we begin. Scanners, X-rays, and computer programs help us to design a treatment plan which will accurately predict how best to move your teeth and correct your bite, taking into account the size and development of your teeth and jaw.

• Surgical Options

By the time you reach your late teen years, the jaw bones have stopped growing and it’s no longer possible to expand them without surgery. Oral surgery can treat serious jaw problems that impact your teeth and bite, usually as part of a combined treatment plan designed by your orthodontist and your oral surgeon.

Because we always work to keep teeth intact—using these methods and others—you can be sure that, if we recommend extraction, it is absolutely necessary. What could make an extraction necessary?

• Severe overcrowding. Sometimes, there’s just not enough room in the jaw for all of your teeth.
• A tooth or teeth that prevent us from correcting a problem with your bite.
• Wisdom teeth. Usually, orthodontic work takes place before a patient’s wisdom teeth start to erupt. If yours do make an appearance before or during treatment, we can adapt our treatment plan accordingly.
• An extra tooth. It’s rare, but an extra, or supernumerary, tooth sometimes develops, and your jaw is not designed to accommodate extras!

It’s important that you talk to Dr. Lowder about every step of your treatment, including extractions. We want you to understand the treatment plan which will give you your best outcome. If we recommend extraction, it is because this decision is the best way to achieve a healthy bite and alignment, creating your beautiful smile—and protecting it—for a lifetime.

Every year, Americans all over the world celebrate the birth of the country and its independence on the Fourth of July. There are countless ways that people celebrate and they range from community parades and large scale gatherings to concerts, fireworks displays, and smaller scale celebrations among family and friends. For some people, July 4th is synonymous with baseball, while for others it is all about the beach of barbecues. However you celebrate, you can be sure that red, white, and blue is visible everywhere throughout the area.

The Beginnings of Fourth of July Celebrations

Although it wasn't officially designated as a federal holiday until 1941, the actual tradition of celebrating Independence Day goes back to the time of the American Revolution (1775 – 1783). At the time of the American Revolution, representatives from the 13 colonies penned the resolution that ultimately declared their independence from Great Britain. The continental congress voted to adopt the Declaration of Independence on July 2nd of 1776. Two days later, Thomas Jefferson's famous document that is now known as the Declaration of Independence, was adopted by delegates representing the 13 colonies.

First States to Recognize the Fourth of July

In 1781, Massachusetts became the first state (or commonwealth) whose legislature resolved to designate July 4th as the date on which to celebrate the country's independence. Two years later, Boston became the first city to make an official designation to honor the country's birth with a holiday on July 4th. In that same year, North Carolina's governor, Alexander Martin, became the first governor to issue an official state order stipulating that July 4th was the day on which North Carolinians would celebrate the country's independence.

Fun Facts About the Fourth of July

• The reason the stars on the original flag were arranged in a circle is because it was believed that would indicate that all of the colonies were equal.
• Americans eat over 150 million hot dogs on July 4th.
• Imports of fireworks each year totals over $211 million.
• The first “official” Fourth of July party took place at the White House in 1801.
• Benjamin Franklin didn't want the national bird to be the bald eagle. He believed that the turkey was better suited to the coveted distinction. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson disagreed with him, and he was outvoted, so the bald eagle became the official bird of the United States.

For many, the tradition is something entirely different. Along the coastal areas of the United States, people may haul out huge pots to have lobster or other types of seafood boils. Others may spend the day in the bleachers at a baseball game, or at a park, cooking a great traditional meal over an open fire. No matter how or where you celebrate, one thing is certain: all Americans celebrate July 4th as the birth and independence of our country.

Dr. Lowder and our team at Lowder Orthodontics wish you a safe and happy Fourth of July!

A popular option for straightening teeth at Lowder Orthodontics, Invisalign can be a great method for improving your smile, and can help patients with crowded teeth, crossbites, overbites, underbites, and more.

Invisalign, which is different from traditional braces, works by applying a series of clear, retainer-like aligners in order to eventually move your teeth into their ideal positions. Patients typically swap aligners approximately every couple of weeks.

At Lowder Orthodontics, we have lots of experience using this technology to give our patients the beautiful and healthy smile they’ve always wanted. During your initial visit at our Idaho Falls, Rigby, Rexburg, Afton, and Salmon office, the first thing we do is take an impression of your teeth as they are now and digitize it. Using special software, we look at the current positioning of your teeth and compare it to the way your teeth should look.

Not only are the aligners invisible, they are also removable, so you can eat and drink what you want, and brushing and flossing are easier. Invisalign’s aligners are also comfortable, with no metal to cause mouth abrasions during your treatment. And, no metal and wires usually means you spend less time at our office getting adjustments. With Invisalign, you can view your own virtual treatment plan when you start, so you can see how your straight teeth will look when your treatment is complete!

Depending on the severity of the problem, Invisalign treatment may take anywhere from three to 18 months to complete. You should be aware that Invisalign is not as effective as traditional braces in treating bite problems, teeth that are lower or higher than others, or severely overcrowded teeth. Both teens and adults are now great candidates for Invisalign, so we invite you to contact our Idaho Falls, Rigby, Rexburg, Afton, and Salmon office to set up an initial consultation and learn more on how Invisalign can give you the smile you’ve always wanted!

Congratulations! You are already on your way to your best smile now that you have decided on orthodontic treatment. And while any amount of time it takes to create your beautiful smile is worth it, the sooner that process is completed, the better. With AcceleDent®, you can actually speed up the orthodontic process safely and effectively!

What is AcceleDent?

The AcceleDent device is a hands-free, lightweight appliance that is inserted around your braces or aligners and held in place by your teeth. When you turn on the Activator, gentle vibrations, or micropulses, are sent through the teeth and their roots into the bone surrounding them. It takes only 20 minutes each day, and patients notice not only faster tooth movement, but often less orthodontic discomfort as well.

How Does AcceleDent Speed Up My Treatment?

When you have braces or aligners, slow and steady pressure is put on your teeth to move them to their desired positions. This pressure affects the bone surrounding each tooth, and the body responds by changing the shape of the bone tissue. You end up with teeth held securely in their new, aligned position by the remodeled bone. This process is also slow and steady. Changes in the bone take place on the cellular level, and gradually develop over time. The micropulses created by the AcceleDent appliance actually stimulate this cellular activity, which can lead to faster progress in the repositioning of your teeth and therefore a shorter treatment schedule.

How Safe is AcceleDent?

The AcceleDent appliance delivers precise vibrations to the teeth with a patented process called SoftPulse Technology®. These micropulses provide the gentle stimulation that increases cellular activity. The vibrations produce less force than using an electric toothbrush, and 200 times less force than we apply to our teeth with normal chewing!

AcceleDent is available at our Idaho Falls, Rigby, Rexburg, Afton, and Salmon office. The process has undergone numerous clinical trials, and has been shown to be safe and reliable. AcceleDent has been cleared by the FDA as a single-user prescription device, and has been prescribed to thousands of patients since it was introduced.

Our most important goal is to provide you with a beautiful, healthy smile. Talk to Dr. Lowder about AcceleDent if you would like to explore a gentle option for achieving this goal as quickly and safely as possible.