Nimrat Heir - What Is Orthodontics?
Nimrat K. Heir, DDS, MS, is a well-versed orthodontis who diagnoses and treats patients at Laguna Palms Orthodontics in Elk Grove, California. Services provided include traditional braces, clear braces, retainers, sleep apnea appliances, and early orthodontic care. As an orthodontist, Dr. Heir has dedicated training and... more
What is an Orthodontist?
Orthodontists are dental specialists who are trained in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. They provide a wide range of treatment options to straighten crooked teeth, fix bad bites and align the jaws correctly. They can also assist with painful and misaligned bites, tooth movement caused by bad habits such as thumb sucking, and even some forms of sleep apnea.
Braces, also known as fixed orthodontic appliances, are used to fix a wide variety of dental problems, for example fixing teeth which are crooked or that stick out. The components that make up braces include brackets, molar bands, arch wires, either elastomeric or steel ligatures, and auxiliary components such as power chain, active coil and intermaxillary elastics.
Invisalign is the world’s biggest clear aligner teeth straightening system. The clear aligners are similar to a mouthguard but much thinner plastic and hardly noticeable to other people. You’ll wear a set of aligners roughly 1-2 weeks, removing them only to eat, drink and clean them. Every new aligner in the series moves your teeth some more, until you have a great smile!
A dental retainer is a custom-made orthodontic appliance used to keep teeth in place after dental braces are removed. Once your braces come off, your teeth need to settle into the jawbone and soft tissue that hold them in place. Made of wire and plastic or rubber, retainers keep your teeth from wandering and wasting thousands of dollars worth of orthodontic work!
