Blog

The day your appliances come off is an exciting time for any orthodontic patient. At Choice Orthodontics, we strive to make treatment a breeze for all our patients from start to finish. However, once your appliances come off, one of the most important parts of the process begins with retention. Retention is the part of the process that keeps your newly straightened teeth aligned after appliances are removed.

As your orthodontic specialist in the greater Atchison, KS and St. Joseph, MO areas, Choice Orthodontics believe everyone deserves a healthy smile they are proud to show off. That’s why we put a big emphasis on orthodontic treatment especially early treatment. Great orthodontics doesn’t just start when our patients first get their braces, ideally, it should start several years before that! Read on to learn more about the many benefits of early orthodontic treatment.

During your visit to Choice Orthodontics, you might hear mention of a Palatal Expander, but you may not know exactly what that means. Let’s dig in!

By now you’ve heard about the wonders that braces can work on crooked teeth and how orthodontic care can change your life by improving your smile but what if we told you there was a more effective and efficient way to straighten your teeth besides just getting braces? Here at Choice Orthodontics, your local orthodontic specialist in Northwestern Missouri and Northeastern Kansas, we pride ourselves on our cutting-edge orthodontic care and our breadth of orthodontic experience. Dr. Lauren Windhorst offers not only orthodontic standards like braces and Invisalign, but she also specializes in the two-phase treatment, the most effective tool in our orthodontic arsenal. Find out what you need to know about our orthodontic offerings, and how you can achieve the smile of your dreams with two-phase treatment!

Invisalign is high tech, innovative way to straighten teeth. It is extremely popular for its ease of use, and invisible appearance, which allows adults and adolescents to enjoy the results they would get from braces treatment, without changing their diet and appearance. Dr. Lauren Windhorst has guided countless patients through Invisalign treatment at Choice Orthodontics in Saint Joseph, MO. So how long does Invisalign take to straighten teeth? That can depend on a few different factors.

School is back in session and that means your teen needs to be on top of their orthodontic treatment, even while at school. If your child recently got Invisalign Teen, Choice Orthodontics has some tips and tricks to ensure their school year goes smoothly and their Invisalign treatment stays on track. Dr. Lauran Windhorst encourages you and your child to strictly follow our Invisalign Teen tips as they will make your orthodontic treatment more effective and efficient in the long term.

At Choice Orthodontics in Saint Joseph, MO, we want to remind you that although your braces are removed, that does not mean that your orthodontic journey is complete. The retention stage is key to the success of the entire orthodontic process. For a minimum of 24 months, your teeth will not be rigidly set, and you will be responsible for consistently wearing your retainers. Retainers are designed to keep your teeth in place and prevent them from shifting. This is applicable for all our patients wearing braces, Invisalign, or adult braces. Our orthodontic specialists will ensure your teeth stay straight and aligned for a beautiful, bright smile!

Congratulations! You just got your braces off! And while it’s exciting to finally finish the hard part, treatment is still not over. After you take off your braces, your orthodontist will give you a pair of retainers, also known as the retention phase. To preserve your straight smile, you will be advised to wear your retainers by your orthodontists’ instructions. And just like any orthodontic appliance, they will need to be thoroughly cleaned. But don’t worry! At Choice Orthodontics, we have some tips on how you can keep your retainers clean!

For many people, orthodontic treatment will be limited to expanders, braces, and may be the occasional tooth extraction. But the possibilities for treatment go far beyond that, giving orthodontists the ability to correct more complicated malocclusions, such as severe overbites and underbites, with “orthognathic” corrective jaw surgery. Choice Orthodontics is home to a highly qualified maxillofacial surgeon and team and uses state-of-the-art technology and personalized care to provide orthodontic treatment in Northern Missouri.

At Choice Orthodontics, it's our mission to provide high-quality orthodontic care in a fun, friendly office environment. Our orthodontist and dedicated team of highly trained orthodontic specialists work hard to get to know all our patients individually, and we strive to craft specialized treatment plans to perfectly suit our patients' unique orthodontic needs. While the treatments we perform in the office are critically important to your new smile, it's also vital that you take great care of your teeth and braces in Northwest Missouri - and that includes monitoring your diet and avoiding sugary foods and food bad for your teeth.

Finally, the time has come! After months and months, you are finally able to take your braces off. We know how exciting that can be, but what happens after that? Will your teeth stay straight? Well...not exactly. Unfortunately, your teeth shift all the time.

Halloween is a fun holiday for kids and adults of all ages. Whether you’re taking your child trick-or-treating this year or you’re still a child at heart and excited about all the tasty treats available in stores, caring for your or your child’s teeth, braces, and general dental care remains paramount.