Are Teeth or Jaws the Problem When Teeth are Crowded?

A common problem we see every day at Affiliated Orthodontics is crowding of teeth. This problem is often accompanied by protruding or “buck teeth”. Crowding can give the appearance the teeth are oversized or too big for the size of the jaws. However, this is not always correct. Often, it is not a tooth problem, Read More

Are Your Teeth Sensitive to Hot or Cold? Find Out Why!

Have you ever experienced sensitivity in your teeth when drinking hot coffee eating cream? How about when brushing your teeth? Ever wonder why this happens? Most of the time it is due to enamel wear of teeth. When this happens, the dentin (sensitive part of the tooth) is exposed and left vulnerable to all kinds Read More

The Skinny on Orthodontics…

Affiliated Orthodontics would like to share with you a few fun facts offered by the American Association of Orthodontists ( AAO ) we think will be of interest. • The first mechanical treatment for correcting malaligned teeth was suggested by Gaius Plinius Secundus (A.D 23-79). • Famous orthodontic patients include: Tom Cruise, Kathryn Heigle, Hale Read More

Orthodontic Warning Signs…

The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that parents understand the early warning signs of an orthodontics problem and recommends kids be evaluated by an orthodontist by age 7 – 8. Early evaluation provides both timely detection of problems and a greater opportunity for more effective treatment. Well timed intervention guides growth and development, preventing serious Read More

Should Parents Worry if Baby Teeth Aren’t Falling Out?

When parents visit Affiliated Orthodontics, it is not uncommon for parents to worry if their child’s baby teeth do not fall out on time. Infants rollover, sit, walk, and talk at different stages of their development. The same is true when your child is losing baby teeth. There are some developmental issues which require professional Read More

Don’t Let This Happen To You – Protect Your Smile!

Now that summer is over and everyone is back to school, Affiliated Orthodontics just wanted to take a minute to remind our patients to wear a mouth guard when playing fall sports, especially unorganized sports in your neighborhood. A mouth guard protects not only teeth, but your lips and cheeks while wearing braces. A mouth Read More

Striving for Symmetry

The technical term for a “bad bite” is a malocclusion. There are many different types of malocclusions depending on what the exact nature of the problem. Sometimes, a poor bite only develops on one side of the mouth instead of both sides. This situation, which is commonly known as a crossbite, happens because of an Read More

Timing is Everything In Orthodontics When Treating Children…

Affiliated Orthodontics specializes in the movement of teeth and correction of adverse jaw growth problems. Evaluating and diagnosing each individual patient’s dental development, presents a slightly different challenge for an orthodontist. There are many factors at work and different approaches that can be used. In severe situations, permanent tooth removals may be required to create Read More

Avoiding a Crowd in Peoria and Glendale AZ…

Have you ever given any thought to what it actually means to have a “perfect” smile? Most people when asked this question will conjure up mental images of models and Hollywood actors with dazzling teeth. However, there is an actual medical definition of the way the teeth are meant to fit together. The word “occlusion” Read More

A Question of Missing Teeth

Missing permanent teeth or premature loss of baby teeth is one reason why the American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) recommends an orthodontic consultation for children beginning at age 7. The upper lateral incisors, second premolars and third molars (wisdom teeth) are the teeth most likely to fail to develop or erupt. Heredity is considered a Read More

Handling Out of Town Emergencies

School is out in most parts of the country and summer vacation will soon be here. Do you know what to do if you have an orthodontic emergency while you are out of town, on vacation, or away at camp? Here are some tips from Affiliated Orthodontics. Fortunately, most problems with your braces don’t qualify Read More

Tongue Thrusts Raise Havoc While Kids Are Growing

At Affiliated Orthodontics, we think about how many processes of the human body take place unconsciously.  As we make our way through the day, humans are constantly breathing, blinking, keeping our balance, and doing a thousand other tiny things we never give a second thought. One such unconscious behavior is the way we chew and swallow Read More