A glowing smile is a destination much sought after by our patients at Hodgkins Orthodontics, and luckily they don’t have to make the journey on their own. With the right travel plan and a talented orthodontist conducting, braces are the ticket to perfect teeth. Thinking of braces in terms of a train ride can help to explain how they work, lessen anxiety about how braces function, and illustrate the importance of staying on the right track.
The brackets of the braces are the equivalent of the cars of a train, and the track that they follow is the archwire. Once the brackets are placed on the teeth and the archwire is properly adjusted to create a path to great teeth, all that remains for our train is fuel to move in the right direction.
Read more on An Orthodontic Train Ride To Straighten Teeth In Cedar Park TX……

- The Perfect Smile
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” refers to the alignment of the teeth and the way the upper and lower teeth fit together (bite). Ideally, all upper teeth fit slightly over the lower teeth, just like the top of a house sits over a basement. All teeth are lined up straight and spaced evenly. The upper teeth keep the cheeks and lips from being bitten and the lower teeth protect the tongue. Not all people are so lucky as to have this medically “perfect bite.”
There are any many problems that can lead to a malocclusion, or “bad bite”. For example, crowding of teeth, too much space between teeth, extra or missing teeth, cross-bite, over-bite, and under-bite are all types of malocclusions. Also, various irregularities of the bone structure in the jaws and face can also lead to a malocclusion. Basically, a malocclusion is any misalignment of the teeth or incorrect relationship between the teeth of the two dental arches.
Read more on Avoiding a Crowd in Cedar Park TX……
At Hodgkins Orthodontics, we think about how many processes of the human body take place unconsciously. As we make our way through the day, we 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 our food. Virtually from birth, consuming food is such a primal act that it would never occur to most people to pay attention to the way we go about it. Infants swallow with their tongues thrusted against their gums, which is fine for babies and very young children. However, as people get a bit older, they usually change over to a swallow with the tongue placed on the roof of the mouth.
Read more on Tongue Thrusts Raise Havoc While Kids Are Growing……
Any day is a great day to flash a beautiful smile. You don't have to be a movie star to have your teeth straightened before a special occasion in Cedar Park or North Austin TX. Everyone wants to look good for their prom, senior pictures, graduation, applying for a job or like Kathryn Heigl… getting married.
That's right! Kathryn Heigl never worried about her teeth not being straight until she decided to get married. What was the easiest and least emotionally traumatic solution for someone who is in the spotlight and can't be seen wearing braces… Invisalign! At Hodgkins Orthodontics, we offer teens and adults the braceless alternative to having the beautiful smile you always wanted. Read more on What actress chose to straighten her teeth with Invisalign before getting married?…


