Riverside Dental Clinic has been serving the residents of Kamloops for over 30 years. It provides such services as cosmetic dentistry, emergency treatments, and sedation dentistry.
What does an orthodontist in Kamloops do?
Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry concerned with straightening teeth and correcting bite problems. Crooked teeth are not only unattractive, they are harder to clean and can impair the patient’s ability to chew normally.
The orthodontist uses various dental appliances to correct bite problems and straighten teeth. Braces, of course, are the best-known such appliance. Traditional metal braces are the oldest type, and they are still the most commonly used type.
Clear aligners like Invisalign are removable braces. The patient will wear them for at least 20 hours a day and can take them out while eating or cleaning their teeth. Like conventional braces, Invisalign works by gradually moving teeth into their proper positions. The orthodontist will give the patient a new set of aligners every two weeks.
What are wisdom teeth?
Wisdom teeth are molars at the very back of the mouth. They are the very last teeth to emerge and typically don’t appear until the patient is in their late teens or early 20s. Some scientists consider wisdom teeth a vestigial structure as they have no clear use and many people don’t even have all four.
Wisdom teeth often cause problems. They can grow in crooked and throw neighboring teeth out of alignment. If they emerge only partially, they trap food and bacteria and thus increase the risk of decay.
The dentist will, therefore, take X-rays to check on the patient’s wisdom teeth. If necessary, they will extract the teeth. The dentist will administer general anesthesia beforehand so the patient will sleep through the procedure.
