When you visit your orthodontist, you want to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you’re getting the most effective treatment for your teeth. You want your orthodontist to use the best tools available to help them make a diagnosis and plan the best possible treatment. One of those...
When your child reaches the age of six or seven, their adult teeth begin emerging, which means one thing: You have to determine the going rate for the tooth fairy! Once you figure out this important information, you should also keep an eye on those adult teeth as they emerge,...
For years, traditional braces have been the go-to method for straightening teeth. They’ve proven effective time and time again. If you haven’t had them yourself, you likely know people who got dazzling smiles by getting regular braces. However, there’s been growing excitement about a newer treatment called Invisalign®. This treatment...
In years past, going to the orthodontist to plan a course of treatment was not the most pleasant experience. To get an accurate picture of the state of your teeth, the orthodontist would put a tray of putty-type material in your mouth for a couple of minutes to allow the...
When an orthodontist tells a patient that they need braces, the first question they usually ask is this: “How long will I be in them?” If you’re considering braces, you probably have the same question! However, because everyone’s situation is different, you won’t get a firm answer until your orthodontist...
If you get braces as an adult, you’ll go through a different experience than a child who gets braces. For example, your treatment time will likely take a bit longer, because your bone tissue won’t be as malleable as bone tissue that is still developing. The results, though, are usually...
If your child has been diagnosed with a crossbite, it’s imperative that you get it treated as soon as possible. If it’s not treated, it can lead to many problems, such as jaw pain and chewing issues. At Millennium Park Orthodontics in Chicago, Howard Spector, DDS, and our dental team...
Maybe you had braces as a kid, but your teeth shifted over time and you see the results when you look in the mirror. Or maybe you’re a teenager or adult and your teeth need to be straightened, but you can’t stand the thought of a mouth full of bulky...
If you’ve been told you or your child needs to see an orthodontist, but you’ve been putting off the visit because you don't have time or you’re worried about the cost, it’s time to take the plunge and make the visit. Not only are you delaying an improvement in your...
If you need to have your teeth straightened but dread the idea of revealing metal in your mouth, don’t fear! Thanks to clear braces, you can get the smile you desire without having to show the world you’re getting treated. At Millennium Park Orthodontics in Chicago, Howard Spector, DDS, and...
According to Boston Children’s Hospital, about 90% of school-age kids have a malocclusion, or a misalignment of their teeth. About 10-15% of these children require treatment for their malocclusion, one type of which is an underbite. At Millennium Park Orthodontics in Chicago, Howard Spector, DDS, has been using orthodontics to...
If your teeth are crooked and you want to straighten them, your primary motivation is likely to gain a more attractive smile. While straight teeth will certainly lead to a better smile, there’s another benefit you may be overlooking: better overall health for your body. Crooked teeth, also known as...
Since X-rays were first discovered in 1895 and used for dental purposes shortly thereafter, they have become a vital part of dental and orthodontic treatment. However, since the advent of digital technology, imaging has taken a giant leap forward in terms of how it benefits dental health. At Millennium Park...
If you’ve been considering a visit to your local orthodontist — either for yourself or for a loved one, such as your child — you may be wondering if such a visit is necessary. You don’t want to waste time and money if you don’t have to. Here’s a good...
Let’s cut right to the chase: No, you’re not too old to get braces. While you may think of braces as traditionally a treatment for teenagers, one in three orthodontic patients nationwide is an adult. At Millennium Park Orthodontics in Chicago, our ratio is even higher. More than half our...
In many cases where there is a problem with teeth, such as crowding or crooked teeth, orthodontic treatment alone is enough to correct the problem. However, in cases of severe alignment issues or jaw abnormalities, you may need surgical orthodontic treatment to line up your jaws and teeth correctly, so...
If you’re considering straightening your teeth, chances are you’re not only looking for better oral health. You likely also want the boost in self-confidence that can come with knowing your smile is perfect and you don’t have to hide your crooked teeth anymore. The question is, what’s the best way...
When it’s time to invest in braces for you or your child, you need to take every precaution to ensure the investment pays off. One of the best ways you can do that is to learn to take proper care of your teeth while you’re wearing your braces. If you...
If your teeth aren’t lined up properly, you may be tempted to ignore the problem. After all, orthodontic work may seem expensive, or you may not want to invest the time. Approaching your alignment issues with this mindset may feel good in the short term, but in the long term,...
If you’re noticing more kids wearing braces at a younger age, you might be thinking you should do the same for your children. The earlier the better, right? But on the other hand, you know braces are expensive, and besides, shouldn’t you wait until all of your child’s adult teeth...
If you want straighter teeth, but you don’t necessarily want the world to know that you’re straightening your teeth, the Invisalign® system might be the perfect orthodontic choice for you. Instead of using metal brackets and wires to move your teeth into a straighter position, the Invisalign system uses a...
So you’ve finally reached that parenting milestone: You got your child braces. Now you may be wondering how you can help your child maintain their oral health while they have braces. At Millennium Park Orthodontics in Chicago, Howard Spector, DDS, has given braces to thousands of kids, and he knows...
When most people hear the term “orthodontics,” one word usually pops into their head: braces. While straightening teeth with braces makes up the bulk of orthodontic work, there’s another field of orthodontics that deals with more severe cases. This field is called surgical orthodontics. At Millennium Park Orthodontics in Chicago,...
If you need to have your teeth straightened, you have options. While you can go the traditional braces route, you can also choose between two systems that don’t stand out as much: clear braces and Invisalign®. At Millennium Park Orthodontics in Chicago, Howard Spector, DDS, and our team have treated...
Most people probably know you can get Invisalign® aligners to straighten your teeth instead of traditional metal braces. But beyond that simple fact, there’s a lot of misunderstanding about what these clear plastic aligners can do and who can use them. At Millennium Park Orthodontics in Chicago, Howard Spector, DDS,...
Every parent wonders if their child will need braces, but not every parent knows when they should take their child to the orthodontist. At Millennium Park Orthodontics, we understand your concerns, and we’re here to help. Keep reading for our advice on when you should consider braces for your child....
With some patients, braces can correct their orthodontic issues. With others, however, surgery may be required to correct jaw or facial malformations. In this blog, Howard Spector, DDS, who is an expert orthodontist and maxillofacial surgeon at Millennium Park Orthodontics in Chicago, explains how jaw and facial malformations can...
When you set off on a trip, you don’t just blindly start driving. You look at a map to figure out where you’re going, or you plug the address into your GPS and follow the directions. The point is, you follow a route that has been planned ahead of time....
It seems like the draw of a straight, white smile is stronger than ever before. With Instagram setting new standards left and right, what influencers usually have in common is rows of perfect, straight teeth. Straight teeth do have health benefits, including the ability to chew more thoroughly and the...
If bite or alignment problems are diagnosed in childhood, an orthodontist may be able to address these issues with braces or other appliances. If the problem goes untreated, however, more measures may need to be taken. Jaw problems that affect an adult’s ability to chew, eat, or speak clearly may...
Did you know the health of your mouth affects your overall well-being? Dental X-rays are an important piece of the puzzle to help orthodontists plan the best course of treatment for your optimal oral health. Thanks to modern dental technology, getting dental images is easier and safer than ever. At...
You’re not alone if you think of straighter teeth mostly as a cosmetic concern. But crooked and misaligned teeth come with their own set of problems, from an increased risk of tooth decay to jaw or neck pain. You may associate orthodontic care only with teens, but advances in orthodontic...
While crooked teeth can make you feel self-conscious and impact how you interact with others, the condition can affect more than your emotional health. Misaligned or overlapping teeth can change the way you speak, smile, and move your mouth. While having crooked teeth isn’t a sign of poor health, leaving...
Orthodontic treatment can give your child a beautiful-looking smile, and straighter teeth can also help your child enjoy better oral health, all the way through the adult years. When most people think about orthodontic treatment, they think of braces. But the fact is, that’s just one type of treatment an orthodontist...
Having straight teeth is an important part of feeling confident about the way you look and about your appearance in general. But wearing metal braces for a few years can seem like a big price to pay for those good looks. Fortunately, the InvisalignTM system is designed to help you...
In many situations, your orthodontist can provide you with outstanding support for your needs. However, there are cases in which standard treatment isn’t effective enough. This is when surgical orthodontic treatment becomes necessary. Our goal is always to help you have a healthy, functional bite, and with orthognathic surgery, we...
You’ve spent the last year (possibly longer) in braces and you’re so excited to show off your beautiful new smile. However, the work doesn’t stop once the braces come off. In order to keep that smile straight and looking its best, it’s important to wear a retainer regularly. At Millennium...
If you’re considering orthodontic treatment to straighten your crooked teeth, then you’ve probably heard about Invisalign®, a very popular alternative to traditional metal or ceramic braces. Invisalign® uses clear aligners made of smooth plastic to gently move your teeth into position over time, without the discomfort and self-consciousness of traditional...
Providing orthodontic care for your child is about a lot more than aesthetics. Orthodontics can correct bite abnormalities that otherwise could increase your child’s risk for tooth decay, gum disease, temporomandibular joint disorder and even tooth loss. Even when bite function is not an issue, having straight, beautiful teeth can have...
Many people believe that having straight teeth is simply a cosmetic concern that most celebrities obsess over. While this may very well be the case in American cultural norms — a belief that beautiful people should have beautiful teeth — there’s much more to straight teeth than aesthetics. You may...
If you missed the braces boat as a child, or your teeth have shifted with age, getting braces as an adult is easier and more popular than ever. In fact, over 1.2 million adults in the United States have braces at any given time — which represents 20% of the...
