Braces usually feel sore for about two to four days after they are first placed or after a wire change. For some patients the tenderness lasts a week or a little longer. The ache is a dull pressure, not sharp pain, and it fades as your teeth and mouth adjust. If you or your child
How Long Do Braces Hurt? What to Expect and What Helps Read More »
For busy families, starting braces can mean coordinating school, work, transportation, and multiple calendars. When an orthodontic practice can complete a thorough evaluation and safely begin treatment during the same appointment, that convenience matters. At Rucker Orthodontics, we offer same day braces for eligible patients because we’ve built the clinical experience, team, and systems to
Same Day Braces: Thoughtful Planning, Experienced Doctors, Fewer Trips Read More »
Common questions from parents who are raising young children are usually as follows: How young should a child begin having braces? Should braces be used on baby teeth or permanent teeth? How old should my child be for their first orthodontist trip? If you are one of these parents asking about orthodontic treatment for their child in Temecula, then read this article. Dr. Rucker, orthodontist in Temecula, hopes to answer all of your questions on child orthodontic services in Temecula.
Interceptive Orthodontics: A Parent’s Guide to Phase 1 Treatment Read More »
Early treatment in a 7- to 9-year-old guides jaw growth and makes room; teen treatment aligns a full set of permanent teeth and finishes the bite. Same appliances in many cases — different goals, shorter phases and different decisions for parents. Do kids and teens get braces for different reasons? Largely, yes. In a younger
Braces for Kids vs. Braces for Teens: How Treatment Changes From Age 7 to the Teen Years Read More »
Clear braces move teeth as effectively as metal braces. They use ceramic or composite brackets that blend with enamel instead of stainless steel. The trade-offs are visibility versus cost, bracket strength and the care the elastic ties require — not treatment quality. What are clear braces, exactly? Clear braces are fixed braces with tooth-colored or
Yes. Braces correct most overbites. A deep bite is fixed by uprighting the front teeth, leveling the bite and letting the back teeth carry the contact again — sometimes with elastics or an added appliance, and rarely with jaw surgery in severe skeletal cases. What is an overbite, and how is it different from an
Can Braces Fix an Overbite? Deep Bite Treatment Options Explained Read More »
Most orthodontic treatment is completed without removing permanent teeth. Extractions are recommended in a minority of cases — severe crowding, protrusive front teeth, or a bite that cannot be corrected by moving teeth alone. The decision comes from records and measurement, and it should be explained to you in terms of space. Why Would an
Do Braces Require Tooth Extractions? An Orthodontist Explains Read More »
An anterior crossbite is a bite in which one or more upper front teeth close behind the lower front teeth instead of in front of them. It does not correct itself. Caught early, usually between ages 7 and 10, it is one of the most straightforward bite problems to fix. Left alone it wears enamel
Anterior Crossbite: Why It Happens and How It Gets Fixed Read More »
If your permanent retainer is loose or broken, call your orthodontist within a few days. A partly attached wire lets some teeth move while others stay anchored, which is how a finished smile starts to shift. Until it is repaired, wear your removable retainer if you have one and cover any sharp end with wax.
Broken or Loose Permanent Retainer: What to Do Next Read More »