Our Blog

So the day has finally come, it's time to get your braces off and reveal the newly straightened smile that you have been waiting for! You’ve scheduled an appointment with your Florissant family orthodontist and you are getting ready to see your new teeth for the first time, unadorned by wires, brackets, and rubber bands. Before you run down to your appointment, our team here at White Orthodontics has a few important things you should know when you are going to get your braces removed. Whether you are getting Florissant kid's braces removed or if you have adult braces, check out these tips on what to expect for getting your braces removed!

Invisalign remains to be one of the most popular options on the market right now. There are many factors as to why patients choose Invisalign; the most popular being that you can eat whatever you want and have braces that are invisible. But many patients wonder how long it takes for Invisalign to straighten teeth. Does it take longer than wearing traditional metal braces? At White Orthodontics, our doctors and staff provide customizable treatments that fit a patient’s lifestyle. We can help decide what is best for you. If you’re interested in getting Invisalign, learn how it works and what to expect.

At White Orthodontics in O’Fallon & Florissant, MO, we want to remind you that although your braces are removed, that does not mean that your orthodontic journey is complete. The retention stage is key to the success of the entire orthodontic process. For a minimum of 24 months, your teeth will not be rigidly set, and you will be responsible for consistently wearing your retainers. Our orthodontists and staff will ensure your teeth stay straight and aligned for a beautiful, bright smile!

Lots of people choose Invisalign for a variety of reasons. Not only are they clear (so it looks like you’re not wearing any braces), but they are also convenient (you can eat whatever you want)! However, many patients feel that the results don’t come fast enough while wearing Invisalign. So how can you speed up treatment? Luckily, at White Orthodontics, we have some tips to help you! Our doctors and staff work hard to provide comprehensive, holistic orthodontic care for everyone of all ages. Many of our Invisalign patients want to speed up their treatment plan, so we have 5 essential tips that can help anyone get the results they want!

The hardest part of having braces is flossing. When getting braces, the responsibility to care for them is high. Because braces are stuck on your teeth (with brackets and wires), it can be harder to floss certain places in your mouth- increasing the risk for cavities and tooth decay. However, at White Orthodontics, we have tips that can help you! Our doctors and staff strive to educate all of our patients on what to do when they’re not in the office, and give them the best resources possible! If you have braces and are struggling to floss, here are some of the best ways to floss.

Getting braces can be a hard thing to adjust to, especially if you’re getting them for the first time. Traditional wire braces are one of the best ways to straighten your teeth but can be hard to clean and eat with. However, it can also be easy to deal with. At White Orthodontics, we have come up with 5 ways to help you survive your first week of braces. Our doctors and staff are committed to making sure that every patient feels confident while wearing braces. We have the resources you need to help you succeed.

Getting braces or Invisalign with your local Florissant & O’Fallon family orthodontists means being on the path to a beautiful, straight smile. But to get the best result out of your orthodontic treatment, you need to take care of your teeth as well. Here at White Orthodontics, we want to do more than just straighten your teeth; we want to help improve your whole smile. Find out what you can do during your orthodontic treatment to prepare your smile for the day the braces come off!

At White Orthodontics, we have noticed pretty big changes during the pandemic; not only how we treat patients, but why patients are coming to us in the first place. Since the pandemic lockdown of last year, more and more people are turning to orthodontists to fix their smiles. Since more people are working from home online, we are forced to be on Zoom calls for hours. This means having to stare at our faces in a sometimes unflattering light; identifying flaws that maybe you haven’t recognized before. And that’s not the only reason why people are turning to orthodontic treatment during the pandemic.

White Orthodontics has helped countless patients achieve beautiful results with braces, and the most important advice we give patients is how to keep their braces clean. Of course brushing and flossing is a must for removing stubborn bits of food and plaque, but did you know that adding mouthwash to your routine can help keep your braces in even better shape?

By now you’re likely aware of the teeth straightening method that has taken the world by storm: Invisalign, the faster, more convenient way to straighten your teeth. But has Invisalign made metal braces obsolete, or are there some cases when metal braces are actually preferable to Invisalign?

At White Orthodontics, one of our fastest growing groups of patients are adults. Today, there are discrete options for adults to straighten their teeth and achieve the beautiful smile they’ve always dreamed of. Our orthodontists and staff work with our adult patients to customize their treatment to their specific needs and ensure they are comfortable with their orthodontic appliances. Many adult patients are worried about the length of treatment time and continually ask how long their treatment will take. The easy answer is, it differs from patient to patient.

Whenever you communicate with anyone, whether it be a family member, friends, a co-worker, or possible love interest, your mouth immediately becomes one of the central focal points on your face. This is why missing teeth is easily one of the most noticeable traits a person can have. Missing teeth is also very easily a sore spot for people, because it can affect their appearance and undermine their confidence. On top of these effects, there are also possible underlying health issues that can occur when one is missing teeth. So how do you begin to repair your smile? Can you get Invisalign when you’re missing a tooth or various teeth? The short answer is yes. Allow our team of doctors explain why you can get Invisalign as well as why you should.

Why is summer the best time for kids to get braces? Learn the reasons why White Orthodontics thinks this is the perfect time for your child to come in!

You'll need to be careful about what you eat if you have braces this holiday season. Learn how to navigate holiday foods with braces & contact us today!

When your child plays sports, they are typically required to wear protective gear such as shoulder pads, shin guards, goggles, and helmets, but what about mouthguards?

Visiting an orthodontist at an early age can help detect emerging problems, as well as helping plan for the appropriate treatments at the appropriate times as your child is growing. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children’s first visit to the orthodontist should be at age seven. However, your dentist may recommend an earlier visit if there are specific concerns.

There are foods that your orthodontist will tell you to avoid and eliminate because they can damage your braces, so you may find yourself wondering, “what can I eat?” At White Orthodontics, we recommend soft foods that are more gentle on your braces, but we also want to make sure that you don’t forget about good nutrition while you are wearing braces.

Here at White Orthodontics, we work to perfect the smiles of our patients in the St. Louis surrounding communities. Whether you are visiting our O’Fallon, MO or Florissant, MO offices for your braces orthodontic treatment, here is what you need to know. Cleaning your teeth while having braces is crucial. While we know that braces often create an obstacle for cleaning, they also create additional places for plaque and food to build up. In order to keep your teeth and gums healthy while wearing braces, you must make an effort to properly brush and floss on a regular basis.

At White Orthodontics, we're proud to help patients throughout O'Fallon, Florissant, and the surrounding areas achieve gorgeous, healthy smiles through high-quality orthodontic treatment. Every patient is different, and our Florissant orthodontists work closely with patients to develop custom treatment plans that fit their unique needs and lifestyles. But if you're like most patients considering orthodontic treatment, you're probably asking yourself a big question right now: should I get braces or Invisalign? To help you navigate this important decision, we're going to dive into the differences, the similarities, the pros, and the cons of braces and Invisalign.

At White Orthodontics, we're proud to help patients throughout the greater Florissant, MO area achieve beautiful, healthy smiles through orthodontic treatment. In addition to the care we provide in our office, one of the most important factors for successful treatment is oral hygiene, and if you're getting treated with Invisalign, that means properly caring for your aligners as well as your teeth. If you're wondering how to clean your Invisalign aligners, we're here to help!

Everyone deserves a smile they feel proud to show off, and the best way to achieve one is through orthodontic treatment. But for parents, the specifics of orthodontic treatment aren't always clear, and one of the most common questions we've heard from parents about orthodontic treatment is: "When should my child get braces?" As your dedicated Florissant orthodontist, we at White Orthodontics wanted to shed some light on the best age for children to get braces and when your child should visit us for an orthodontic evaluation.

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to our White Orthodontics Blog! We proudly offer orthodontic services to families in both Florissant and O’Fallon, Missouri. At White Orthodontics, our orthodontists, Doctor Richard White and Doctor Whitney Hewitt treat our patients like family and our commitment to patient care is our top priority.