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  • Dental Services
    • General Dentistry
      • Gum Disease
      • Tooth Extractions
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      • Root Canals
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    • Orthodontics
      • Two-Phase Treatment
      • Early Orthodontic Treatment with Dr. Steven Harrison
      • Adult Orthodontic Treatment by Dr. Steven Harrison
      • Orthodontics for Teens
      • Retainer Instructions
      • Emergency Care
      • Life with Braces
        • Types of Braces
        • Traditional Braces
        • Clear Aligners
        • Clear Ceramic Braces
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      • Dental Care for Your Baby
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      • Tooth Extractions
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        • Invisalign at Parkcrest
        • Teen Invisalign
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      • Cosmetic Dentistry FAQs
  • New Patients
    • Tour Our Office
    • Financial Information
    • Parkcrest Dental Group Testimonials
    • Patient Forms
  • Sedation Dentistry
  • Preventive Care
    • Parkcrest Dental Group Brushing & Flossing Tips
    • Orthodontic Dentistry: Brushing & Flossing with Braces
    • Parkcrest Dental Group Radiology
    • General Dentistry & Oral Cancer Screening
    • Sealants at the Parkcrest Dental Group
    • General Dentistry & Fluoride
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    • Meet the Team
    • Meet Dr. Scott
    • Meet Dr. Ropka
    • Meet Dr. Harrison
    • Meet Dr. Hall
    • Meet Dr. Fannin
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Descriptions of Orthodontic Appliances

  • January 20, 2018
  • 7:50 pm
  • Braces, Dental Products
  • Orthodontics, Retainers

The orthodontics team at Parkcrest Dental Group is dedicated to making sure that you have the smile you want. Not only is jaw and teeth alignment important for aesthetics, but also for proper function. To do this, Dr. Steven Harrison uses sophisticated orthodontic appliances to properly align your teeth and jaw. While many of these orthodontic appliances may look similar to someone unfamiliar with dentistry, they often have very different functions.

Orthodontic appliances are, put simply, devices to change the position of your teeth or jaw, or to hold your teeth in their finished positions after your braces are removed. Today, Parkcrest Dental Group’s blog will discuss the different devices and how they work to get your teeth into position to create your perfect smile.

Types of Orthodontic Appliances

Braces

The most iconic orthodontic appliance, braces, are used to straighten your teeth. Braces consist of brackets, bands, and wires. Brackets are attached to the teeth with a metal wire, or archwire,  which is attached to the brackets to facilitate movement.

Related Post: Orthodontics: Signs You May Need Braces

Bite Plate

A bite plate is a removable appliance similar to a retainer attached to the top of the teeth to prevent or correct a deep bite or a crossbite. While a bite plate will be uncomfortable at first, it is a key orthodontic appliance if it is worn as directed by Dr. Steven Harrison.

Holding Arches

Holding arches, or “space maintainers”, are small fixed appliances that are anchored to the molars and are connected with a bar from one side of the arch to the other. They are often put in when a tooth is extracted at a young age or after a permanent tooth has fallen out. This device helps to maintain the space and prevents the surrounding teeth from moving into the empty space.

Retainers

Retainers come in both removable or fixed options. They hold your teeth in their new position after your teeth have been straightened. Dr. Steven Harrison will instruct you on how to care for your retainer and how long you should continue to use it. Retainers are key components in making certain that your teeth remain in the correct position.

Related Post: Parkcrest Dental Group: Tips For Taking Care Of Retainers

Palatal Expander

A palatal expander, or a rapid palatal expander (RPE), is used to widen the upper jaw so that the upper and lower rows of teeth will fit together better. Dr. Steven Harrison and the orthodontics staff will instruct you on how to turn on your expander, and how often.

Contact Dr. Steven Harrison for Orthodontic Work

Dr. Steven Harrison and the orthodontic staff at Parkcrest Dental Group are dedicated to providing you with a high level of service. Dr. Harrison’s commitment to helping his patients achieve the perfect smile is the reason that so many in the Springfield area trust him with their orthodontic work. Contact Parkcrest Dental Group today for any and all of your dental needs.

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Meet Some Dentists in Springfield, MO

Some of the doctors at Parkcrest Dental Group

Dr. Stuart Scott (top left) is our pediatric dentist. He earned his degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry before completing a two-year residency at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Dr. Steven Harrison (top center) is board-certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. Dr. Harrison, our orthodontist, graduated from the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry. He’s been with Parkcrest Dental Group since 1986.

Dr. Chanin Ropka (top right) attended UMKC before joining the United States Navy, where she served as the only dentist on board the USS Germantown and at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego. Dr. Ropka began at Parkcrest Dental in 2001.

Dr. Daniel Fannin (bottom left) graduated from UMKC School of Dentistry in 1997. He completed an Advanced Education in General Dentistry Residency in 1998 before joining Parkcrest Dental Group that same year.

Dr. Steven C. Sponenberg (bottom center) has been a Springfieldian his entire life. He graduated from Creighton University School of Dentistry in Omaha, Nebraska, in 2004 before joining Parkcrest Dental Group immediately after.

Dr. Jason Hall (bottom right) is also a native Springfieldian. He earned his DDS from the University of Missouri at Kansas City Dental School in 1997. He came to Parkcrest Dental Group in 2010. Dr. Hall’s father, Stan, is also a dentist.

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