Orthodontics

It’s no easy feat to have one of the best smiles in Hollywood. The reality TV starlet Kristin Cavallari attributes her gorgeous smile to routine oral hygiene, the removal of two impacted wisdom teeth, and having undergone orthodontic treatment. Kristin’s treatment began in sixth grade when she was fitted with a device Drs. Roger Nettune and Kenneth Banasiak and our team call a palatal expander, which is used to guide upper jaw growth in our younger patients. What is a palatal expander? A palatal expander “expands” (or widens) your upper jaw by applying gentle pressure on your upper molars, and is used to make the bottom and upper teeth fit together better. In addition, palatal expanders work to create more […]

Orthognathic surgery is surgery to correct a wide variety of abnormalities of our patients’ jaw and teeth. The surgery is often done in conjunction with orthodontic treatment. While the patient’s appearance may be significantly improved as a result, the primary purpose of the surgery is to correct functional problems including but not limited to: Unbalanced facial appearance Protruding jaw Open bite (upper and lower teeth don’t overlap properly Excessive wearing down of the teeth Difficulty with chewing or biting Chronic mouth breathing Sleeping problems such as sleep apnea TMJ pain (jaw joint pain) Restoring facial injuries Knowing when to start the orthodontic treatment in preparation for orthognathic surgery can also be tricky if our team at Nettune & Banasiak Orthodontic […]

You may have noticed that kids seem to be getting braces and other orthodontic care a lot earlier these days. There was a time, only a decade or two ago, when braces were mainly seen on teenagers, but that is beginning to change. If you’re wondering when to bring your child to our Basking Ridge or Mendham, NJ office for an orthodontic evaluation, the answer actually has several parts. The Telltale Signs If your child has a very crowded set of adult teeth coming in, or if the permanent front teeth came in very early, these are signs that your child should see Drs. Roger Nettune and Kenneth Banasiak, regardless of age. The Dental Age Barring signs of trouble or […]

The stereotypical braces wearer – in middle school, with a mouth full of metal brackets – has led to numerous myths about orthodontics that discourage many people from getting the dental care they need. Drs. Roger Nettune and Kenneth Banasiak and our staff would like to put some of these myths to rest. Myth 1: Orthodontic treatment is for kids. Although teenagers often visit the orthodontist to get braces, adults represent a growing proportion of orthodontic patients. Whether you’re eight or 80, a consultation with an orthodontist can identify problems with your teeth, jaws, or bite that can be corrected by orthodontic interventions. Myth 2: Traditional, metal braces are my only option. Advances in orthodontic technology have rendered improved braces […]

Teeth erupt crookedly for a number of reasons that range from genetics to mouth deformities and serious oral diseases. When extra teeth or abnormally large teeth create a malocclusion (crookedness or misplacement of teeth), the culprit is usually genetic in nature. Other inherited traits involve jaws that are too small to accommodate a full set of teeth and misaligned jaws that did not form properly in the womb. Can crooked teeth be prevented? In most cases, underbites, overbites, and crooked teeth are genetically derived and can’t be avoided. Orthodontic treatment with braces will be necessary to correct the condition once the child is old enough to wear them. However, certain early childhood behaviors may also contribute to the development of […]

When beginning orthodontic treatment, most patients ask Drs. Roger Nettune and Kenneth Banasiak and our team a lot of questions about what to expect, while others choose to just “go with the flow” and leave it to us to build for them a beautiful smile. And for our team at Nettune & Banasiak Orthodontic Associates, that’s understandable. But for those who do ask questions, two of the ones we frequently hear are “Will my braces hurt?” and “How long will these be on?” We explain to our patients that despite what they’ve heard, braces do not hurt when they’re initially put on. Yes, you will experience soreness after your braces are placed and when your teeth start to move. Too […]