Whether you need jaw surgery to correct a teeth-alignment issue, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, an asymmetrical appearance, or another problem, it can feel daunting to know that you’re heading into surgery. Here at Georgetown Orthodontics in Washington, DC, Dr. Maya Oliver and our team want to help you feel comfortable...
The visibility of braces has kept too many people living with teeth they don’t love. Kids avoid braces because of the embarrassment of metal mouth — but so do adults. Fortunately, there’s a new way to straighten your teeth that doesn’t come with the months of metal brackets on your teeth....
If getting straight teeth was a process for you, you want to do everything you can to keep your smile in line. When you first get your braces off or finish your Invisalign® treatment, you’re probably plenty motivated to wear your retainer to protect your newly aligned smile. But as...
Most people don’t think much about their jawbone. As long as it enables their talking and eating, they don’t worry about this bone. But if you have a misaligned jaw — like a receding or protruding jawline — you probably think about your jaw quite a bit. The good news: You’re...
Right now, more than 4 million Americans are living with braces. They’ve chosen this orthodontic treatment to get a straight, even smile, knowing that the temporary hassle of braces will be well worth the results. That said, sometimes braces can create problems for your oral health or your overall comfort....
If you’ve thought that correcting your teen’s teeth meant sentencing them to months — and maybe even years — of a metal-filled mouth, you’ll be relieved to know that you have another option. With Invisalign®, your teen gets straighter teeth with virtually invisible plastic aligners. Dr. Maya Oliver knows that many...
Getting braces means investing in yourself. You’ll spend a short window of time with metal in your mouth in order to enjoy a lifetime of beautifully straight teeth. But getting braces doesn’t just affect the way you look. It also means changes to the way you eat and clean your...
No one wants to spend more time in braces than they have to. And even with InvisalignⓇ, a much more discreet way to straighten your teeth, you still want to reach your perfect smile as quickly as possible. Fortunately, Dr. Maya Oliver offers specialized treatment to deliver faster-than-expected results. At...
If you think it doesn’t really matter how your teeth meet when your bite is closed, think again. Malocclusion — which is misalignment of your bite or your teeth when your mouth is shut — creates issues well beyond aesthetic ones. That’s why Dr. Maya Oliver and our team at...
Problems with their palate don’t have to plague your son or daughter for life. With a specialized device called an expander, there’s a way to create the space the mouth needs. These expanders are most effective when applied during an individual’s childhood or teenage years, before their jaw finishes growing. ...
Braces give you a way to transform your smile, getting the straight teeth you’ve always wanted. But they do mean committing to metal in your mouth for a set period of time. Whenever we recommend braces, we’re almost always asked, “How long will I have to wear them?” The answer...
If it only took you months of wearing braces or clear aligners to straighten your teeth, consider yourself lucky. Most people devote a year or more to orthodontic treatment in order to get a straight, even set of pearly whites. Because you dedicated so much time to getting your smile...
It’s hard to believe it’s been just months since COVID-19 started to reshape all of our lives. For many of us, it feels like we’ve been dealing with this pandemic and its widespread effects for ages. As we all work to keep ourselves and others safe, many facets of our...
You choose braces because you want a smile makeover. That makes it a particular shame that so many people get their braces off only to discover improper oral care has created problems in their mouths. While you have braces, proper dental hygiene matters. Without it, you can face demineralization (which...
There are a whole bunch of problems that can affect your smile. Your teeth might be crowded together or have a gap between them. Your lower jaw could extend in front of your upper jaw, creating an underbite. Or, your teeth might not close together when you bite down, meaning...
Most people will deal with smile problems at some point during their lives. Still, though, it can feel unfair that some people just get cavities if your specific dental issue is an underbite. While some people might be able to hide their smile issues, yours is apparent. What’s more, it...
For some, straight teeth sound like a meaningless luxury. For others, straight teeth are a new lease on life. There is nothing actually wrong with having imperfect teeth, but straightening your teeth can help you in ways that you may not have considered. Straight teeth have the power to change...
If you’ve seen a lot of information lately about do-it-yourself teeth straightening in the comforts of your own home, you’re not alone. On top of mail-order options that deliver aligners straight to your doorstep, the Internet is ripe with “tutorials” for fixing dental issues, such as using elastic hairbands to...
Any surgical procedure benefits from a little foreplanning to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible, and this is certainly true of jaw surgery. Knowing what to expect can help you prepare in advance, making sure you have everything you need for a speedy and smooth recovery. At Georgetown...
Could your child benefit from an orthodontic expander? If your dentist or orthodontist suggested one, you’re probably wondering what to expect. Maybe you’re wondering what exactly one is? An orthodontic expander, also called a jaw expander or palate expander is a device placed in your child’s upper or lower jaw...
Do you think your child is headed for a mouth full of braces? Your child might if you notice they have difficulty chewing or crowded teeth or are mouth breathers or thumb suckers. It’s best to start thinking about it earlier, while your child’s head and mouth are still growing,...
You snore like a saw cutting big, heavy logs. Or so you’ve been told — more than once — by your sleepy companions who can’t catch a wink, thanks to your Zzzs. Until you heard their complaints, you thought you slept snore-free. But if you wake up during the night...
Your teeth have been beautifully straightened, and your smile is perfect. So what comes next? It’s time to talk about how to maintain that even smile — and keep your teeth from drifting back into an unattractive and non-functional position. At Georgetown Orthodontics in Washington, D.C., Dr. Maya V. Oliver...
They say patience is a virtue, but it’s hard to wait for the perfect smile. Now you don’t have to. In the past, it could take years to improve your smile with traditional braces or removable aligners. But, thanks to accelerated orthodontic technologies, such as the Alveocentesis™ technique by Propel®,...
You know Invisalign® clear aligners offer many advantages over braces, including their removability for hygiene and eating, as well as a nearly invisible look. But the positive attributes of Invisalign extend beyond these obvious superior features. At Georgetown Orthodontics, Dr. Maya V. Oliver and the team put together a list...