How much do braces cost?

We get this question all the time.  It is a difficult question to answer because no two faces or mouths are exactly the same.  Dr. Michael R. Richards feels strongly that to create the best smile possible for you he needs to develop a unique and personalized treatment plan for you and every other patient. The treatment fee is largely determined by the duration of treatment, which is related to the difficulty of the treatment.  Some cases are relatively simple, requiring one short phase of treatment, whereas, some case are very complex or difficult requiring multiple treatment phases and appliances to create a beautiful smile.

The only way Dr. Michael R. Richards and the team at Farr West Orthodontics can give you an accurate quote for the cost of orthodontic treatment is for Dr. Richards to actually see you and perform a complimentary exam. Our team will get high quality digital photographs of your face and teeth; Dr. Richards will use these to educate you about your own mouth! He will also perform a complete oral exam, listen to your concerns, and answer your questions. By going through this process our team can give you an accurate treatment fee and estimate of how long treatment will take. At this time we can better discuss your insurance benefits and our flexible payment options to make your orthodontic treatment something that will make you smile.

Dr. Richards is not only concerned with making your teeth straight and giving you a great bite, but wants to make sure your teeth fit as well as possible with your smile and the rest of your face.   Our passion is to make you smile.  When you smile we smile.

Call us today to at our convenient location in Farr West to schedule a complimentary exam.

How To Avoid Delays In Your Orthodontic Treatment

Our patients at Farr West Orthodontics hate the thought of delaying their treatments and often ask us what they can do in between their adjustment to help. Today, Dr. Michael Richards and our team wanted to provide some tips on how you can stay on track in with your treatment plan time.

The first thing is keep your adjustment appointments. Each visit with Dr. Richards is carefully planned to move your teeth a certain way in a specific time frame. It’s important to realize that missing an appointment can add weeks or even months to your orthodontic treatment time.

Next, we want you to let Dr. Richards and our team know right away if you experience any problems with your braces. A missing wire, rubber band, or broken bracket can delay treatment time, so we ask that you please give us a call right away to report any problems rather than waiting until your next appointment.

Make sure you wear your rubber bands as prescribed by Dr. Richards. Most, if not all, of our patients will need to wear elastics or rubber bands at some point during their treatment. Not wearing the elastics, or not wearing them enough, can slow down your treatment time. Rubber bands are crucial in aligning your bite and getting it to fit together correctly.

Finally, we want you to maintain good oral hygiene. In addition to flossing regularly, we encourage you to brush your teeth multiple times a day. Not brushing will slow down tooth movement, as well as increase your risk of developing cavities or tooth decay, which will inevitably delay treatment time. The last thing you want is a beautiful smile with stains on your teeth. 

If you have any questions about any of these tips, or if you have any general questions about your treatment, please call the office or ask Dr. Richards during your next visit!

When Do Kids Need Braces?

Some kids can’t wait to get their braces, seeing them as a sign that adolescence and adulthood can’t be far behind. Others are a little worried about what they’ll be like or how they’ll look. How your child feels, you probably have some questions and concerns of your own (not the least of which may be how you’re going to pay for them!). Here’s the lowdown on kids and braces.


Why Kids Need Braces

Kids can need braces for any number of reasons, including crooked, overlapping, or overcrowded teeth, or a “bad bite” (known as malocclusion). Malocclusion is a discrepancy in the sizes of the top and bottom jaws. When the upper jaw is bigger than the lower jaw, it’s called an overbite. When the lower jaw is bigger, it’s called an underbite.
Sometimes tooth and jaw problems can be caused by tooth decay, losing baby teeth too soon, accidents, or habits like thumb sucking. But often they’re inherited, so if you or someone in your family needed braces, it’s likely that your kids will, too.
Often, your child’s dentist will be the first to notice problems during a regular visit and recommend that you see an orthodontist (a dentist who specializes in correcting jaw and/or teeth alignment problems). The orthodontist can determine whether your child does indeed need braces and which types of devices would be best.

There’s no set age for a first orthodontist visit — some kids go when they’re 6, some kids go when they’re 10, and some go while they’re teens. Even adults can receive orthodontic treatment. Many orthodontists say kids should see an orthodontist once their permanent teeth start coming in, around age 7. At this age, issues such as uneven bite and overcrowding will become apparent. Starting the process early doesn’t mean a child will get braces right away. It just means the orthodontist will be able to determine which problems exist and assess the best time to start treatment.

If you would like to receive a complimentary exam from our office, call  801.731.4850 today! We look forward to helping you achieve the beautiful smile you deserve!

Meet Dr. Richards

 

Just like Farr West Orthodontics loves their patients, we also love our doctor! Because let's face it, his knowledge is the reason behind our great smiles!  So we thought it would be fun to introduce you a little better to our great orthodontist Dr. Richards!

Dr. Richards graduated Magna Cum Laude from the College of Science at Weber State University. He then received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Ohio State University. He was inducted into the Omicron Kappa Upsilon Dental Honor Society & was honored as one of top 10 percent of his dental class. After graduating from dental school, he spent an additional thirty-three months training under some of the most well-known & published orthodontists in the world. Upon completion of his residency at Ohio State University he received his Masters of Science and certificate in the specialty of orthodontics. He is also board eligible by the American Board of Orthodontics.

Dr. Richards is from Pleasant View, Utah. After serving a two year mission to Haiti, he married his high school sweetheart, Candice, & together they have three beautiful children. His family is grateful to be living in Utah surrounded by friends and family. Dr. Richards loves spending time with his family, fly-fishing, shotgun shooting, water skiing, mountain biking, snow skiing & cooking. His favorite thing about his job is interacting with patients & their families. He loves getting to know them & see patients begin smiling more as they gain dental confidence.

How to Take Care of Your Invisalign Retainers

 

So you have embarked on an orthodontic journey known as Invisalign, and you’ve been given a series of clear retainers that will guide your teeth into perfection. Caring for these Invisalign retainers is paramount in order to obtain the best results and avoid costly replacement retainers.

 

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: Five to 10 Minutes

What You Need

• Toothbrush or retainer brush
• Retainer cleaner or denture cleaner
• Toothpaste

Here’s How:

1. Remove the Invisalign retainer from your mouth and rinse it under tepid water. Tepid water is neither too hot, nor too cold.
2. Apply toothpaste to a soft-bristled toothbrush or retainer brush. Using small circular motions, gently brush the entire retainer, both inside and out. Once you have completely brushed the Invisalign retainer, rinse the retainer again under tepid water.
3. Inspect the retainer for any calcium build-up. Like your teeth, retainers are susceptible to tartar (calculus) build-up. Calcium build-up appears as a cloudy white film on the retainer that is hard to remove with a toothbrush.If you notice any calcium build-up, soak the retainer in a denture or retainer cleaning solution as instructed on the package. The Invisalign website sells a cleaning product designed specifically for Invisalign retainer called the “Invisalign Cleaning System”.
4. Once you have completed cleaning your Invisalign retainer, you can place it back into your mouth.

Tips:

1. Do not soak your clear Invisalign retainers in mouthwash. Because most mouthwashes contain a color pigment, the resin material may pick up the color from the mouthwash, leaving you with tinted retainers.
2. Clean your retainers each time you brush your teeth. Any plaque or food particles that are trapped inside the retainer will also sit on your teeth, potentially causing the decay process to begin.
3. It is important to note that because Invisalign retainers are constructed from a resin (plastic), you should avoid using warm or hot water. Water that is too warm can distort the retainers, causing them to become ill-fitted. If you have used warm or hot water in the past, bring the retainer to your dentist to ensure that it still fits correctly.
4. When you are instructed to move on to the next set of retainers, it is advisable to thoroughly clean the previous retainer and store it in its case. There are instances where patients are required to wear a previous retainer. Ensuring it is clean and bacteria-free will help eliminate any odor and residue left on the retainer.

Myth Busters!

 

Ever wonder if that gum you accidentally swallowed really still IS in your stomach seven years later??? Well, we thought you might enjoy a couple of these myth busters! The information on this web page is based upon fun questions and interests of children, teenagers, and adults.

Teeth can pick up radio signals???
FALSE…although it is theoretically possible, but there has never ever been a medically proven case. Here is the science behind it: “Any non-linear electrical circuit can demodulate AM radio signals. Slightly corroded metal fillings, or even an electrolytic connection can do the job (it makes what amounts to an old-fashioned crystal set). It is *possible* to have your tooth fillings function as a crystal set, but I would think that you would have to be pretty close to the broadcasting tower to be able to hear the demodulated signal, which would have to be of sufficient strength to cause something in the mouth to vibrate at audio frequencies. Nevertheless there have been reports of this phenomenon practically from the inception of radio broadcasting.” Data is courtesy Urban Legends.Com, Copyright 2004 All Rights reserved.


Gum takes seven years to digest???
FALSE. It takes the same amount of time as regular food items. REMINDER: You shouldn’t be chewing gum with braces. =) Here is the science behind it: This oft-repeated claim may stem from genuine confusion over a term commonly applied to chewing gum: indigestible. Although gum resists the body’s efforts to break it down (hence the ‘indigestible’ designation), it does not linger in the stomach. Gum is eliminated as human waste in the same way – and at the same rate – as any other swallowed matter. Granted, it comes out the far end relatively unchanged by the trip, but it does come out on schedule. Chewing gum is quickly worked into an unchanging mass in the mouth that, unlike foodstuffs, barely gets smaller no matter how hard or how long we chew it. Its resistance to being broken down by the teeth works to support the fanciful notion that it has special properties which allow it to lurk in the digestive system year after year. Moreover, since we know we’re not supposed to swallow gum, imagination kicks in, inventing a “reason” for this prohibition since the obvious one – that it’s not food – lacks an appropriate sense of mystery. Data is courtesy Urban Legends.Com, Copyright 2004 All Rights reserved.


Video games can sometimes be helpful for doctors???
TRUE. Believe it or not, playing video games can improve specific types of eye-hand coordination. Here is the science behind it: Studies show that surgeons who play video games 3 hours a week had 37% less mistakes performing certain procedures. Playing video games after you finish your homework is a must. Also, it is best to alternate outside physical activity with video game play. If you are playing video games so much that your hand starts to get sore or that you get headaches, then you should stop right away. The best rule of thumb is moderation. Click here to read the actual report!


Teeth will dissolve if left in a glass of soda-pop overnight???
FALSE. Coca-Cola will not dissolve a tooth (or a nail, or a penny, or a piece of meat) overnight. But drinking too much is not healthy for your diet and will cause your teeth to be stained. Here is the science behind it: Coca-Cola contains acids (such as citric acid and phosphoric acid) which will eventually dissolve items such as teeth (given enough time), but so do plenty of other substances we commonly ingest (such as orange juice). The concentration of acid in these products is so low that our digestive systems are easily capable of coping with it with no harm to us. The idea that any substance which can dissolve teeth must therefore damage our teeth if we drink it is nonsensical. We don’t hold drinks in our mouths for days at a time – any liquids we drink simply wash over our teeth very briefly, and our teeth are further protected by their enamel coating and the ameliorating effects of saliva. Data is courtesy Snopes.Com, Copyright 2004, All Rights reserved.


Food will remain germ-free if dropped on the floor and picked up within 5 seconds???
FALSE. Unlike baseball, when food hits the ground it’s out. Here is the science behind it: Bacteria and viruses grab on by contact, and even brief encounters of the split-second variety can be more than enough for them to claim a new home address. They harbor no respect for a time barrier of a specific number of seconds. There is no five-second rule. The to-die-for brownie that just hit the floor may have instantly acquired a deadly literalness if we’re foolish enough to persist in thinking of it as still being fit to eat. Likewise, parents whose children use teething devices or soothers should not rely upon the fast retrieval of these items when they hit the floor but should instead always wash and boil them lest they pass dreadful contagions to their children. (And no, a quick shake under hot water won’t do.) Data is courtesy Snopes.Com, Copyright 2004, All Rights reserved.


Two people will get their braces stuck together if they kiss???
FALSE. We have never heard of this truly happening. Here is the science behind it: During normal kissing your braces won’t touch, so they can’t get tangled up with each other! Kissing is not something that has to be given up to have a healthy bite and a nice smile. If you both have braces, don’t worry!


Rockets use laughing gas in their engine???
True. SpaceShipOne, the first privately manned spaceship, uses laughing gas and a rubber compound in the booster. All rocket motors have some form of “fuel” and an “oxidizer”. In solid rocket motors the oxidizer is embedded into the fuel (like an Estes rocket motor) and when lighted will burn until depleted. In liquid rockets the oxidizer is usually liquid oxygen and the fuel another liquid like hydrogen or kerosene. In hybrid motor, Nitrous Oxide (N2O or laughing gas) is used as an oxidizer and hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB or rubber) as the fuel. Both of these can be safely stored without special precautions and will not react when put together. Finally N2O has the nice quality of self-pressurizing when at room temperature so that the space ship doesn’t need complicated turbo pumps or plumbing to move the oxidizer into the combustion chamber. It is environmentally friendly too. The products of combustion are mostly benign (water vapor, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and nitrogen and some carbon monoxide) and certainly much more friendly than any other class of rocket propulsion. Data courtesy www.scaled.com

What Is Your Favorite Toothpaste?

What is your favorite toothpaste? Which toothpaste is the best? Most all toothpastes have the same amount of fluoride. The ones that do not are those few marketed as natural, or the ones made for babies and toddlers that are sometimes called something like “tooth and gum cleanser.” You will find that fluoridated toothpastes are recommended for adults and children two years and older. Even then we recommend only a very small bit of toothpaste on the brush so if a child swallows it (which they will do) then its just a little bit and will cause no real problem.

Other than fluoride though, it’s all about the other stuff, the whitener, Triclosan, the tarter control, the appearance and of course the taste. Really none of the effects of toothpaste are more important than the fluoride. The ADA seal is to attest to the fluoride content. That’s the stuff that helps prevent cavities.

So, which toothpaste is the best? For the children in our practice, the one we recommend to them is the one they like the best; the one they are motivated to use. It’s all about the marketing, sparkles, smell and taste. Some kids, usually very young ones, don’t like any kind of toothpaste. Hey, you can still clean the teeth with the brush and floss, but the advantage of the fluoride is not there. Most toothpastes marketed to children have the same fluoride content (1000 ppm) as adult toothpastes, but often have bubblegum or other flavors that appeal to children–and sparkles! Adults like the minty flavors more.

So, which one do you like the best? What is your favorite toothpaste? It often comes down to what you like. If you do find something you like, it’s ok to try something different from time to time just to keep it interesting!