Braces 101 with Siu Orthodontics

If you ever sustain damage to your braces and need to call Siu Orthodontics, we can help you more effectively if you can tell us exactly which piece is in trouble! Here’s a handy diagram and corresponding list of all the parts that make up your braces.

Elastic Tie: Tiny rubber band that fits around the bracket to hold the archwire in place.

Archwire: The main wire that acts as a track to guide the teeth along. It's changed periodically throughout treatment, as teeth move to their new positions.

Loop in Archwire: Frequently used for closing space left by an extraction. Many archwires don't have a loop.

Bracket: Small attachment that holds the archwire in place. Most often, a bracket is cemented directly onto the tooth's surface, eliminating the need for a band.

Headgear Tube: Round, hollow attachment on the back bands. The inner bow of the headgear fits into it.

Coil Spring: Fits between brackets and over archwire to open space between teeth.

Tie Wire: Fine wire that is twisted around the bracket to hold the archwire in place.

Band: A thin ring of metal fitted around a tooth and cemented in place. The band provides a way to attach the brackets to the tooth.

Hook: Welded or removable arm to which elastics (rubber bands) are attached.

Elastic (Rubber Band): Small rubber band that is hooked between different points on the appliance to provide pressure to move the teeth.

Hope this helps! Give us a call if you have any questions!

How do we "Go Green" at Siu Orthodontics?

Our team at Siu Orthodontics know that we are living in an age when more and more people have a renewed commitment to conservation, and are frequently reminded to recycle, reduce and reuse. We, too, have taken steps to make our office more environmentally-friendly.

We have a digital X-ray machine that our registered dental assistants can take wonderful radiographs with - the results are instant and are on the computer and in our patients' files quickly and easily. These digital radiographs can be sent by our front office, Kathy, to the patient's dentist or oral surgeon by email as well.

In addition, using the digital radiographs keeps us from creating hazardous waste with developer and fixer when developing hard copy radiographs. The computer treatment records have been a great way to go green at our office as well. And no more treatment cards to lose! We back up our system daily so we know we will have our patients records available no matter what happens. The treatment chart is also connected to the photos, radiographs and all correspondence related to our patient that is scanned into the computer.

Lastly, we offer patients access to their account 24 hours a day, seven days a week? Our office has convenient and secure online services with Sesame 24-7™. Patients can also receive appointment reminders through email or text messages. Since this information is submitted electronically, we eliminate the use of large amounts of paper and printing materials.

You, too, can sign up for this convenient service on our website by clicking on the "Patient Login" button on our homepage.

Ask Dr. Siu: “I’m 31 – am I too old for braces?”

Absolutely not.

In fact, our staff at Siu Orthodontics read a fascinating statistic recently: the number of adults getting braces has actually jumped 24 percent since 1996! It's true that braces help make your pearly whites strong, healthy and perfectly-aligned, but perhaps another reason for the spike in adult braces is this: people want to look and feel great.

In an age—and society—where looks matter as much as anything, and at a time when evenly-aligned teeth might be the difference between getting a job or a promotion, adults are choosing—wisely—to invest in orthodontics. Treatment with Dr. Tina Siu can be successful at any age, and we know that adults especially appreciate the benefits of a beautiful and healthy smile.

If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, Dr. Siu would love to have you visit for a consultation! Please give us a call to set one up!

Dr. Siu's office has had a facelift!

Dr. Siu's office has had a facelift! We remodeled our office with new chairs in the reception room, as well as new lighting above the receptionist's (Kathy's) desk. We also have a new lamp in the reception room and added more lighting in that area.

The wood was painted with a blue wash, which gives us a warm and beautiful feel. The underwater photos were re-matted and framed for a new look. Finally, there is new wallpaper in the back office as well that brightens up the rooms.

At Siu Orthodontics, we provide excellent orthodontic treatment in a friendly and professional environment. We are dedicated to the comfort, well-being, and complete satisfaction of every patient that comes into our office. Stop by for a tour or schedule your complimentary orthodontic consultation. We look forward to meeting you and your family and helping you achieve a beautiful smile that last a lifetime!