Save A Smile Dental

16/10/2026

“Dr, I’ve already extracted teeth. Why do I still need expansion?”

Sometimes, even after extractions, we may still need to create more space by expanding the arch.

There are 2 types of expansion: skeletal expansion and dental expansion.

For adults, the jaws have usually completed most of their growth, so conventional orthodontic expansion is mainly dental expansion—we move the teeth outward within the limits of the surrounding bone.

The important point is: teeth cannot simply be pushed outside the bone. There is a biological limit, determined by the thickness and boundaries of the supporting bone.

For growing children, we have another option: skeletal expansion. Because the jaw is still developing, we may be able to modify the width of the jaw and gain more space than with dental expansion alone.

So, expansion is not simply “making the teeth wider.”
The type of expansion, the patient’s age, growth potential, and the available bone all matter.
For this patient, there was severe crowding together with 2 missing upper lateral incisors.

We decided to use maximum dental expansion within the patient’s biological limits to gain as much space as possible and improve the alignment.

Every patient has a different limit—and knowing that limit is an important part of orthodontic treatment.

🐝

09/10/2026

I don't want an implant, and I definitely don't want a bone graft!" 🙅‍♂️❌

We hear this a lot. When you've had a missing tooth for years, the jawbone in that area naturally shrinks (resorbs). Usually, this bone loss makes closing the gap with braces incredibly difficult—sometimes even impossible.

But for this patient, who was missing two upper premolars for years and wanted a strictly non-surgical route, we took on the challenge!

Because of the severe bone loss, it required a lot of patience, precise planning, and a longer treatment time. But by carefully moving the teeth, we successfully closed the gaps completely naturally—no implants, no bone grafts, and no surgery required. ✨

09/10/2026

09/10/2026

大老板熟客病人，Dr 都不叫。。。。一来就给advice~~~~~~

02/10/2026

“Dr, I want to do implants… but I don’t have the money yet.”

Many times, patients come to us with multiple missing teeth, and ultimately, the best long-term solution may be implant replacement.

But what if they’re not financially ready for implants yet?

We can buy some time.

In the meantime, we can consider temporary options such as a wing bridge or denture. Another option, in selected cases, is to use a miniscrew and build a composite tooth on top of it as a temporary replacement.

It may not be the ideal long-term solution, but it can serve an important purpose:

Preserve the space and bone, maintain the aesthetics, and buy the patient time to prepare financially for the implants.

This patient presented with multiple missing teeth and an existing bridge in the lower arch.

We used braces to redistribute the space and close some of the gaps, allowing us to reduce the number of implants eventually needed to just two units.

In the meantime, we used the patient's existing miniscrews to support two composite teeth as temporary prostheses while waiting for the definitive implant placement.

Sometimes, orthodontic treatment is not just about straightening teeth.

It’s about creating the right conditions for the final treatment — even when the patient isn't ready to do everything at once.

25/09/2026

Can you just close the gap from a missing tooth? 🦷🧐

It sounds simple, but it’s actually a major dental balancing act! If we just close the gap on one side, it throws off your dental midline (the centerline of your smile). Suddenly, your whole smile looks shifted to one side.

To fix this properly, we use anchorage planning—often using a tiny miniscrew (TAD). This anchor allows us to safely move the back teeth forward (mesialization) without accidentally shifting your front teeth out of alignment.Every smile is a delicate puzzle!

18/09/2026

“DR, I DON’T WANT EXTRACTION!” 😬

This is probably one of the most common requests we hear when patients start braces treatment.

But when deciding whether to extract teeth, it’s not simply about “Can we avoid extraction?”

One important factor we need to consider is your facial profile.

If we align all the teeth without extraction, the front teeth may need to move forward to create enough space. The question is:

👉 Can your lips and facial profile accommodate that extra protrusion?

Because if the teeth end up too protrusive and you don’t like the way your profile looks, then keeping all the teeth may not necessarily be the better choice.

There is no universal right or wrong answer when it comes to extraction.

Every option has its pros and cons, and the orthodontist’s job is to explain them clearly. But ultimately, the final decision is yours.

For this patient, she chose non-extraction treatment, and fortunately, her facial profile remained acceptable after the teeth were aligned.

The goal isn't simply to keep all your teeth.
The goal is to achieve the best possible result for YOU.

11/09/2026

“Dr, do I need jaw surgery?” 🤔

Many patients with a longer lower jaw struggle to decide whether they really need jaw surgery.

The answer actually depends on what you want to change.

👉 If you’re unhappy with your facial appearance and want to change the position or shape of your jaws, jaw surgery may be necessary.
Braces can move teeth, but they cannot change the underlying size or position of your jaw bones.

👉 But if you’re happy with your facial appearance and your main concern is crooked teeth or your bite, braces alone may be enough.

However, there is a limit. Braces can only camouflage a mild–moderate skeletal discrepancy. If the jaw discrepancy is severe, trying to correct it with braces alone may compromise the teeth, gums, or facial aesthetics.

So the real question is not simply:

“Do I need jaw surgery?”

It is:

“What do I want to change — my teeth, my bite, or my face?”

That’s where the treatment decision starts.

For this patient, we decided to treat the teeth and bite with braces alone, without jaw surgery.

So, after treatment, the jaw relationship and overall facial profile remained essentially unchanged — because, as we always say:

Braces move teeth. Jaw surgery changes jaws.