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Your Treatment
 Early/Interceptive
Adult Treatment
Types of Braces
Fixed Appliances
Removable Appliances
Invisalign
Retention
Early/Interceptive
When is the best time to begin orthodontics?
Though an
orthodontist can enhance a smile at any age, there is
an optimal time period to begin treatment. Beginning
treatment at this time ensures the greatest result and
the least amount of time and expense. The American
Association of Orthodontists recommends that the
initial orthodontic evaluation should occur at the
first sign of orthodontic problems or no later than
age 7. At this early age, orthodontic treatment may
not be necessary, but vigilant examination can
anticipate the most advantageous time to begin
treatment.
What are the benefits of early orthodontic evaluation?
Early evaluation provides both
timely detection of problems and greater opportunity
for more effective treatment. Prudent intervention
guides growth and development, preventing serious
problems later. When orthodontic intervention is not
necessary, an orthodontist can carefully monitor
growth and development and begin treatment when it is
ideal.
Why is age 7 considered the optimal time for screening?
By the age of 7, the first adult molars
erupt, establishing the back bite. During this time,
an orthodontist can evaluate front-to-back and
side-to-side tooth relationships. For example, the
presence of erupting incisors can indicate possible
overbite, open bite, crowding or gummy smiles. Timely
screening increases the chances for an incredible
smile.
What are the advantages of interceptive treatment?
Some of the most direct results of interceptive treatment are:
- Creating room for crowded, erupting teeth
- Creating facial symmetry through influencing jaw growth
- Reducing the risk of trauma to protruding front teeth
- Preserving space for unerupted teeth
- Reducing the need for tooth removal
- Reducing treatment time with braces
Are you a candidate for orthodontic treatment?
Orthodontics is not merely for improving
the aesthetics of the smile; orthodontic treatment
improves bad bites (malocclusions). Malocclusions
occur as a result of tooth or jaw misalignment.
Malocclusions affect the way you smile, chew, clean
your teeth or feel about your smile.
Why should malocclusions be treated?
According to studies by the
American Association of Orthodontists, untreated
malocclusions can result in a variety of problems.
Crowded teeth are more difficult to properly brush and
floss, which may contribute to tooth decay and/or gum
disease. Protruding teeth are more susceptible to
accidental chipping. Crossbites can result in
unfavorable growth and uneven tooth wear. Openbites
can result in tongue-thrusting habits and speech
impediments. Ultimately, orthodontics does more than
make a pretty smile—it creates a healthier you.
Adult Treatment
Braces aren’t just for kids anymore. Tooth alignment
can be changed at any age if your gums and bone
structure are healthy. We offer a variety of
treatments that are designed for different age groups
– including adults. A new smile can begin today.
Orthodontic treatment at later stages in life can
dramatically improve your personal appearance and
self-esteem. Improving the health of your teeth and
gums is equally important. Crooked teeth and a bad
bite can contribute to gum and bone loss, tooth decay,
abnormal wear of the tooth enamel and surfaces,
headaches and jaw joint (TMJ/TMD) pain.
Through the advanced technology of the Damon System,
you will enjoy a shortened overall treatment time
requiring less frequent office visits and a reduction
in the discomfort generally associated with
traditional braces.
We also offer options to best suit your esthetic needs
– the super-efficient all metal Damon 2 bracket or the
sleek and inconspicuous Damon 3 bracket. Some cases
can be treated with the transparent aligners of the
Invisalign® System.
During the initial examination, we will be able to
determine the best possible treatment for your
individual needs. During this initial examination, we
can outline the treatment plan, time of treatment
expected and the approximate cost.
A large percentage of our patients are adults, and
they agree that it’s never too late to improve their
greatest asset - their smile.
Types of Braces
The purpose of this section is to illustrate different
types of common orthodontic and orthopedic
appliances. Orthodontists use many different types of
“appliances,” the word for braces or other devices, to
move or stabilize teeth and jaws. Sometimes an
orthodontic treatment involves more than just moving
the teeth. The official name of the specialty is
orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. Let’s look
at what that means.
Ortho means to straighten
dontic or dento means teeth
so Orthodontics means to straighten teeth.
facial means the face and jaws
pedics means "the child"
so Dentofacial Orthopedics means to straighten or correct the face and jaws of the child.
Orthodontists do more than align teeth; they modify
and correct problems with facial growth. Different
orthodontic appliances are used for different purposes
in an orthodontic treatment. Some are designed to
primarily move teeth (orthodontic), while others are
used “orthopedically” to modify facial growth. Some
appliances have both orthodontic and orthopedic
treatment effects.
Appliances come in two types: ones that are fixed, or
don't come out, and ones the patient can take out.
The kind the patients can take out are called
“removable.” The orthodontist selects either fixed or
removable appliances based on an individual patient’s
treatment needs and how much cooperation or compliance
(following the orthodontist’s instructions) can be
expected from the patient. Removable appliances are
easier to keep clean, but can be lost or misplaced.
Fixed appliances are worn all the time and are often
indicated for problems that require a more aggressive
or time-sensitive treatment. Patients who have
trouble wearing removable appliances can often be
treated with fixed appliances. are
subject to being charged an additional fee.
Fixed Appliances
Examples of fixed orthodontic appliances are the
brackets, bands and wires most often associated with
“braces.” Brackets can be made of metal, ceramic or
plastic or combinations of these materials. Some
metal brackets are silver-colored, but some are
gold-colored. Ceramic brackets are typically clear or
tooth-colored and are generally used by patients who
want to minimize the visibility of their
braces. Pendex appliances, distal jet appliances and
coil springs of different materials are used primarily
to move teeth. Devices such as Forsus springs or
Jasper jumpers are often used in place of elastics,
but all share a common purpose of making upper and
lower teeth fit together better. Lip bumpers may be
used for patients with lower arch crowding.
Your orthodontist may also use some fixed devices to
hold teeth in place while other teeth are moved.
These common appliances include lingual holding
arches, Nance appliances and transpalatal arches. A
quad helix is an appliance made of heavy wire that
moves teeth, but can also have an orthopedic effect.
These types of appliances may have other names, but
have common uses.
Examples of fixed orthopedic appliances are the
various types of palate expanders and functional
appliances. Palatal expanders are used to make the
upper jaw wider. The Hyrax and Haas expanders are
examples. Functional appliances are used to normalize
growth discrepancies between the upper and lower jaw.
Examples of these are the Herbst appliance, twin block
and Mara appliances. These are typically worn over
extended periods of time.
Removable Appliances
Removable orthodontic appliances can have many shapes
and appearances. “Retainers” are examples of one
type. Retainers usually just hold teeth in their new
positions after active orthodontic treatment (braces)
is complete, but springs or elastics can be added to
these types of appliances to move teeth. Rubber
bands, or “elastics,” are used in almost every
treatment to help move teeth into a correct position.
Expanders and tooth movers come in many shapes and
forms. The orthodontist can prescribe and construct
individual appliances suited to a patient’s individual
and unique needs.
There are also removable orthopedic functional
appliances that help correct growth discrepancies.
Bionators and Frankel appliances are examples of
those. Various types of headgears are also commonly
used removable orthopedic correctors. Some, such as
cervical pull or high pull, help to correct conditions
when the lower jaw growth does not keep up with upper
jaw growth, while other types, such as reverse pull
headgear, face masks and chin cups, help when upper
jaw growth does not keep up with lower jaw growth.
Orthodontists select the type of appliance that suits
each patient's needs from these and other appliances.
As you can see, appliances can be as different as
each patient seeking orthodontic treatment. You can
trust your orthodontist to choose the appropriate
appliance for your treatment because orthodontists
have two-to-three academic years of university-based
specialty training in orthodontics and dentofacial
orthopedics.
Invisalign
Invisalign is the clear way to straighten teeth
without braces, using aligners. Aligners are removable
and virtually invisible, which means you can
straighten your teeth without anyone knowing; and you
can still eat and drink what you want. Also, you can
brush and floss normally to maintain healthy gums and
teeth; and there are no wires, metal or brackets to
cause mouth abrasions. ??Many of our patients had
never considered traditional braces but are now
happily and comfortably improving their smiles with
Invisalign.
What is Invisalign
- Invisible way to straighten your teeth without braces.
- Series of clear, removable, custom-made Aligners.
- Uses no metal wires or brackets.
- Custom-made for comfort.
How Does Invisalign Work?
- Wear each set of Aligners for about two weeks.
- Remove only to eat, drink, brush and floss.
- Your teeth will move gradually each week.
- Visit us every 8-10 weeks.
- Total treatment time averages 6-15 months.
- Average number of Aligners is between 18 and 30.
More Info...
Retention
When we remove your braces, we will begin the
retention stage of your treatment. Our standard plan
of retention is a removable upper retainer and a
discreet bonded or “fixed” retainer that will be
placed on the back side of your lower front teeth. It
is imperative for you to wear your retainer on a
“full-time” basis for about two months following the
removal of your braces. Full-time wear is between 18
and 22 hours per day. You will be able to take your
retainer out to eat and to brush. We will appoint you
for an office visit two months into your retention
period.
The doctor will evaluate the stability of
your teeth and likely instruct that you wear your
retainer at night only. We will continue to check
your retainers and monitor the stability of your teeth
for one year. When worn consistently, your retainers
can last for several years and are a great insurance
policy for maintaining the function and beauty of your
smile.
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