What’s in it for me?

Your dentist may have discussed with you the benefits of having healthy teeth and proper jaw alignment. Crooked and crowded teeth are hard to clean and maintain. This can result in tooth decay, worsen gum disease and lead to tooth loss. Other orthodontic problems can contribute to abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, inefficient chewing function, excessive stress on gum tissue and the bone that supports the teeth, or misalignment of the jaw joints. These can lead to chronic headaches and face or neck pain. Treatment by an orthodontist can be less costly than the additional care required to treat dental problems arising as a result of orthodontic problems. For most people, a beautiful smile is the most obvious benefit of orthodontics. After your braces come off, you’ll feel more self-confident.

How Orthodontic Treatment Works

Orthodontic appliances can be made of metal, ceramic or plastic. They may be removable or they may be brackets bonded to the teeth. By placing a constant, gentle force in a carefully controlled direction, braces slowly move teeth to a corrected position. This is a great time to wear braces! Gone are the days when a metal band with a bracket was placed around each tooth. You can choose brackets that are clear or metallic color. You can choose the color of the ties that hold the wire in brackets. Wires are also less noticeable than they used to be and the latest materials move teeth faster with less discomfort to patients.

Duration of Treatment

Treatment time typically ranges from one to three years, depending on the growth of the patient’s mouth and face and the severity of the problem. Patients grow at different rates and will respond differently to orthodontic treatment, so the time to case completion may differ from the original estimate. The patient’s cooperation such as excellent brushing and diligent use of any prescribed rubber bands is an important factor in achieving the most efficient treatment. Interceptive, or early treatment procedures, may take as little as six months.

­­­­­­­­­­­For Children

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends every child receive an orthodontic screening by age 7 (see attached PDF).  The first permanent molars and incisors have usually come in by that time and crossbites, crowding and other problems can be evaluated. If early intervention is indicated, the orthodontist can guide the growth of the jaw and guide incoming permanent teeth. Early treatment can also regulate the width of the upper and lower dental arches, gain space for permanent teeth, avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions when older, reduce likelihood of impacted permanent teeth, correct thumb-sucking, and eliminate abnormal swallowing or speech problems. In other words, early treatment can simplify (and sometimes eliminate) later treatment.

For Adults

The number of adults seeking orthodontic treatment is certainly on the rise. In fact, today one out of every four orthodontic patients is an adult. The biological mechanisms for moving teeth is the same in adults as in children. However, because an adult’s jaw bones are no longer growing, we may have certain limitations to what we can achieve in terms of an ideal bite. While it is true that getting teeth straight is the easy part, getting the top and bottom to properly fit together can be the larger challenge. Some patients may benefit from having extractions and occasionally jaw surgery to help achieve our patient’s functional and esthetic objectives (see other sections for additional info)