Orthodontics is devoted to building beautiful smiles by bringing teeth, lips, and jaws into proper alignment. Straight teeth function better, are easier to clean, and are more likely to last your lifetime.
The orthodontists at our clinics can improve most tooth and jaw alignment problems at any age. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children see an orthodontist no later than age seven.
How is Orthodontic Therapy Done ?
Removable Appliances
Removable appliances are not a precise as braces, which is why they are only used to move one tooth or a small group of teeth. We have used appliance therapy on many children and a few adults with minimal misalignment of their teeth. Patients are required to wear their appliance all the time during therapy and come in for regular observation and adjustment visits. Therapy can take anywhere from 6-18 months.
Our consultant orthodontist can screen your child as early as age seven to see if they may require braces in the future. Sometimes he may choose to have your child wear an appliance before all the adult teeth come in to improve eruption patterns and jaw alignment. This is called “Interceptive Orthodontics”. Children may or may not require braces after wearing the appliance; it just depends on the complexity of the case and the growth pattern of your child’s teeth and jaw.
Fixed Braces
Most often the choice of treatment is braces. Treatment time lasts anywhere from 1-2 years, depending on what our consultant orthodontist is treating. Prices of treatment vary depending on the complexity of the case and years that you will be in braces. Patients are required to come in for regular observation and adjustment visits and maintain excellent oral hygiene care at home.
There are a variety of colors of brackets, wires, and elastics, and you can talk to our consultant orthodontist about which ones are right for you. You may like glow in the dark, cosmetic ceramic, or bold gold. With the use of new copper NiTi wires, our consultant orthodontist can move teeth in a more gentle manner than years ago. This means teeth are less sensitive after adjustments and while they are shifting position in your mouth.
Oral Surgery
Our consultant orthodontist may request that teeth be removed prior to starting orthodontics if they are crowded, badly out of position, or wisdom teeth.
Jaw surgery (orthognathic surgery) may be required when there are major differences in the size or position of your upper and lower jaws. It will help the upper and lower jaw to line up. You would need to be referred to an oral and maxillofacial surgeon for these procedures.
Considerations
Orthodontic treatment does take time to complete, and in some cases, minor treatments may be needed later to correct small changes in tooth position. Treatment involves a time commitment from patients and in general, adults take longer to treat than children or teenagers. Treatment can range from 6 months to even 2 years in some cases. Patients are required to come in regularly for maintenance visits every 4-6 weeks. Brushing and flossing do take longer to complete, and are even more important because food gets stuck around the brackets and can cause decay and decalcification quickly.
Patients should have professional cleanings done more frequently as well. Your diet needs to change too in order to prevent the brackets from breaking off. Patients are recommended to stay away from chewing ice cubes, nuts, chewing pens and pencils, sticky foods, foods high in sugar, gum, toffee, and beef jerky. Orthodontics is a big commitment, but it has a lifelong result!
Invisalign orthodontics:
There are over two million Invisalign patients worldwide
Invisalign braces can give you a straighter smile faster than you think. You will be able to smile confidently during as well as after your treatment. Invisalign is the invisible way to straighten teeth using a series of clear, removable aligners to gradually straighten teeth, without metal or wires. Our orthodontists at Ankura Dental are Invisalign certified and have treated hundreds of adult patients with outstanding results.
Why to choose Invisalign? What is Invisalign?
The Invisalign® system is the virtually invisible way to straighten your teeth and achieve the smile you’ve always dreamed of. Using advanced 3-D computer-imaging technology, Invisalign depicts your complete treatment plan, from the initial position of your teeth to the final desired position. Then a series of clear aligners are custom-made for your teeth – and your teeth only – to move them little by little. Each aligner is worn for about two weeks before being replaced by the next in the series, until the final position of your teeth is achieved. Your Invisalign treatment time will be determined by your doctor, based on your specific needs.
What are the primary benefits of Invisalign?
Invisalign aligners are practically clear. No one may even notice that you’re wearing these virtually invisible “braces,” making Invisalign a seamless fit with your lifestyle and day-to-day interactions with others.
Invisalign is removable. Unlike braces, you have the flexibility to eat and drink what you want during treatment by simply removing the aligners. And you can also remove the aligners to brush and floss as you normally would for fresh breath and good oral hygiene.
Unlike braces, there are no metal brackets or wires with the Invisalign system that could cause irritation to your mouth. Plus since your office visits during treatment don’t involve metal or wire adjustments, you’ll likely spend less time in the doctor’s chair.
And finally, Invisalign allows you to view your virtual results and treatment plan before you start so you can see how your straight teeth will look when your treatment is complete.
How many patients are being treated with Invisalign?
More than 3,000,000 patients worldwide have been treated with Invisalign. The number of Invisalign smiles grows daily.
How will Invisalign effectively move my teeth?
Like brackets and archwires are to braces, Invisalign aligners move teeth through the appropriate placement of controlled force on your teeth. The main difference is that Invisalign not only controls forces, but also the timing of the force application.
During each stage, only certain teeth are allowed to move. These movements are determined by your doctor as he or she maps out your unique Invisalign treatment plan.
What are aligners made of, and what do they look like?
The virtually invisible aligners, which are made of a thermoplastic material uniquely developed for the Invisalign treatment plan, look similar to tooth-whitening trays. Invisalign aligners are custom-made for you and only you to move your teeth in the sequence determined by your doctor.
Since having my braces removed, my teeth have shifted. Can Invisalign correct this?
A number of Invisalign patients have undergone a previous treatment involving braces at some point in their past, often during their youth. Invisalign can usually correct the shifting that occurs after braces, and do so without having to go through the trauma and social awkwardness of wearing metal braces.
I am currently wearing braces. Can I make the switch to Invisalign?
Doctors are treating a significant number of patients with a combination of braces and Invisalign. Consult your Invisalign doctor to determine the best treatment for you.
Will wearing Invisalign aligners affect my speech?
Similar to other orthodontic treatments, Invisalign aligners may temporarily affect the speech of some people, and you may have a slight lisp for a day or two. However, as your tongue gets used to having aligners in your mouth, any lisp caused by the aligners should disappear.
Are there restrictions on what I can eat while in treatment?
No. Thanks to the removable nature of the aligners, you can eat and drink whatever you want while in treatment. In fact, you’re required to remove your aligners to eat and drink. So, unlike undergoing traditional treatment using wires and brackets, there is no need to restrict your consumption of any of your favorite foods and snacks unless instructed otherwise by your doctor. Also, it is important that you brush your teeth after each meal and prior to re-inserting your aligners to maintain fresh breath and proper hygiene.
Will smoking stain the aligners ?
We discourage smoking while wearing aligners because it is possible for the aligners to become discolored.
Can I chew gum while wearing aligners ?
No, gum will stick to the aligners. We recommend removing your aligners for all meals and snacks.
Will Invisalign treatment be painful ?
While Invisalign moves your teeth without the pain and anxiety of metal braces, some people will experience temporary discomfort for a few days at the beginning of each new stage of treatment. This is normal and is typically described as a feeling of pressure. It’s also a sign that Invisalign is working, as it moves your teeth to their final destination. This discomfort typically goes away in a couple of days.
What’s the best way to clean my aligners?
The best way to clean your aligners is to use the Invisalign cleaning kit, available for order at www.invisalignstore.com. As a secondary method, however, your aligners can also be cleaned by brushing them and rinsing them in lukewarm water.
How often must I wear my aligners?
We find aligners are most effective if worn 20 to 22 hours per day – and removed only for eating, brushing, and flossing.
What is the minimum age of a patient that a doctor can treat with Invisalign?
Invisalign Teen is appropriate for patients who have shed all of their baby teeth and have second molars at least partially erupted – this includes most teens. Ask your orthodontist if you qualify to start treatment now.
How often will treatment take?
The length of treatment depends on the severity of your case and can only be determined by your doctor; however the average case takes about 12 months.
