Do you or a member of your family have an uneven smile? For crooked, crowded, and overlapping teeth, we can offer a solution with custom orthodontics. In today’s blog, your Shirley, NY, pediatric dentist and orthodontist talks about our approach to braces, aligners, and more!
The Benefits of Treating Misalignment
Dental misalignment can impact patients of all ages, from kids to adults. Without treatment, poor alignment is linked to a higher risk of complications like tooth decay, gum disease, TMJ disorder, and even bruxism (teeth grinding). You could also feel uncomfortable with your appearance, which has a negative impact on your quality of life. But our team can offer orthodontics for patients of all ages, from kids as young as age seven to adults.
Braces
Traditional braces are often prescribed for teens and adults with more severe cases of dental misalignment. They rely on metal brackets and arch wires to shift the teeth into proper positions, usually over a period of about two years. Patients then need to wear a retainer as the jaw reform around the new positions of the teeth, ensuring they cannot shift back.
Invisalign®
For teens and adults with more minor cases, we could offer a cosmetic approach to smile correction. Invisalign® doesn’t need metal brackets or wires. Instead, our team will offer a series of clear and custom aligners to shift the teeth. You wear a set for two weeks, 20 to 23 hours a day, and repeat the process as your smile is corrected, often in as little as one year.
Retainers
As we mentioned above, retainers could be used by our teen and adult patients to help keep the teeth from shifting once your braces are removed, and they can also help address very minor cases of poor alignment. As we will discuss in the next section, they can also help treat misalignment in little smiles.
Phase One Orthodontics
Phase One orthodontics, also known as Interceptive Orthodontics, are designed to help kids as young as age seven. They are meant to guide the growth and development of the smile to limit the severity of misalignment until kids can reach the teen years and have their smile fully corrected with braces or aligners. These could include custom retainers, as well as space maintainers when kids lose baby teeth prematurely.
If you have any questions about our orthodontic treatment options, then contact our office today to learn more and get started on the treatment process!
Treating Uneven Smiles in Shirley, NY
We want to provide treatment to straighten smiles of all ages with precision and accuracy. To find out more about our custom orthodontic treatments, call Shirley Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry in Shirley, NY at 631.399.1600 today.
Recent Comments