Orthodontics (straightening teeth)
We pride ourselves on offering many options to allow the best aesthetic and joint function. Our office provides:
- Braces to straighten teeth and correct underbites, overbites and end-to-end bites.
- Invisalign: Clear trays that provide a limited but aesthetic lifestyle option for braces.
- Dent-aligner: Clear trays that address minor dental crowding in a very short period of time.
- Retainers: To correct simple problems that require minor tooth movements.
Both Dr. Strother and Dr. Carlisle attend quarterly orthodontic study clubs that are given by the international orthodontist, Dr. C. Garcia.
What is Orthodontics?
Orthodontics deals with straightening teeth and correcting irregular bites (also known as malocclusion). This is accomplished through the use of corrective appliances, such as braces and retainers.
There are two phases to orthodontic treatment; the active phase and the retention phase. The active phase involves the use of braces to move the teeth into their new position and the retention phase involves the use of a retainer to keep the teeth in place while the surrounding bone and gums adjust around them.
Why is orthodontics important?
Orthodontics can boost a person’s self-image as the teeth, jaws and lips become properly aligned. An attractive smile is just one of the benefits. Alleviating or preventing physical health problems is just as important.
Without treatment, orthodontic problems may lead to tooth decay, gum disease, bone destruction and chewing and digestive difficulties. A bad bite can contribute to speech impairments, early tooth loss, chipped teeth and other dental injuries.
Why should children have a check-up with an orthodontic specialist?
By age 7, enough permanent teeth have come in and enough jaw growth has occurred that the dentist or orthodontist can identify current problems, anticipate future problems and alleviate parents’ concerns if all seems normal. The first permanent molars and incisors have usually come in by age 7, and cross bites, crowding and developing injury-prone dental protrusions can be evaluated.
Can orthodontic treatment do for an adult what it does for children?
Healthy teeth can be moved at almost any age. Many orthodontic problems can be corrected as easily and as well for adults as for children. Orthodontic forces move the teeth in the same way for both a 75-year-old adult and a 12-year-old child. Complicating factors, such as lack of jaw growth, may create special treatment planning needs for the adult.
How does adult treatment differ from that of children and adolescents?
Adults are not growing and may have experienced some breakdown or loss of their teeth and bone that supports the teeth. Orthodontic treatment may then be only a part of the patient’s overall treatment plan. Close coordination may be required between the orthodontist, oral surgeon, periodontist, endodontist and family dentist to assure that a complicated adult orthodontic problem is managed well and complements all other areas of the patient’s treatment needs.
What are some of the available orthodontic options?
- Invisalign
Invisalign braces are great for people who do not have severe problems. The braces consist of strong plastic trays that are fabricated especially for you. They are indeed invisible. If your orthodontic problem is not too severe, then Invisalign is a good choice. You are able to get your teeth straightened without anyone seeing that you are wearing braces! This appeals to many adults, especially people who wore traditional braces as children and then need more treatment later in life. However, if your bite is very bad, if you need extractions or require headgear or other appliances, then Invisalign will not work for you; you will need to wear traditional braces.
- Metal braces
Metal braces can be silver or golden. The golden brackets look a bit more "jewellery-like".
Metal brackets are very strong and can withstand most types of treatment. At first they may irritate your gums, but after a few weeks, when your cheeks get toughened up they are not a problem anymore. Most traditional metal braces require an elastic o-shaped rubber band, called a ligature, to hold the arch wire onto the bracket. Sometimes orthodontist use metal tie wires (little wires which are twisted around the bracket) in place of elastic ligatures. In the old days, metal braces were not just brackets, but bands that wrapped around the entire tooth. In addition, you can make them colourful with ligatures that come in a rainbow array of colours glued to the front of each tooth (a big improvement!). The old-fashioned bands are usually reserved for molars or teeth with fillings that spill to the outside surface of a tooth.
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