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 from orthodontics. Straight teeth and a beautiful
smile can increase your self-confidence.
Braces for Children
The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that your
child get an orthodontic check-up no later than age 7. At
this time, the first permanent molars and incisors have usually
come in and crossbites, crowding, and other problems can be
evaluated. While your child's teeth may appear to be straight,
there could be a problem that only an orthodontist can detect.
Having your child see the orthodontist at this age gives Dr.
Bryant the chance to:
- guide jaw growth
- lower the risk of trauma to protruded front
teeth
- correct harmful oral habits such as thumb
sucking and tongue thrust
- improve appearance and self esteem
- guide permanent teeth into a more favorable
position
- improve the way the lips meet
Second phase treatment, or comprehensive treatment, consists
of finishing alignment and bite of the newly erupted adult
teeth. This occurs usually between the ages of 11 and 13.
After Phase II, the retention phase begins.
Braces for Adults
Braces aren’t just for kids anymore. Teeth 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,
even headaches and sometimes jaw joint (TMJ/TMD) pain.
Good news! The new techniques and appliances we use
greatly reduce discomfort levels, decrease the frequency of
visits, shorten treatment time and may allow you to choose
from several options. Your options may include metal braces,
translucent braces and even transparent aligners that can
be worn at night to improve mild cases of misaligned teeth.
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.
