Phase I

The American Association of Orthodontics recommends visiting the orthodontist around the age of seven. By this age, most children have both primary (baby) teeth and permanent (adult) teeth, which makes it easier to diagnose and correct tooth and jaw problems sooner and without surgical intervention. Not all children need orthodontic treatment, but an evaluation is necessary to determine which children can benefit from treatment.
Early treatment is beneficial because:

• Can avoid the need for future oral surgery
• Avoids the need for permanent (adult) teeth to be extracted
• Corrects thumb sucking or other oral habits and helps improve minor speech problems
• Regulate the width of the upper and lower jaws
• Corrects and guides the growth of the child’s upper and lower jaw to help the permanent (adult) teeth to come in the proper place

Phase II

Orthodontic braces may have had a bad reputation in the past, but today’s braces make it easy to look and feel good during teenage year! Our office offers a variety of types and styles of braces especially for teenagers!
Every teenager wants to know how long he or she will be in braces. We understand that teenagers may want treatment to be quick which is why we have a few recommendations!
Get treatment early! Early treatment allows the orthodontist to monitor the growth of the jaw and recommend further orthodontic treatment if necessary. Some patients may need early treatment and others may wait for all of their adult teeth until they start treatment.
What is being treated? The amount of time you wear braces depends on the amount of treatment needed to correct the problem. Some patients may only need slight adjustments and may be in treatment for 12 months while others may need more treatment and may take 24 months. Treatment time also depends on each individual. Some patients may respond quickly to treatment and will be in braces less time. Remember, we want a perfect smile and will help determine what is best to obtain it!
The Patient! Your willingness to use the appliances will greatly affect the length of time it takes to complete treatment. Always take care of your braces and appliances and your treatment time will be shorter!

Braces

Braces can correct crooked and crowded teeth, a misaligned bite, and jaw problems. Braces also eliminate problems you may have with eating, speaking properly, or with keeping your teeth clean. With advancements in dental technology, traditional braces are now sleeker, smaller, and more comfortable.
Dental Associates offers clear braces as an option for traditional bracesTraditional braces consist of standard metal brackets that are placed on your teeth with an adhesive and connected by wire. They require periodic tightening so steady pressure can gradually straighten your teeth and align your jaw.
While metal braces brackets are still the most common, there are various other treatment options available.

Invisalign®

Your Invisalign® clear aligners are custom-made for you.
The aligners are virtually invisible and fit snugly over your teeth.Each aligner shifts your teeth slightly, moving them horizontally and vertically and even rotating them when needed. Your aligners are engineered to use the right amount of force in the right place at the right time.
When you change to the next set of aligners (typically every week) your teeth gradually move into position, following a custom treatment plan mapped out by your doctor.

SureSmile®

Unlike conventional treatment, which relies on plaster models and X-rays, the SureSmile treatment starts by providing your orthodontist with a detailed 3-D computer model of your teeth, allowing your orthodontist to plan individual tooth movements throughout your entire “braces experience.” SureSmile robots then customize individual braces archwires to match your treatment plan.
SureSmile orthodontic technology enables your orthodontist to create more accurate treatment plans designed to move your teeth to their correct position more efficiently than ever before, thus improving the quality of your treatment results and cutting your total time in braces by up to 29%.*
*SureSmile has been shown to reduce treatment time by an average of 29%, based on a March 2012 comparison of 7,042 patients treated with SureSmile to 200 conventionally treated patients.