Orthodontics
Adult Orthodontics
More and more adults today are seeking orthodontic treatment to improve their smile. Often times, because adults usually are more compliant in their orthodontic treatment, their results turn out far greater than with a child and/or a teen. Orthodontic treatment is not only designed to improve your smile's appearance, but also, to improve the health of your teeth and gums. If you have crowded or overlapping teeth, you may be unable to reach those areas and run the risk of severe tooth decay, gum and bone loss, irregular wear of tooth enamel and possible TMJ/TMD pain. Recent improvements in traditional braces have resulted in smaller, stronger, more efficient and less conspicuous brackets. Conventional braces with metal brackets are the most familiar; however, clear and tooth-colored ceramic and plastic brackets are now available.
Conventional Braces
Braces are bonded brackets, archwires and elastic bands that move crowded or spaced teeth into the proper position for appearance and function.
Over a period of time, teeth will shift if constant, gentle pressure is applied. Brackets are bonded to the front surface of each tooth and wires are attached to the brackets with elastic bands. The slight tension on the wire is gently transferred to the bracket through the elastic band.
Today's orthodontic treatment is faster, comfortable and more fashionable than ever for children, teens and adults.
Invisalign® corrects many orthodontic issues without the hassles of traditional braces. This means no unattractive metal wire, no uncomfortable glued-on brackets and no annoying rubber bands that can leave your mouth sore. The full course of treatment involves changing the Invisalign® aligners approximately every two weeks, moving your teeth into straighter position step-by-step, until you have a more beautiful smile. In most cases, Invisalign® treatment takes about a year.
Did we mention Invisalign® is removable? Because the aligners used in the Invisalign® treatment process are removable, you can eat the foods you love to eat (steak, corn and bubble-gum don't mix well with traditional braces). Additionally, when you need to brush and floss, you don't have to buy special tooth brushes and flossers designed to fit between the wires and brackets of braces.
Having crooked, crowded or gapped teeth can be embarrassing, sometimes painful and often uncomfortable. Here at American Dental, we want you to know there is a modern way to straighten teeth and even correct misaligned bites without the use of traditional braces. We use Invisalign®!
If you have gapped teeth, an overbite, underbite, open bite, crossbite or overly crowded teeth, Invisalign® may work for you! Call us at (800) 822-0004 or request an appointment online. We would love to be able to discuss an Invisalign® plan specific to you and get you well on your way to a beautiful straight smile!
The total cost of Invisalign® treatment is similar to that of traditional braces. Many dental insurance plans cover Invisalign® treatment just as they would with regular metal braces. Every unique case has many different factors that can all affect total treatment cost so it's extremely difficult to put a price tag on custom treatment plans.
American Dental can do all the leg-work for you and will check with your dental insurance provider to see just how much they will cover.
Orthodontic Appliances
A gadget that the orthodontist gives you to wear after your braces are removed. The retainer attaches to your upper and/or lower teeth and holds them in the correct position. You wear the retainer 24 hours a day at first then at night to make sure that none of your teeth move while your jaw hardens and your teeth get strongly attached to your jaw.
A palatal expander is an appliance placed in the roof of the mouth to widen the upper dental arch, which allows the arch to be painlessly separated and spread. A treatment used for younger patients. Many times a palatal expander can be used to create a proper alignment of the arches so permanent teeth have room to erupt in a natural position. Often, the use of an arch expander early may eliminate the need for braces later.
A space maintainer is a removable or fixed appliance designed to maintain an existing space. They are usually fitted to children when they have lost baby teeth early. The gap left from losing this tooth needs to be held open for the permanent tooth to erupt in its correct position.
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