Orthodontics
Orthodontic Records
The first step to a beautiful new smile is a consultation appointment. During this appointment we will talk with you about your goals for treatment; what bothers you most about your smile? Our doctors and staff will take Xrays, photos and a digital scan of your teeth (no more goopy impressions!). Other places charge as much as $500 for this service but we are currently offering this records appointment including a treatment plan, all Xrays, photos and the digital scan to you for free!
Traditional Braces
Traditional metal braces are what we all commonly think of when we think about dental braces. The system is made up of metal brackets bonded to the teeth and then a wire that runs from bracket to bracket that is used to align the brackets which, in turn, aligns the teeth. There are typically two phases of orthodontic treatment:
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Phase 1 Treatment - Children who do not have all their permanent teeth yet
This treatment is typical for children who do not have all their permanent teeth yet and have bad teeth alignment. In many cases, early intervention can save significant time and money in future orthodontic treatment. In some cases, the use of a palatal expander during this phase can eliminate the need for future jaw surgery. The main goals of this phase of treatment are to guide the adult teeth present into proper alignment and position, to create and maintain space for future adult teeth and to correct any crossbites or deficiencies in the palatal width. Typical treatment times range from 1 year to 2 years but vary by patient.
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Comprehensive Treatment - Teens/Adults with all or most of their permanent teeth
This treatment is typical in teens and adults who have no baby teeth remaining and have their adult teeth present. Many people start their orthodontic treatment with this phase. The main goals of this phase of treatment are to straighten and align the teeth into the correct position in the arch and to correct overbite, overjet, deep bite, crossbites and crowding. The ultimate goal is to leave you with a beautiful smile that you're proud of and we're proud of! Typical treatment times range from 14 months to 22 months but vary by patient.
Clear Aligners
Clear aligners have become extremely popular over the last ten years as an alternative to traditional braces. Clear aligners work through a series of bonded attachments and clear plastic aligners. Patients have small, tooth-colored attachments bonded to their teeth on the first visit after deciding to proceed with treatment. Patients will wear soft and durable clear plastic aligners on their teeth for approximately 22 hours every day (only removing them for eating, brushing and flossing daily). The prescription aligners are changed out every week or two with new aligners as the treatment progresses. Typical treament times are on the order of 12 weeks to 35 weeks depending on the treatment. At The Dentist:Whitewater, we offer two brands of clear aligners in our office: Invisalign and OrthoFX.
