Your Orthodontic Evaluation
Before planning treatment, we examine your teeth, jaws, jaw joints, face, and profile, and study how you bite and swallow. Your dental and medical histories are taken. If you're looking for cosmetic changes in your smile or face, you'll be asked about your specific goals for orthodontics.
X-rays and precise measurements show how your bite can be corrected.
Models of your bite show how your teeth and jaws fit together.
Digital Images give us a record of your profile, face, and teeth before treatment.
Orthodontics for Adults
More and more adults are seeking orthodontic treatment, eager for a more attractive face and smile, healthier gums, and freedom from jaw joint pain. Today's appliances may include less visible porcelain braces so orthodontics can fit into any adult lifestyle. With fully mature adult jaws, treatment may take a little longer than for teenagers.
Braces options include bonded brackets and full bands, "invisible" porcelain braces, and removable braces. Now, there is also the Invisalign "invisible" aligners for those 14 and above.
A splint can help treat TMJ Syndrome (sore jaw joints). A retainer helps stabilize teeth in their new positions. Surgery may be recommended for severe bite problems to achieve a stable bite and more dramatic cosmetic result.
Your Orthodontic Diagnosis
After a thorough evaluation, Dr. Williams diagnoses your bite problem (also called a malocclusion or "bad bite" ). Your diagnosis helps us plan which appliances (devices) will best correct your bite.
Types of Malocclusions
Class I
Your jaws line up correctly, but your teeth are crowded, crooked, or too far apart.
Class II
Your upper jaw bites too far in front, or your lower jaw bites too far back.
Class III (underbite)
Your lower jaw bites too far in front, or your upper jaw bites too far back.
Malocclusions may be due to skeletal problems where the size or position of the upper or lower jaw is improper or they may be only dental in nature, meaning that the teeth are just not lined up properly in relation to each other.
Other Orthodontic Problems
Open bite
When your molars bite, your front teeth stay open.
Closed bite
When your molars bite, your upper front teeth cover your lower teeth.
Cross bite
When your molars bite, some upper teeth close inside your lower teeth.
Length of Treatment
The length of your treatment depends on your bite problem, age, response to treatment, and cooperation with wearing your appliances as advised. The cost of your treatment may be based in part on how long you need to wear your appliances. Dental insurance may help cover the cost of your orthodontics; our office provides multiple option to finance your portion of the fee. We want your orthodontic treatment to be comfortably affordable.
SOME FACTS ABOUT ADULT ORTHODONTICS
This web page was written for you, the adult considering orthodontic treatment. It is designed to give you general information about a dental treatment that far too may people wrongly assume is for children only.
You may be a candidate for Invisalign Orthodontic Aligners. Only adults are capable of using this technique. Dr. Williams will consult with you to see if you have the exact type of malocclusion that qualifies for this type of therapeutic approach.
Most adults consider orthodontics for two reasons: (1) The dentist has told them that their teeth are misaligned, a problem which will eventually affect their oral health; and/or (2) they are unhappy with the appearance of their mouth. Large spaces between their teeth, crooked lower teeth, and a protruding over-bite or buck teeth are a few of the most common complaints.
All of us, naturally, approach any new project with some apprehension. We expect you will feel the same at this point. Following are some of the most frequently asked questions by adults considering orthodontic treatment.
1. AM I TOO OLD FOR ORTHODONTICS?
There is no age limit for orthodontics. Teeth and tissue are essentially the same in both adults and children. Orthodontic treatment can successfully realign crooked teeth or protruding overbite regardless of your age.
2. HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE?
Treatment, or orthodontic correction, can vary from the comparatively simple closing of front spaces in a few months, to the realignment of unsightly and disfiguring teeth, to a complete rehabilitation of a neglected mouth that could take up to two years or longer. Most dentists agree that adult treatment will usually take from 10 to 20 percent longer due to the difference in the physiologic responses of the tissues in the mouth of an adult as compared with a ten or twelve-year-old. Simply put, an adult's bone structure is more dense and firmly set, so a slightly longer response time to tooth movement can be expected. Fortunately, the newer Damon system of orthodontics is more comfortable and more rapid in achieving results than any system previously developed. We have this option for you. Also, the Invisalign system is even more comfortable and speedy for those who have mild to moderate orthodontic problems.
3. HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
Adult orthodontic fees are only slightly higher than those required for younger patients. Our office offers payment plans, conveniently spread over the estimated treatment period. Do not assume your treatment will cost the same as someone else's. Because no two problems are the same, treatment plans and accompanying cost will vary among patients. Those factors affecting the simplicity or complexity of your problem will be explained in detail. Most orthodontic cases fall within the range of $3000 to 6000.
At times, especially in adult orthodontics, there are limited goals which the patient and the dentist wish to achieve. By that we mean that we may work to correct a major crowding of the lower front teeth, for instance, but not correct a slight overbite. For cases such as this, the fee and treatment time is correspondingly lower and shorter.
4. CAN MY APPEARANCE BE IMPROVED?
Yes! Dramatic changes in a person's smile and profile can be achieved. A person can actually look years younger by straightening crooked teeth or correcting an overbite or an underbite. A beautiful smile can increase self-confidence and in turn a sense of well-being.
5. HOW DO WE STRAIGHTEN TEETH?
Tooth movement is actually a normal response to light pressures exerted on teeth. Pressure is applied by using a variety of orthodontic hardware (appliances), the most common being a brace or bracket attached to the teeth and connected by wires. These thin flexible wires provide the pressure to gently move the teeth. Invisalign aligners on the other hand, use a series of clear flexible plastic aligners to move teeth in incremental amount over time to achieve the desired movement.
Teeth are suspended in a membrane (periodontal ligaments) which in turn is surrounded by bone. When pressure is applied to a tooth it causes this membrane to be compressed on one side and stretched on the other side. The bone then responds to this pressure by dissolving on one side and rebuilding to fill the empty space on the other side. Step by step, teeth are moved and Mother Nature rebuilds-often stronger than before. Over-erupted or extruded teeth can actually be eased back into their supporting bone.
6. WILL MY TEETH BE SORE DURING TREATMENT?
Slight discomfort is not unusual as we begin tooth movement. This usually lasts about 48 to 72 hours and then the teeth are comfortable again. Each succeeding adjustment will mean some minor discomfort, although our adult patients report a reduction in pain as the treatment progresses. Our new low-friction braces (Damon brackets) and light force wires result in even greater comfort than traditional braces. And then again, Invisalign is even better!
7. WHY SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ABOUT A BAD BITE?
Bad bites can be detrimental to a patient's health. Restorations, crowns, or bridges are often impossible for a dentist to perform without prior repositioning of the teeth are healthier, easier to clean, and therefore more likely to last throughout a patient's lifetime.
8. WILL I LOOK FUNNY?
Not necessarily so. Minor corrections can be accomplished with braces completely concealed within the mouth. More involved treatment may require braces on the teeth to successfully move them to the desired positions. Braces are the handles used to move your teeth in a positive manner. They vary from the conventional steel bands cemented around the teeth to less obvious brackets bonded or cemented to the outer surfaces of the teeth. Clear ceramic brackets which are similar in color to teeth, are less obvious to the casual observer and offer the versatility of regular stainless steel braces. Invisalign aligners are nearly totally invisible.
Of course, in all cases, regardless of the braces used on your teeth, the activating part of your braces is the wire that goes from tooth to tooth. To date, there is no successful way to completely camouflage them. Adult patients make up 15 to 30 percent of most orthodontic cases. Some dentists are reporting as many as half of their patients in braces are adults who are unhappy with their present appearance.
9. WHAT ABOUT SURGICAL CORRECTION?
Surgical intervention called ortho-gnathic surgery can offer dramatic results in certain cases where tooth movement alone cannot accomplish desired changes. This treatment requires close cooperation between our office, an orthodontist and an oral surgeon. In some cases, we will refer these cases to orthodontic specialists due to their more advanced training in these surgical cases. If indicated this can be a viable alternative to conventional orthodontic treatment.
10. HOW OFTEN WILL I NEED OFFICE VISITS?
Appointments are usually scheduled from five to ten week intervals, depending on your stage of treatment. In the initial stage, the appointments may be frequent. Once the appliances (braces) are fabricated and in place, the adjustment appointments are scheduled at longer intervals.
11. WILL MY DENTAL INSURANCE PAY FOR IT?
Today many dental policies include orthodontic benefits. For questions concerning eligibility, a pre-determination of available benefits can be requested from your insurance company representative. The most common plan states that there is a lifetime maximum of between $1000 to 2000 per person and that the policy pays up to 50% of the total of the amount charged by the dentist. Some insurance companies require a diagnosis and treatment plan as well as a suggested payment schedule of your treatment needs by our office.
12. WILL IMPROVEMENTS BE PERMANENT?
The combined experience of dentists across the country point to a 90 percent permanent improvement rate. Teeth, like all parts of the body, are constantly changing and adapting. You must remember teeth that have been crooked for years have marvelous memories. Minor movement or relapse must be expected, but conscientious wear of retainers following treatment can minimize these changes.
Not wearing retainers will lead to a certain degree of relapse. One of the greatest movers of teeth are the tongue and lips. When swallowing patterns of the tongue and lips are out of balance (myofunctional imbalance) the position of the teeth will move to accommodate to the pressures of the tongue and lip.
If a myofunctional imbalance is detected, Dr. Williams will inform you of this fact and refer you for retraining of the swallow pattern by a Myofunctional Therapist, a sort of physical therapist for the tongue!