For most people, a beautiful smile is the most obvious benefit of orthodontics. After your braces come off, you'll feel more self-confident. During your treatment, we want you to feel as comfortable as possible.

How Orthodontic Treatment Works

Orthodontic appliances can be made of metal, ceramic, or plastic. They may be removable or they may be brackets bonded to the teeth. By placing a constant, gentle force in a carefully controlled direction, braces slowly move teeth to a corrected position. This is a great time to wear braces! Gone are the days when a metal band with a bracket was placed around each tooth. You can choose brackets that are clear or metallic color. You can choose the color of the ties that hold the wire in brackets. Wires are also less noticeable than they used to be and the latest materials move teeth faster with less discomfort to patients.

Duration of Treatment

Treatment time typically ranges from one to three years, depending on the growth of the patient's mouth and face and the severity of the problem. Patients grow at different rates and will respond variously to orthodontic treatment, so the time to case completion may differ from the original estimate. The patient's diligent use of any prescribed rubber bands or headgear is an important factor in achieving the most efficient treatment. Interceptive, or early treatment procedures, may take as few as six months.

Benefits of Treatment

Everyone wants a beautiful smile - and everyone should have a healthy one. The orthodontist's goal is to achieve both for the patient.

The physiological benefits: a lifetime of a healthy smile

Crooked and crowded teeth are hard to clean and maintain. This may contribute to conditions that cause not only tooth decay but eventual gum disease and tooth loss. Other orthodontic problems can cause abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, excess stress on supporting bone and gum tissue, or misalignment of the jaw joints with resultant chronic headaches or pain in the face or neck.

When left untreated, many orthodontic problems become worse. Treatment by a specialist to correct the original problem is often less costly than the additional dental care required to treat the more serious problems that can develop in later years.

The psychological benefits: A lifetime of success

What is beautiful? Standards of beauty vary from culture to culture, but most people place a premium on well-balanced facial features, especially in the region of the mouth. The mouth is a focus of attention because we consistently communicate and express our feelings through it.

(A USA Today article surveyed men and women on what they notice first about a person. For men, smile was the number two feature. For women, it was number 1!)

The need for acceptance is something we never outgrow. An adult or a child who feels unattractive because of crooked teeth or misaligned jaws may become self-conscious and preoccupied with his or her appearance. He or she may cover the mouth when speaking or laughing, hesitate to smile, or attempt to hide his or her profile.

In addition to improving the health of the mouth, orthodontics is one way to improve a person's looks and self-esteem. Orthodontic treatment gives a person a sense of control because it provides an opportunity to participate in improvement of one's appearance. Increased self-confidence often is observed even before treatment is completed. An improved appearance through orthodontic treatment can improve self-esteem, confidence and acceptance, which leads to greater success in all areas of life.