Patient Resources
The Right Time to See an Orthodontist:
It is recommended that children should have an orthodontic evaluation by the age of seven. This visit to the orthodontist can help identify issues early and provide preventive care if needed. The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) suggests each child should be evaluated no later than age seven. This is when many problems, such as crowding, excessive spacing, jaw growth disproportion, and crossbites can be detected.
We can create a treatment plan tailored to your child’s specific needs by visiting our office early in the stages of skeletal and dental development. Early intervention can help avoid more complex treatments later on down the road and avoid surgery or extraction of permanent teeth. Depending on your child’s needs, treatment may be recommended to correct misalignments and help create a healthy and confident smile for your child.
We understand that getting treatment for your child is a huge decision. That’s why, before making a decision, we make sure you’re as comfortable and educated as possible. We will give thoughtful and individualized attention to ensure your child receives the most up-to-date possible treatment. We understand that you want to give your child a healthy, beautiful and confident smile so we make the process as efficient and effective as possible.
At SoulSmile Orthodontics, we strive to provide comprehensive and personalized care for our patients. We want to ensure you and your child are informed and comfortable before beginning any orthodontic treatment.
Treatment for Children (ages 7-10) and Adolescents (ages 11-19):
When it comes to getting braces, your child or teen may be so wary that they consider not getting them at all. However braces have numerous benefits, not to mention the advancements braces have made in recent years have made them more comfortable, affordable, and discreet. Straightening misaligned teeth can also greatly impact a child’s confidence levels. Just imagine how great they will feel showing off their newly aligned smile in their senior and prom photos!
Also straightening misaligned teeth helps reduce plaque buildup and improve oral hygiene, such as reducing tooth decay and cavities. It also helps prevent gum disease, which can lead to other serious health issues if left untreated.
We understand that each patient has unique needs when it comes to their orthodontic treatment plan. That’s why we offer braces in our practice, tailored specifically for each patient’s needs from traditional metal to clear ceramic braces and self-ligating brackets that require fewer adjustments. We are committed to helping your teen achieve a beautiful smile that will last them a lifetime.
Orthodontic Treatment for Adults:
Orthodontic treatment is no longer just for children and teens. For adults considering orthodontic treatment can be a great way to improve their oral health and the appearance of their smile. Patients can experience dramatic health and aesthetic improvements with treatment. Orthodontics can help straighten crooked, crowded or misaligned teeth and reduce the risk of tooth decay and gum disease and increase overall oral health. It can also help patients with jaw pain or discomfort, speech problems due to misaligned teeth, and headaches that might be caused by clenching or grinding of the teeth.
If you are considering treatment for adults, seeking professional advice from our experienced orthodontist is the first step. We will be able to assess your individual needs and provide the best possible treatment for your specific condition so you can feel confident that you are receiving the right orthodontic care to help improve your oral health and aesthetics.
Interceptive (phase I) Orthodontics:
According to the American Association of Orthodontists, children should first see an orthodontist at age seven. Early intervention is key when it comes to making sure your child has a beautiful smile and healthy bite. If your child is having difficulty with their teeth, jaw, or facial structure, it may be time to book an appointment with us. We specialize in interceptive orthodontic treatment and can help your child achieve the best possible outcome. Interceptive orthodontics is a specialized field of orthodontic treatment for children that can help prevent more serious issues from developing later in life.
- Harmful habits such as thumb sucking
- Severe overbite or underbite
- Difficulty chewing or biting food
- Teeth that are crowded, crooked, or sticking out
- Jaw pain or misalignment of the jaw
- An open bite or abnormal swallowing pattern
- Speech difficulties due to misaligned teeth
If you notice any of these signs in your child, it is important to have them assessed and our team can provide your child with a thorough orthodontic assessment and tailor a treatment plan to your child’s needs. Please feel free to reach out to learn more about interceptive orthodontics.
Early treatment can provide many benefits for your child’s oral health and development. With early intervention, we can help:
- Avoid the need for tooth extractions
- Lower the risk of impacted teeth
- Reduce the severity of crowding and spacing issues
- Guide jaw growth to improve facial balance and aesthetics
- Reduce the risk of gum problems
- Reduce or eliminate the need for jaw surgery
Early Intervention Appliances:
Interceptive orthodontic appliances are designed to help guide your child’s natural growth and development. We offer several early intervention appliances, such as space maintainers, expanders, and functional appliances.
Space maintainers prevent space loss for permanent teeth that have yet to emerge. They work by holding open the space where the missing teeth should be so that other teeth don’t fill the gap too soon.
Palatal expanders are used frequently for airway orthodontics. They widen the upper jaw when it is constricted or there is not enough room for all their incoming permanent teeth. The appliance works by gradually increasing pressure on the two halves of the upper jaw and gently pushing them apart. The expansion also helps with child’s breathing because the roof of the mouth happens to be the floor of the nose too.
Functional appliances are used to align the upper and lower jaws and correct bite problems. These appliances work by repositioning the jaw, which helps your child develop facial symmetry and encourages normal muscle development.
Airway Orthodontic Treatment:
Airway Orthodontics Is a complex practice philosophy where we look at the entirety of your health – not just your teeth. Sometimes referred to as “airway focused” orthodontics, we take it a step further. A growing mountain of scientific evidence says that there are no genes for crooked teeth. Our bodies are reacting to stressors caused by our modern diets, our lifestyles, and from our “industrial” environment. These adaptive responses have a genetic component to them, which is why families still share similar appearances. Crooked teeth and misaligned jaws are signs of significant issues that our brain and bodies are attempting to cope with. If we evaluate and address the negative changes in the way our faces (and ourselves as a whole) are developing, we can restore balance and eliminate deficiencies in the way our faces grow, the way our airways develop, and also allow teeth to align in the most ideal manner.
Airway orthodontics, also known as integrative orthodontics, is a dental practice that focuses on the patient’s overall health, including their airway, facial development, and breathing. Airway orthodontics can help with issues such as: Crooked teeth, Snoring, Sleep apnea, disturbed sleep, deficient or excess facial growth, breathing, eating, and body posture
It focuses on the three main areas of oral health – airway, occlusion, and aesthetics – to help create a healthier breathing pattern. We use innovative technology and treatment plans to ensure that our patient is considered when it comes to their orthodontic needs.
If you are unsure if you or your child may need to see an airway orthodontics expert, here are a few signs you can be on the lookout for:
- Daytime sleepiness or fatigue
- Frequent headaches, dizziness, or mood changes
- Grinding teeth while asleep
- Mouth breathing while asleep
- Persistent snoring or loud breathing during sleep
- Poor concentration and focus, difficulty learning new information
Benefits of Airway Orthodontics:
Helps to prevent deficient (or sometimes excess) facial growth, disturbed sleep and crooked teeth, if started early, by restoring airways, balancing facial structural growth, and restoring normal functional patterns. These issues affect the entire body and can even disturb normal cognitive development.
We just don’t treat the symptoms, we look for the cause of your child’s problems and treat them effectively. Head postures are automatically altered in order to open inadequate airways, this changes entire body postures, in order to maintain balance. These can’t return to normal until airways are structurally improved. We do that non-surgically, using gentle orthodontic techniques.
The shape of the face affects our appearance, our teeth, and our breathing passages, day and night. We influence and change facial growth from the beginning, so children receive health and aesthetic benefits for life. These changes can also be made in adults.
Using varied “in house” and referred healthcare providers, we address multiple aspects of good health. These include tongue posture, breathing, eating, body posture, airways, and sleep. We create beautiful smiles and more balanced attractive faces.
Frequently asked Questions
The length of your treatment will vary depending on the severity of your orthodontic condition. Generally, most cases can be completed in 18 months but in certain instances and more complex cases may take longer. We will be able to provide an estimate of the duration of your treatment after examining you and determining which treatment plan is best for you
It’s important to keep your teeth and gums healthy during orthodontic treatment. You should brush twice daily, especially around the brackets and wires. You can use a floss threader or water flosser to get between the teeth and brackets.
When wearing braces, avoiding hard and sticky foods that can cause damage or get stuck in the brackets is important. Foods such as popcorn, nuts, pizza crust, corn on the cup, and candy should be avoided. Additionally, any food with a crunchy texture, such as chips or pretzels, should be eaten cautiously and stakes and apples should be cut in small pieces.
Braces do not typically hurt; however, you may experience some discomfort and mild pain when the braces are first put on or after each adjustment. This is normal and should subside within one week as your mouth adjusts to the new pressure. Over-the-counter pain relief medication such as Tylenol can help alleviate any discomfort you may feel.
It is important to continue visiting your dentist for regular check-ups during your orthodontic treatment. Your dentist will be able to ensure that your teeth and gums remain healthy and provide additional guidance on how to best care for your teeth while wearing braces.
It is recommended that your child visit an orthodontist for a consultation by the age of 7. Many orthodontic issues can be identified and treated early at this age, resulting in shorter treatment times and better long-term results. Choosing to begin your orthodontic treatment means prioritizing your oral health and getting the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted. With the right care and maintenance, you can ensure your treatment is as successful as possible.
Clear Aligners can help to correct a wide variety of orthodontic issues, such as overcrowding, gapped teeth, overbite, and underbite. In addition to the traditional braces options available at our office, we can provide you with personalized treatment plans that include clear aligners to best suit your needs.
Aligners need to be worn for 22 hours daily to get the best results. Neglecting to wear your aligners for 22 hours a day can slow down your treatment or even prevent you from seeing the best results possible.
In some cases, wearing clear aligners can temporarily affect your speech. This is because the aligners have to fit snugly to work correctly, and this can cause a slight lisp when first getting used to them. However, most patients report that their speech returns to normal after a short period and that the effects are not permanent.
Keeping your clear aligners clean is essential to the success of your treatment. We suggest brushing and rinsing your aligners after every meal and using a soft toothbrush to clean them. Following these steps will help keep your aligners clean and fresh for the duration of your treatment!