orthodonticsOrthodontics

Orthodontics is a special area of dentistry concerned with aligning the teeth and jaw to improve one’s smile and oral health. We usually recommend braces to improve the patient’s physical “orofacial” appearance. Through orthodontic treatment, problems like crooked or crowded teeth, overbites or underbites, incorrect jaw position and disorders of the jaw joints are corrected. Remember, braces aren’t just for kids! Many adults are wearing braces to correct minor problems and to improve their smiles.

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Invisalign & Invisalign Teen

invisalign-bracesCLEAR, REMOVABLE, COMFORTABLE. Invisalign is the alternative to traditional braces. You will wear a series of removable aligners and visit us on a monthly basis to check your progression. Average treatment time is about a year. Because the aligners are removable, you can continue to eat your favorite foods and brush and floss normally to keep your teeth and gums healthy.

Q: How does Invisalign work?

A: Invisalign takes a modern approach to straightening teeth using a custom-made series of aligners created for you and only you. These aligners are made of smooth, comfortable and virtually invisible resin that you simply wear over your teeth. Wearing the aligners will gradually and gently shift your teeth into place, based on the exact movements Dr. Ly plans out for you. There are no metal brackets to attach and no wires to tighten. You simply pop in a new set of aligners approximately every two weeks, until your treatment is complete and you achieve the confident smile that you’ve always wanted. The best part about the whole process is that most people won’t even know you’re straightening your teeth.

Q: Does Invisalign really work?

A: YES. Over 1.3 million patients with a wide variety of dental challenges have been treated with Invisalign. Invisalign was developed with orthodontists and is used in dental practices worldwide.


Traditional Braces

traditional-braces-orthodonticsclear-braces-orthodonticsTraditional metal braces are the most common type of braces and are more comfortable today than ever before. Made of high-grade stainless steel, metal braces straighten your teeth using metal brackets and archwires. With traditional braces, you have the option of adding colored elastics (rubber bands) for a more unique and colorful smile.

Clear braces are made of materials that are less visible on your teeth than the traditional metal braces. For this reason, clear braces are used mainly on teenagers and adult patients who have cosmetic concerns. They are visually less prominent and require as much attention to care and hygiene as their metal counterparts.

Expanders

orthodontics-expanderThis appliance works by widening the halves of the upper jaw. In order for this to work, there has to be a separation between the halves to start with. In growing people (you are young enough that skeletal growth is still taking place), there is a separation called a suture between the halves.