Orthodontics uses oral appliances like braces and clear aligners to gradually straighten your teeth and reposition your jaw. At Fullerton Dental Associates in Fullerton, California, the expert dentists provide several types of orthodontic treatment to teenagers and adults. If you want a more balanced, symmetrical smile, book online to schedule an appointment, or call the office today.
Orthodontics is a dental specialty that diagnoses and corrects malpositioned teeth and misaligned jaws. It uses specialized tools to modify facial growth, ensuring your smile appears balanced and symmetrical.
Orthodontics doesn’t just improve the physical appearance of your smile. It also supports your oral health. When your teeth and jaw are properly aligned, it’s much easier to brush and floss. That lowers your risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and bone loss.
Fullerton Dental Associates offers several types of orthodontic treatment, including:
More than four million Americans wear metal braces. These oral appliances use metal brackets, archwires, and rubber bands to place slight pressure on your teeth and alveolar bone. Over time, this pressure moves your teeth into the correct position, helping you achieve a vibrant, healthy smile.
Ceramic braces are very similar to metal braces. The only difference is that the brackets are made from ceramic instead of amalgam. Ceramic blends in with your tooth enamel, allowing for a discreet and effective treatment experience. It’s important to brush your ceramic braces regularly, or they’ll collect stains.
If you don’t want to wear brackets and wires on the front of your teeth, consider lingual braces. The Fullerton Dental Associates team bonds lingual braces to the back of your teeth. This allows you to receive orthodontic treatment without anyone knowing.
Clear aligners use custom-molded mouthpieces to place light pressure on your teeth. They’re made from FDA-approved thermoplastic and snap snugly into place. Clear aligners are unique in that you remove them while eating. That allows you to consume your favorite foods, including traditional braces no-nos like popcorn and chips.
To determine if you need orthodontics, Fullerton Dental Associates conducts an oral exam, reviews your oral health history, and takes a series of digital X-rays. After assessing your bite and jaw alignment, your provider develops a custom treatment plan to align with your needs.
Some of the most common problems that orthodontics treats include:
Orthodontics can also close gaps or spaces between your teeth.
The length of orthodontic treatment varies, depending on the position of your teeth and your goals. Most people achieve their desired outcome within 6-12 months. More complex alignment issues may take up to 18 months.
Once you’re finished wearing braces, you transition to a retainer for about a year. A retainer is an oral appliance made of wires and plastic. It preserves the alignment of your teeth and prevents them from shifting.
To see if you’re a candidate for orthodontics, request a consultation at Fullerton Dental Associates. Book online to schedule an appointment, or call the office today.
