Services

Braces

Patients of all ages can have braces as long as they have healthy teeth and gums. There is no age limit. Our record is 82! When persons say that someone is too old to have braces, my question to them usually is; at what age is it ok to not care about how you look? Do you want to look good at 25, 45, 55,…85? There isn’t a time when people do not want to look their best. As Orthodontists our job is to get you to the best facial balance and tooth aesthetics you can have at any age, and we have lots of options to get you there.

Metal Braces

There are metal braces, which are very common and do a very good job of getting your teeth aligned. If you prefer that your braces not show, we have less obvious solutions for you, like clear or ceramic braces. Many of our current adult patients choose these appliances to be more discreet about their treatment.

Incognito, for the discreet

We offer inCognito braces for those patients who want to be very private about their treatment. These braces are hidden/ inside/ behind the teeth. They do not show at all. So if you are an executive, musician or other individual who would prefer that your braces not be on display then this may be a good option for you.

Inside Minor Tooth Movement

If you’ve had braces before and didn’t wear your retainers so well, (yes we know..) we have Minor Tooth Movement treatment with braces behind a few teeth to straighten them. No one will ever have to know. This minor treatment is usually completed in 3-4 months.

Invisalign/Clear Aligners

For those who just do not want braces or maybe you too didn’t wear your retainers, we also offer clear aligner treatment, which can straighten your teeth. Invisalign is used on a case by case basis where preferred. For mild to moderate movement, we create our own in house aligners using our new 3-D imaging and printing technology, allowing for much faster turn around time in days, rather than weeks.

Wilckodontics

This is for those who want straight teeth, but want it done FAST! This involves a surgical procedure to “loosen up” the bone, so that the teeth move faster with the braces. Braces can be of any type with this option. More frequent visits are required, but this is an excellent choice when treatment needs to be completed in less than one year.

Early Treatment

I often get asked the question, “how old does my child have to be to start braces”, or a parent may hear from a friend that their child started braces at 7 years old and ask if that was ok. Can they really start as early as that? The answer is yes, and sometimes we even start sooner.

Early treatment is for children who have jaw growth and development problems that need to be addressed by an orthodontist. Good dentists refer patients very early as they know that growth intervention can only be done while the child is still growing. Once that window is closed, we are stuck with only adult treatment options.

● Frequently, parents notice crowding problems (not enough space for the teeth). A mom may notice one tooth coming in behind the other and realize that there is a problem. What is not commonly recognized is that when the baby teeth are well lined up and touching, there may be a serious crowding problem. This is missed by most parents, because the teeth look fine. Baby teeth are much smaller than the permanent teeth that come later, so we know there will be future problems if we do not intervene. In these cases, we expand the upper and/or lower jaw, as required to create the needed space.

● Children sometimes have jaws that are not in balance. At early ages, we can influence the growth of the upper and lower jaws to achieve balance, or at least reduce the degree of imbalance, making it easier to treat when the child is older.

● The bite sometimes develop a shift, or slides to one side, causing a crossbite, and consequent problems in jaw growth. This slide of the lower jaw, results in the lower jaw growing in the wrong direction (off to the side), causing an imbalance in facial appearance (lean or asymmetric face). This can be reversed if corrected at an early age. If ignored, or not caught early, this problem may require orthodontic treatment and jaw surgery in future.

● After these corrections in jaw growth and development are made, holding appliances are placed in the mouth to hold the space created, until all the permanent teeth are erupted. At this time an evaluation is made for full orthodontic treatment, to straighten all the new permanent teeth. This second step gives your child the full confidence they deserve to fulfill their dreams in whatever area of life they choose to pursue! They will no longer be hiding their smile, or refusing to smile.

Crossbites and overbites can be treated and corrected.

What About Headgear? Another common question is “Does my child have to wear headgear?” We have eliminated the use of headgear in 99% of our patients. More advanced techniques are now used to achieve the necessary corrections. As our children become more aware and susceptible to teasing at school, we opt for appliances that are acceptable to children to increase compliance and of course get great results.

Can some of these corrections be made with braces when the child is older?
Sure they can. However, the following has to be considered:

Yes. However,

1) Teeth may have to be extracted.

2) There is a greater likelihood of jaw surgery.

3) Asymmetries may be set in the bone structure and unable to be corrected.

4) There may also be tooth attachment problems, in that erupting teeth may possess insufficient bone, potentially leading to an unaesthetic “longish” appearance and increased susceptibility to periodontal disease in the long term.

Through early treatment, the possibilities of the above mentioned problems can be reduced, leading to a straightforward second phase of orthodontic treatment to complete alignment of the permanent teeth. The second phase of treatment, which is usually in the first 1-3 years of high school for most, is usually fast and completes the straightening of all the permanent teeth prior to graduation from 5^th or 6^th form.

When is early treatment not necessary?

If there are minimal or no growth or developmental problems, it is appropriate to start treatment a bit later, when all the permanent teeth have erupted. A great and beautiful smile can still be achieved at this stage.

Additional Services

TMJ (Headache) Relief

TMJ means TemporoMandibular Joint Dysfunction. For those patients with chronic headache with no medical explanation, jaw pain, facial, back or neck pain, jaw locking etc. the temporomandibular or jaw joint may be the cause. Correcting the “fit” of your teeth could bring the relief you’ve been searching for. Therapy is done to bring the muscles in balance (Splint, EGS and Ultrasound therapy), to eliminate tooth interference problems and ultimately orthodontic treatment is used to stabilize the bite. Stabilizing the jaw joint can take up to 6 months depending on severity, but most persons get significant relief right after the first night of therapy. If you have ongoing facial pain or chronic headache or migraine, schedule an evaluation for TMD as soon as possible. Relief may be closer than you imagined.

Airway/Sleep Apnea Screening

are also provided by our office. Sleep apnea must first be diagnosed by your sleep physician. The treatment of choice for sleep apnea in adults is usually jaw surgery or the use of a C-PAP machine. But most people are un-compliant with the C-PAP machines even though it works very well. Research has shown that people are more likely to use Oral appliances. These oral appliances are for those with Mild to Moderate Sleep Apnea. Ask your physician if you are a good candidate for an oral appliance and we could get you fitted and sleeping better in no time.

Sleep Apnea Oral Appliances

are also provided by our office. Sleep apnea must first be diagnosed by your sleep physician. The treatment of choice for sleep apnea in adults is usually jaw surgery or the use of a C-PAP machine. But most people are un-compliant with the C-PAP machines even though it works very well. Research has shown that people are more likely to use Oral appliances. These oral appliances are for those with Mild to Moderate Sleep Apnea. Ask your physician if you are a good candidate for an oral appliance and we could get you fitted and sleeping better in no time.

Snoring Appliances

If your partner is on your last nerve and you can’t stand the snoring any more, we provide snoring appliances, which will massively increase quality of life for snorers and those being disturbed by snoring. Finally, you will be able to get the sleep you deserve without going to another room!

For Nutritionists and those Morbidly Obese

We offer Weight Loss Jaw Wiring (WLJW)

Referral must be from your Physician and Nutritionist.
Please contact your Nutritionist or Weight Loss Physician for more details about this service.

TMJ (Headache) Relief

TMJ mean TemporoMandibular Joint Dysfunction. For those patients with chronic headache with no medical explanation, jaw pain, facial, back or neck pain, jaw locking etc. the temporomandibular or jaw joint may be the cause. Correcting the “fit” of your teeth could bring the relief you’ve been searching for. Therapy is done to bring the muscles in balance (Splint, EGS and Ultrasound therapy), to eliminate tooth interference problems and ultimately orthodontic treatment is used to stabilize the bite. Stabilizing the jaw joint can take up to 6 months depending on severity, but most persons get significant relief right after the first night of therapy. If you have ongoing facial pain or chronic headache or migraine, schedule an evaluation for TMD as soon as possible. Relief may be closer than you imagined.

Airway/Sleep Apnea Screening

are also provided by our office. Sleep apnea must first be diagnosed by your sleep physician. The treatment of choice for sleep apnea in adults is usually jaw surgery or the use of a C-PAP machine. But most people are un-compliant with the C-PAP machines even though it works very well. Research has shown that people are more likely to use Oral appliances. These oral appliances are for those with Mild to Moderate Sleep Apnea. Ask your physician if you are a good candidate for an oral appliance and we could get you fitted and sleeping better in no time.

Sleep Apnea Oral Appliances

are also provided by our office. Sleep apnea must first be diagnosed by your sleep physician. The treatment of choice for sleep apnea in adults is usually jaw surgery or the use of a C-PAP machine. But most people are un-compliant with the C-PAP machines even though it works very well. Research has shown that people are more likely to use Oral appliances. These oral appliances are for those with Mild to Moderate Sleep Apnea. Ask your physician if you are a good candidate for an oral appliance and we could get you fitted and sleeping better in no time.

Snoring Appliances

If your partner is on your last nerve and you can’t stand the snoring any more, we provide snoring appliances, which will massively increase quality of life for snorers and those being disturbed by snoring. Finally, you will be able to get the sleep you deserve without going to another room!

For Nutritionists and those Morbidly Obese

We offer Weight Loss Jaw Wiring (WLJW)

Referral must be from your Physician and Nutritionist.
Please contact your Nutritionist or Weight Loss Physician for more details about this service.

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+(876) 572-6403

info@smilesbydrlaw.com

Flexible Opening Hours : We guarantee you will not have to miss school or work for your appointment. Appointments available Monday-Friday and some Saturdays. Open as early as 7:00 AM so you can have your appointment before school or work. Open as late as 6:00 PM, so you can come to your appointments after school or work.