BENEFITS & INFORMATION ABOUT BRACES

Learn more about "invisible" braces with Invisalign™

Your dentist may have discussed with you the benefits of having healthy teeth and proper jaw alignment. Crooked and crowded teeth are hard to clean and maintain. This can result in tooth decay, worsen gum disease and lead to tooth loss.

Other orthodontic problems can contribute to abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, inefficient chewing function, excessive stress on gum tissue and the bone that supports the teeth, or misalignment of the jaw joints. These can lead to chronic headaches and face or neck pain.

Treatment at Tipton Orthodontics can be less costly than the additional care required to treat dental problems that arise as a result of orthodontic problems. For most people, a beautiful smile is the most obvious benefit of orthodontics, but cosmetic results are not the only reasons for braces or orthodontic treatment. After your braces come off, you'll feel more self-confident.

Braces for Adults

Orthodontic treatment can be successful at any age, and adults especially appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile. 20 percent of patients in orthodontic treatment are over 21.

Adults may have experienced some breakdown or loss of their teeth and bone that supports the teeth and may require periodontal treatment before, during and/or after orthodontic treatment.

Bone loss can also limit the amount and direction of tooth movement that is advisable.

Sometimes, in rare cases, jaw surgery is required for adult orthodontic patients because their jaws are not growing.

Braces for Kids

It's best for Tipton Orthodontics to see children by age 7 to advise if orthodontic treatment is required, and the best time for your child to be treated.

The first permanent molars and incisors have usually come in by that time, and crossbites, crowding and other problems can be evaluated.

When treatment is begun early, Dr. Tipton can guide the growth of the jaw and guide incoming permanent teeth. Early treatment can also regulate the width of the upper and lower dental arches, gain space for permanent teeth, avoid the need for permanent tooth extractions, reduce likelihood of impacted permanent teeth, correct thumb-sucking, and eliminate abnormal swallowing or speech problems.

In other words, early treatment can simplify later treatment.

How Orthodontic Treatment and Braces Work

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.

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. There is also new robotic technology that move teeth faster with less discomfort to patients. To learn more about this SureSmile® robotic technology, click here

Treatment time typically ranges from one to three years, depending on the growth of your mouth and face and the severity of the problem.

Patients grow at different rates and will respond variously to orthodontic treatment, so the treatment time may differ slightly from the original estimate. Your 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.

Tipton Orthodontics is among the first practice in the Phoenix metro area to offer a new robotic technology, called SureSmile®, which shortens the treatment time and discomfort to patients. To learn more about SureSmile®, click here