Dentofacial Orthopedics
Treatments Offered
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Our Mountain View office provides a full spectrum of orthodontic and dentofacial orthopedic services, including:
- Traditional orthodontic treatment
- Invisalign orthodontics
- Invisalign Teen
- Clear braces (invisible braces)
- Lingual braces (braces on the inside of the teeth)
- Fixed and removable space maintainers
- TMJ splints (night guards)
- Palatal expanders
- Adult braces
- Headgear treatment
- Multi-phased treatment for children and adolescents
- Orthodontics in conjunction with jaw surgery
- Preventive orthodontics
- Interceptive orthodontics (phase I - phase one)
- Treatment for buck teeth
- Correction of overbites, under bites, cross bites, and open bites
- Correction of thumb sucking habits
- Correction for malocclusion
- Sleep Apnea Appliances
- Correction of a gummy smile
- Damon Braces (recloseable braces)
- Speed Braces
- Ice Braces
- Clear retainers
- Hawley retainers
Crooked Teeth Can Be a Hazard to Your Health
While the number of people with crooked teeth is not necessarily increasing, awareness of teeth and their role in your health and in your life certainly is. There are many reasons why some peoples' teeth come in deformed or crooked.
Some people just have small jawbones, which causes their teeth to crowd and overlap. Others have jaws that do not align correctly, causing protruding upper or lower teeth.
A Hereditary Jaw?
Much of our jaw structure is hereditary but misalignment can also be caused by injury, prolonged thumb sucking or prolonged use of pacifiers or feeding bottles. Since crooked teeth affect the way we chew our food as well as how we look, orthodontia or the treatment of irregularities in teeth and jaws, has become a major specialty.
Gum disease and poor oral health are major consequences of poorly aligned teeth and deformed jaw structure.
Orthodontic Treatment
Orthodontists take detailed measurements of the jaw, as well as a number of X-rays and photographs to determine the exact amount of misalignment, and the treatment that is required. X rays are also used to show the roots of the teeth and to discover if any teeth still need to be erupted through the gums.
Panoramic X-rays may also be taken which will indicate the relationship of individual teeth to the jaw and the jaw to the skull.
In case the problem is due to crowding of teeth or a small jaw, the orthodontist may recommend removal of extra teeth. For many people, braces will be required to correct the abnormality.
Smile!
Whatever may be the root cause of the abnormality, modern orthodontia has made it possible to correct most problems with a minimum of invasive surgery. In a few extreme cases, surgery may be required. In almost all cases, the surgery is minimal and the patient resumes normal eating in a day or two.
On the whole, our patients now have a lot to smile about!