21ST CENTURY ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT
The new millennium has arrived, and with it some pretty amazing
technological advancements! Never before have we, as a society, had so
many incredible opportunities before us...What an exciting time to explore
orthodontic treatment!
Crooked, crowded teeth are hard to clean and maintain. Tooth decay, gum
disease, and eventual tooth loss can result. Improper jaw alignment can
contribute to wearing away of tooth surfaces (resulting in expensive
restorations, caps, bridges, crowns, etc.), inefficient chewing (function
is limited), and TMJ symptoms (popping, pain, locking of the jaw joint).
Chronic headaches and face or neck pain can become a way of life.
While a beautiful smile full of confidence may be the most obvious benefit
of treatment for many people, there is more to be gained than meets the eye!
"BUT SHE'S TOO YOUNG FOR BRACES!"
We don't treat our heart patients like we did in the 70's or 80's, so why should we treat
our orthodontic patients that way? The American Association of Orthodontists recommends
a consultation for ALL children by age seven. That's because there is a window of
opportunity to utilise a child's growth and development. We can eliminate the need for
permanent extractions (see Expansion Versus Extraction) and avoid lengthy, difficult treatments with our incredible
advancements in Orthodontics.
"I'M TOO OLD FOR BRACES!"
You are NEVER too old to improve your smile, your bite or your self-esteem! With the
average life expectancy continuing to to rise, why live 30, 40, 50+ years with
problems that can be corrected in 16-24 months?
WHAT ABOUT ADULT TREATMENT?
Adult orthodontic patients discover that dramatic improvements in
appearance and dental health can be obtained due to incredible
advancements in tooth movement. Dr. Bhatia finishes most of her adult
cases in 12-18 months with excellent stability and esthetics. Our adult patients make
up about 20% of our practice. (see Complex Adult Treatment)
WHY DO ADULTS WANT BRACES?
Our adult patients represent a wide range of
issues. Some patients had braces as a child and didn't wear their
retainers. (We now teach our patients that retainers are a lifetime
commitment of night-time wear only, as teeth can and will move for a
variety of reasons. . .retainers are FOREVER!) Some patients come to us
after their children are grown, when they have decided it is "now their turn to have a
beautiful smile."
Financial stability may have been attained, and many employers now offer
orthodontic insurance benefits. We also see patients who need to
close space from missing teeth in order to restore (crowns, bridges, etc)
remaining teeth properly. Others merely want to straighten front teeth for
esthetic reasons. As you can see, each case is unique and requires
customized, individual attention.
Dr. Bhatia offers the following treatment options to her patients who seek
results later in life:
- invisalign® ---- the new 3-D computer technology that can now help straighten mild
to moderately crowded and/or spaced teeth WITHOUT BRACES
- The less visible clear and gold brackets in addition to the traditional silver
stainless steel
- High tech materials that decrease the amount of treatment time and frequency of
visits with minimal discomfort during tooth alignment
- An office that is professional and specialized in all aspects: technically
proficient clinical assistants, and friendly front staff