Advanced Orthodontics

Orthodontics at Family Dental Group

Helping People of All Ages Achieve Healthy, Beautiful Smiles

Your smile is your greeting to the world. It’s also a window to an important part of your dental health- the alignment of your teeth. The Family Dental Group offers a wide range of orthodontic treatment for people of all ages, resulting in better, brighter smiles, increased functionality, and healthier, longer-lasting teeth and gums.

Orthodontics are not just for kids anymore. Tooth alignment can be changed at any age if your gums and bone structure are healthy. Orthodontic treatment at later stages in life can dramatically improve your personal appearance and self-esteem. Crooked teeth and a bad bite can contribute to gum and bone loss, tooth decay, abnormal wear of the tooth enamel and surfaces, headaches and jaw joint (TMJ/TMD) pain.  A significant percentage of our patients are adults, and they agree that it is never too late to improve their greatest asset – their smile. Thanks to todays’ smaller, lighter, less visible and more comfortable orthodontic appliances, adults are finding treatment more appealing, manageable and beneficial to their appearance and overall dental health. 

Good Dental Health Starts Early

As an adult, you recognize the importance and value of orthodontic treatment and as a parent you want the best for your child, including healthy teeth and a pleasing, confident smile.

To have a smile that's good for life, your child needs teeth and jaws that are properly aligned — in other words, a healthy bite. It is recommended that your child have an orthodontic evaluation done no later than age 7. By this age, subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth can be spotted while some baby teeth are still present. While most orthodontic patients begin active treatment between ages 9 and 14, a number of orthodontic problems may be easier and less expensive to correct if they’re found and treated earlier.

It's not always easy to tell when your child has an orthodontic problem. Even teeth that look straight may be hiding a problem bite. Here are some clues that may indicate the need for orthodontic attention:

• Early or late loss of baby teeth
• Difficulty in chewing or biting
• Breathing through the mouth
• Thumb-sucking
• Crowded, misplaced or crooked teeth
• Jaws that are too far forward or back
• Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth

• Protruding teeth
• Over or under-bites
• An unbalanced facial appearance
• Grinding or clenching of the teeth

FUNCTIONAL JAW ORTHOPEDICS

“The Newest Form of Orthodontics”

Functional Jaw Orthopedics, the newest, most progressive form of orthodontic treatment for children is now practiced at Family Dental Group. This leading edge approach to orthodontic treatment for children treats teeth and jaws beginning at age 2 to manage growth, development and deformation. With this method, various dental techniques are used in one or more phases of treatment to give our young patients beautiful, broad healthy smiles.

FJO combines two methods of straightening teeth and jaws. By using fixed and removable appliances  with superior results, FJO Treatment works along with a child’s growth and development resulting in a beautifully formed, well balanced attractive smile.

FJO treats problems earlier- when they are first recognized, and typically aims to make room for teeth to fit in, whereas traditional orthodontics treats later with more extractions of teeth. As a result, FJO treatment is increasing and the removal of teeth has been decreasing. The bottom line is that since most children who need orthodontic treatment have crowded or protruding teeth, they can either start to make room for teeth early, or they will likely have to have teeth removed later.

THE ADVANTAGES OF FUNCTIONAL JAW ORTHOPEDICS

 Treats the TOTAL patient….Face, Teeth….and TMJ.

 Creates broad beautiful smiles and nice, attractive profiles.

 Develops pleasing facial balance as growth continues.

  Fewer teeth (if any) are removed.  

Healthier TMJs (jaw joints).

Treatment can be started much earlier (at age 3-8) so problems can be corrected earlier while smaller- rather than later when larger.

Very stable results are experienced.

No head gear is required.

Removable appliances are easier to clean, as are the teeth and gums.  

Appliances are less conspicuous, and can be removed for athletics, playing musical instruments and public speaking.

Patients grow into a smile not out of one.

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