Braces
Orthodontics for Adults and Children
While he provides esthetically appealing, straight smiles with braces, Dr. Davis considers more than just looks when planning orthodontic treatment. As a neuromuscular dentist, he believes that a creating a beautiful smile should go hand in hand with a total oral harmony. A comfortable fit between your upper and lower teeth is important for jaw joint alignment, so Dr. Davis carefully and scientifically determines a patient’s optimal bite and jaw position.
This type of orthodontic treatment ensures that the jaw joints, muscles, and teeth work together as they were intended.
A healthy and attractive mouth is a natural byproduct of the corrected positioning. Neuromuscular orthodontics can also eliminate teeth grinding and TMJ (temporomandibular joint) dysfunction.
Orthodontic treatment is performed in our office for Adults and Children for the following symptoms:
- Crooked, crowded, and rotated teeth
- Snoring or Sleep Apnea
- Narrow retracted smiles
- Improper lip posture, gummy smile, excess spaces or gaps, and bucked teeth.
- TMJ pain and noise
- Limited jaw movement and locking
- Headaches
- Under bite or over bite
- Excess wearing of teeth
- improper growth and development
Braces for adults and children can be much different than in the past. Traditionally, braces were placed and teeth were straightened irrespective of proper facial balance, jaw joint position, airway issues, and facial muscle harmony. In many circumstances, patients who had braces ended up with “TMJ” problems later on that may have included: popping or painful jaw joints, headaches, snoring, and/or sleep apnea. Many clinicians now are better trained and understand the harmful consequences that may arise from facial retraction via headgear, unnecessary tooth extraction, and other traditional methods that were used; and sometimes still used, to make straightening of teeth easier for the dentist.
The extraction of teeth unnecessarily will collapse the middle and lower face, flatten the cheeks, and cause the jaw to be retruded. Not only is the result less desirable esthetically, but also the jaws are too far back in the face and cause the jaw joints to be dislocated, often associating with the all-too-common popping joints. Popping jaw joints can further lead to joint breakdown and serious pain in many cases. Furthermore, jaws that are too far back in the face collapse the airway and may lead to a forward head posture, neck pain, snoring and, in many cases, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Crowding and “not enough room” can be addressed, in almost every circumstance, with proper jaw expansion using gentle expansion appliances. Also, the correct joint position and facial balance can be assessed and corrected with neuromuscular principles. Proper jaw development and jaw position allows the orthodontic treatment to be smoother, more predictable, and much better for the child and adult both esthetically and medically.
Typical orthodontic cases, including the expansion and proper bite position, usually can be done in the same amount or less time than traditional orthodontic modalities.
Dr. Davis is equipped and trained to treat adults and children using modern orthodontic methods. A 3-D image of the airway, joints, and facial growth will be taken in our office. Proper imaging gives us a blueprint to assess the current and potential growth and of the the patient. Models of their jaws and teeth will be taken and measured to determine if space is needed for optimal results. Patients 12 years and older will have a computerized assessment of their jaw joints, and range of motion as part of the orthodontic work-up. Dr. Davis will then present the current state of the patient and make the necessary recommendations.
Call Us Today!
Our goal at Davis Dental Studio is to make your smile perfect from the inside out. If yours needs extra attention or in-depth treatment, contact our Pocatello, ID dental office for a complimentary consultation with Dr. Bret Davis. Our Pocatello restorative dentistry, neuromuscular dentistry, and cosmetic dentistry practice serves patients from surrounding communities, including Pocatello, Jackson Hole and Idaho Falls, as well as those from out of town. Your sensational smile awaits – we're excited to show you the possibilities!
All treatment performed by a licensed general dentist.
