Braces

What is Orthodontics

Orthodontics is a form of dentistry that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. Technically speaking, these problems are classified as "malocclusion," meaning "bad bite."

If you or your child have any of the following symptoms, have our dentist evaluate whether a poor bite may be responsible.

  • Difficulty chewing due to tooth pain or difficulty aligning teeth
  • Facial muscle or jaw pain
  • Permanent teeth coming in (erupting) out of their normal position
  • Problems with biting the cheek or roof of the mouth
  • Speech difficulties

Early Treatment
Early interceptive orthodontic treatment usually starts before the permanent teeth erupt or when the child has very few permanent teeth present. Our goal is to guide the growth of the jaws to make adequate space for all the permanent teeth. Our doctors are well experienced in treating children at early age and feel that children should be evaluated by age of 4 to see if there is a problem in jaw development or tooth eruption. Dr. Rhee and associates are general dentists who received extrensive post-graduate education in orthodontics and will treat the children if the case is simple and treatable in the office. Dr. Rhee also has a wide network of specialists who will take care of your children when treatment becomes much more complex.

Benefits of Early Treatment

  • Improve profiles, smiles, and self-esteem
  • Correct harmful habits, such as thumb sucking and tongue thrusting. Functional appliances develop the arches and make more room for the tongue
  • Improve speech
  • Reduction of the time in fixed braces and frequently eliminate the need for the extraction of permanent teeth
  • Increase nasal breathing which improves health
  • Eliminate airway constriction
  • Create beautiful broad smiles by developing the arches
  • Eliminate grinding of the teeth at night
  • Prevent headaches and earaches

 

Early Warning Signs

Deep Bite
Upper teeth completely cover the lower teeth

Open Bite
Upper and lower teeth do not meet in the front when biting down

Overjet
Upper front teeth seem to stick out quite a bit compared to the lower front teeth

Facial Asymmetry
From the front, the face looks crooked or the chin is shifted to one side

Crossbite
Upper teeth are on the inside of the lower teeth. Upper jaw should be larger than lower jaw.

Habits
Thumbsucking, mouthbreathing, tongue thrusting

Crowding
Permanent front teeth are starting to come in crowded

Headache/Earache

Appliance Therapy
In order to solve the problem of narrow upper and lower jaws, doctors may use appliances called "functional appliances". Functional appliances can allow the upper and lower jaw to develop into proper size and shape so that in most cases extraction of permanent teeth may not be necessary. For details, please consult our doctors when you come in for consultation.

Braces
The use of braces is usually our second phase of treatment, following the use of functional appliances. This second phase of treatment is initiated when most of the permanent teeth have erupted. This phase of treatment usually lasts between 12-24 months depending of the amount of tooth movement necessary to align the teeth and to establish a proper bite.

After this phase, it is necessary to wear a retainer to hold the final result. Most retainers are virtually invisible and usually worn at night after the initial retention.