Orthodontics

Are you a candidate for orthodontic treatment?

Orthodontic treatment not only improves the appearance of your smile, is also treats malocclusions (referred to as “bad bites”). Malocclusions are the irregular contact of opposing
teeth in the upper and lower jaws. This occurs as the result of tooth or jaw misalignment, and can affect the way you chew, smile, and clean your teeth; not to mention the way you feel about your appearance.

Malocclusions should be treated for various reasons. These reasons can include crowded teeth being more difficult to clean, resulting in decay and gum disease, accidental chipping resulting from protruding teeth, unfavorable growth and uneven wear due to crossbites, and speech impediments resulting from openbites.
Ultimately, orthodontics does more than create a pretty smile, it creates a healthier you!

At LifeSmiles of New Hope in Dallas, GA we offer the following services:

• ControlledArch® Treatment System – Allow for a more rapid treatment time, and takes less time per visit and fewer appointments.
• Invisalign – System of removable, clear aligners that allows the straightening of teeth without the use of conventional braces.

A few signs that you may need braces:

• Protruding upper teeth – An “overbite,” or protrusion of upper front teeth.
• Open bite – Having this can allow you to stick your tongue between your upper and lower teeth when the mouth is closed.
• Crossbite – Instead of fitting outside, the upper back teeth fit inside the lower teeth.
• Over-jet or Deep bite – Upper teeth cover more than a millimeter of the lowers.
• Underbite – The lower jaw protrudes farther than the upper causing the upper teeth fit inside the lower teeth.
• Spacing – Gaps between the upper and lower teeth.
• Crowding – Teeth overlap one another and “crowd” due to the lack of space.
• Front teeth alignment – The upper and lower 2 front teeth should align with one another and with the bridge of the nose. If not, the teeth have drifted or the lower jaw has shifted.

What makes us different?

We are a general practice and we treat patients with a variety of problems including underdeveloped faces and jaws, sleep apnea in kids and adults, clicking and popping joints, head and neck pain, and of course crooked teeth. Everybody wants straight teeth and a beautiful smile, but at what price? Often, the only criteria people use to pick an orthodontist is price. What people should really be asking is “do you straighten my smile WITHOUT extracting teeth, do you consider my airway and joint position when straightening my teeth. Can you straighten my teeth without compromising my total body health?”

Price, while important, should be the last criteria used to select a doctor responsible for your health. Much too often we see kids having teeth pulled to “straighten their teeth” only to see them later as patients that have developed TMJ and airway issues.

Please call us for more information or to schedule an appointment regarding an orthodontic procedure! (770) 445-1314