Improving your smile with orthodontic treatment goes beyond dental aesthetics. The truth is that perfecting your dental alignment can benefit your oral health in a number of ways. In this article our Mill Valley Invisalign dentists are going to be walking you through each stage of the treatment process; you’ll see that there are a number of important considerations on which we focus when building ortho treatment plans.
Cleaning and Assessment
Before we start building a future treatment plan, we will thoroughly clean your smile and complete a dental health assessment and oral cancer screening. Once we have the lay of the land, so to speak, we will be able to design an orthodontic treatment strategy that meets your needs.
Treat Infections
If you have any existing oral infection, like cavities or gum disease, we may recommend that you have these treated prior to beginning orthodontic care. This is because infections, when left untreated, will continue to spread, and completely undermine the health of your smile. The last thing we want to do is to bring your teeth into alignment only to have that hard work diminished due to infection.
Identify Objectives
Now it is time to explicate our goals when it comes to orthodontics. You may want to straighten crooked or crowded teeth, close gaps in your smile, or widen the profile of your smile. Our team may also recommend that you treat bite problems, like overbites, underbites, and crossbites. When these types of issues aren’t addressed, they contribute to premature dental wear and tear down the road.
Review Treatment Options
Our Mill Valley cosmetic dentists will be able to give you a better idea of whether Invisalign or conventional braces are better suited for you. Invisalign allows our team to move teeth using clear plastic aligners, while traditional braces utilize metal brackets and wires. Sometimes, traditional braces are necessary in order to correct severe alignment issues and bite problems.
As you can see, planning orthodontic treatment is as much about oral health as it is about dental aesthetics. To learn more about the treatments we offer, and to schedule your personal consultation, give our Mill Valley orthodontic dentists a call!