The most visible benefit of undergoing orthodontic treatment is the improved appearance and self-esteem that comes from a straight and beautiful smile!
Few people are lucky enough to be born with perfect teeth, but orthodontic treatment can produce beautiful results. With advancements in the orthodontic field, there are several braces options that generate great results. Here at Lee Orthodontics, we provide personalized treatment plans that best suit your orthodontic needs. Below are the various types of braces to help correct your particular orthodontic problem.
Treatment times vary depending on the patient and their specific oral/dental needs. Interceptive treatment may take as few as six months. Full orthodontic treatment generally takes between one to three years. Patient cooperation helps keep treatment on track, so be sure to keep up with your appointments, avoid harmful foods, and wear your rubber bands as instructed by Dr. Lee.
Lee Orthodontics offers a wide variety of treatments that utilize various orthodontic appliances like braces and Invisalign. These appliances are made from different materials including metal, ceramic, and plastic. Certain appliances are removable during treatment; others are bonded to your teeth.
Today’s technology has reduced the size of braces brackets, making them less noticeable and more efficient. In addition to choosing between metal, ceramic, or Wild Smile brackets, patients can choose the color ties they want to hold their wire to the brackets.
While not all orthodontic treatments suit all patients, your smile will benefit regardless. No matter the type of orthodontic appliance you use, the design’s function is the same—apply gentle and constant pressure to the teeth to slowly move them into the proper alignment.
Metal braces are made of high-quality, durable stainless steel. They are the most common type of braces. The brackets, which are bonded to the front of each tooth, are connected by the archwire, which helps guide the teeth into the correct positions. Today’s metal braces are smaller, more comfortable and more attractive.
Ceramic braces move teeth just as efficiently as metal braces, except the brackets are clear, so they are less noticeable. They are most popular with adult patients due to their cosmetic appeal.
Who says having braces can’t be fun? Show your personality with the only braces that turn correction into expression.
Consider Invisalign to get the beautiful straight teeth you’ve always wanted — without
braces. A complimentary consultation with Dr. Lee can determine if Invisalign is right for you.
These aligners, designed specifically for younger patients with a mixture of baby and permanent teeth, are perfect for Phase I patients. Phase 1 treatment is early interceptive orthodontic treatment for young patients, traditionally done through the use of expanders or metal braces, before all permanent teeth have erupted, which is typically between the ages of 6 and 10.
Invisalign First clear aligners for children are designed specifically to address a broad range of younger patients’ malocclusions, including shorter clinical crowns, management of erupting teeth and predictable
Living with aligners can be a bit challenging, especially for teenagers. Invisalign for teens was specifically developed to help teens tackle the common obstacles they faced while using Invisalign. The special features include:
Invisalign for teens come with small blue dots which fade away after 2 weeks of wear. This parameter helps them follow the treatment with more dedication.
For teens that still have baby teeth or their permanent teeth are still growing, Invisalign aligners for teens are perfect. The aligners are designed with spaces which allow the smooth eruption of permanent teeth.
Teens sometimes lose or damage their aligners. Invisalign for teens comes with replacement aligners. This makes it convenient for the teens to continue their treatment without any hindrance caused by damaged or lost aligners.
Invisalign aligners are made of comfortable and virtually invisible plastic
that are easily slipped over your teeth. With Invisalign, even your closest
friends and family may never notice that you are on your way to a smooth
new smile.
By wearing the aligners, your teeth will gradually and gently shift into the
position prescribed by one of our doctors, based on the exact movements
indicated in your treatment plan. Utilizing Invisalign’s advanced digital and
3D technology, we even have the ability to give you a glimpse into the
future where you can preview your finished result.
You can straighten your teeth without anyone knowing!
The day your braces come off or your braces come off is a day to remember. Your new smile is finally ready for prime time and it’s such a great feeling. Wearing a retainer is the best way to insure that your teeth stay in their proper position and your new smile stays put.
When your treatment is complete at Lee Orthodontics, you will receive a clear, Invisalign-like retainer to wear at night. With the Retainers for Life Program, if you ever lose your retainers or damage them, we will make new ones for you at no charge.
If you don’t wear your retainer, your teeth can continue to shift throughout your life. Wearing your retainer is an essential part of ensuring that you enjoy a long lasting, beautiful smile. Because we are so committed to giving our patients amazing smiles that last a lifetime, we offer the Retainers 4 Life Program. This program helps to keep you from ever needing to replace retainers at full price. This program is also available to individuals who are not our patients or have received treatment elsewhere.
This program includes up to four free retainer sets per year for the rest of your life!
Lee Orthodontics is proud to introduce our 7 & Up Program that is designed especially for our young patients who are not quite ready for orthodontic treatment.
At Lee Orthodontics, we do everything possible to make your orthodontic experience exciting and fun! If you are not ready to begin orthodontic treatment, you will be invited to join our 7 & Up Observation Program. When you join our club, you will receive your very own 7 & Up Packet. You’ll also have access to fun office events, exclusive contests, and cool prizes just for 7 & Up members. Learning about braces can be educational and fun!
The 7 & Up Observation Program is for patients who are not ready for treatment and have been placed on a 6 month recall. This program enables us to monitor the eruptive pattern of the permanent teeth, and monitor the growth of the jaws. Sometimes, poor eruption patterns of permanent teeth may be eliminated with early removal of baby teeth which may reduce the treatment time required for braces.
We will notify your general dentist of any recommendations made during your visit. Dr. Lee normally will see the patients on recall every 6-9 months to observe their progress as they grow and develop. This program is completely free and is designed to help Dr. Lee determine the optimum time to begin treatment, and achieve the best possible result for your child.
Teeth stains are all be inevitable. Whether caused by the aging process, wine, food or smoking, most people experience tooth discoloration at some point. Fortunately, you can take simple steps to prevent stains and you can erase them with professional teeth whitening at Lee Orthodontics.
Professional teeth whitening is the most commonly performed cosmetic dentistry procedure in the country, and for very good reasons: it is much more effective, safer, more comfortable, and less aggravating than whitening with a store-bought kit. If your teeth are stained and you feel uncomfortable with their appearance, Dr. Lee and his staff would be happy to discuss your teeth whitening options during your next visit to our office.
If your teeth are stained, you may be the ideal teeth whitening candidate. However, stained or discolored teeth alone are not the only consideration. Good candidates for teeth whitening should be:
The end result is a healthy, strong, and attractive smile that you will feel proud to show the world. During your teeth whitening appointment, we will listen carefully to your concerns, assess your teeth and gums, and help you determine which options will best protect and perfect your smile.
At Lee Orthodontics, we offer both in-office and take-home tooth whitening options.
During your in-office teeth whitening, a bleaching solution is applied to the teeth which allows whitening solution to dissolve some extrinsic stains and discoloration.
Take-home kits gradually lighten enamel over the course of three to four weeks. Worn daily during this time, these kits can lighten teeth several shades and are a wonderful option for men and women who would prefer teeth whitening at home.
Both of the teeth whitening options provided by Lee Orthodontics are designed to be long-lasting. How you care for your teeth after treatment will, however, have a more direct role in the amount of time your results are visible than anything our dentists can do.
Fortunately, maintaining teeth whitening results is relatively easy. In many cases, it doesn’t even require much adjustment to routines you already have in place. You can work towards keeping your teeth bright and beautiful by:
This can go a long way in keeping your teeth stain-free. Regular cleanings, brushing after meals, flossing, and other good teeth cleaning habits will help your smile shining bright!
Although some culprits will stain your teeth quickly, nearly any food can harm your teeth whitening results over time.
You can help make your bright smile last longer by performing some teeth whitening maintenance at home. Using the Lee Orthodontic At-Home whitening kit will help maintain your healthy smile.