Shaping Stunning Smiles
As a board-certified orthodontic specialist, Dr. Gardner treats children, teens and adults. By focusing on both aesthetics and function, he can help patients achieve smiles that are not only beautiful but also promote optimal oral health.
Benefits of Orthodontics
An attractive smile increases self-esteem, confidence, and overall appearance. Helping people experience a beautiful and perfectly aligned smile gives them the freedom to share their smile often.
Orthodontically corrected teeth lead to better lifelong oral health. They are easier to clean and less prone to chipping and decay, while also reducing the chance of gingivitis and gum disease.
Common Reasons for Orthodontic Care
- Teeth crowding
- Jaw misalignment (open bite, overbite, underbite)
- Missing teeth
- Spacing issues
- Protruding front teeth
Orthodontic Treatment Options
For all orthodontic treatments, you’ll enjoy gunk-free digital impressions as we use the Itero® system to capture high-definition 3D images of your teeth.
Conventional orthodontic treatment involving standard braces (clear or metal) for both children and adults offers the most comprehensive approach to treating more complex issues ranging from crooked teeth to jaw and bite concerns.
Invisalign® creates beautifully straight teeth without braces by using a series of removable, and comfortable aligners – invisible to your friends, family, and coworkers. Because the aligners are removable, you can eat and drink what you want while in treatment. Plus, brushing and flossing are much easier.
Invisalign® Teen helps teenagers experience the confidence boost of a great smile without the restrictions of traditional metal braces. The financial investment for this unique treatment is similar to traditional braces. As a bonus, Invisalign® Teen is covered by many major dental insurance policies.
Adult Orthodontics
Today, one in four orthodontic patients is an adult. With healthy gums and bone structure, teeth can be straightened at any age. Clear aligners, transparent braces, and faster treatment have made smile transformation more appealing. The oral health benefits are extensive, as leaving misaligned teeth untreated may lead to other dental problems such as tooth decay and gum disease. Orthodontic treatment creates a better bite, making teeth fit better and decreasing the risk of future dental problems regardless of age.
Retainers
A retainer is a custom-made appliance that holds teeth in place after they have been moved with braces or Invisalign. There are two basic types of retainers: removable and permanent. We want all of our patients to enjoy their beautiful smile for life.
Hawley retainers are made with acrylic that is shaped to fit the backside of the teeth. An attached metal wire fits across the frontside of the teeth to maintain alignment.
Removable retainers molded to perfectly fit the new position of your teeth. Vivera removable retainers (from Invisalign) are clear, plastic trays that are molded to perfectly fit the new position of your teeth.
A fixed retainer is a wire that is bonded to the backside of your front teeth.
Early Interceptive Treatment
Early interceptive orthodontic treatment helps maximize the opportunity to accomplish the healthy, functional and aesthetic result that will remain stable throughout your life.
The goal of Phase-One treatment is to help the jaw develop in a way that will accommodate all of the permanent teeth and improve the way the upper and lower jaws fit together.
In this phase, the remaining permanent teeth are left alone as they erupt. During this time, the patient wears retainers to maintain the treatment that was completed in Phase One.
The goal of the second phase is to make sure each tooth has an exact location in the mouth where it is in harmony with the lips, cheeks, tongue, and other teeth. When this equilibrium is established, the teeth will function together properly. Phase two usually involves full upper and lower braces.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a check-up with an orthodontic specialist no later than age 7. Interceptive orthodontic treatment around this time can help direct proper tooth positioning and/or jaw growth, eliminating or simplifying the need for later treatment. The results of an initial consultation will determine whether your child's bite is fully healthy, if potential concerns need to be monitored or if early intervention is necessary to establish the foundation for a healthy smile.
Your initial consultation with Dr. Gardner is complimentary. As a Board-Certified Orthodontist, he is trained to spot potential concerns with future jaw issues or emerging teeth. Your child’s bite may be fully healthy, he may need to monitor potential concerns, or he may need to intervene early to help lay the foundation for a healthy smile. Early treatment may prevent more serious problems from developing and may make treatment at a later age unnecessary or less complicated.
Early treatment gives our team the opportunity to:
- Guide jaw growth
- Lower the risk of trauma to protruded front teeth
- Correct harmful oral habits
- Improve the function and health of your child's bite
- Improve appearance
“completely seamless”
Dr. Gardner is extremely thorough, focused on perfect results, and at the same time very friendly! His team took the time to explain each step of the treatment, to ensure I received the best results. They provided exceptional hands on care and made the process of Invisalign completely seamless.
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