After adolescence, it may seem like the fate of your smile is set in stone. Whether you have always had crooked teeth or your teeth have shifted with age, as an adult, you may wonder if visiting an orthodontist is an option for you. We want to assure you that it’s never too late to get a show-stopping smile. At Unique Orthodontics in Fresno, CA, we offer a variety of adult orthodontic treatments.
WHO NEEDS AN ORTHODONTIST?
If you are wondering if you are too old to get orthodontic treatment, your first sweeping question might cut straight to the point; you want to know if adult orthodontics is even possible. We at Unique Orthodontics serve clients of all ages. Our mission statement confirms a dedication to improving smiles for the entire family.
If this seems a little confusing at first because you recall most people getting braces during those junior high and high school years, you’re not alone. Many people ask if people of all ages are eligible for orthodontics, why is it so prevalent in adolescence?
TREATMENT FOR CHILDREN
Before orthodontic treatment is possible, children must have all their permanent teeth in place. Small children rarely qualify for orthodontics because they’ve yet to lose all their baby teeth. For children not yet eligible to receive orthodontic care, we offer a Growth Guidance Program as a resource for parents hoping to mitigate the child’s need for orthodontics.
We recommend children receive a preliminary orthodontic screening by the age of seven, but the sooner we see a child, the better we can help with planning and prevention.
TREATMENT FOR ADOLESCENTS
It is more common for adolescents to receive orthodontic treatment because, during this period, all the permanent teeth have emerged and the adult smile is forming. Jawbones and the roots of teeth are more malleable in the formative years, which makes late childhood and adolescence an ideal time to receive orthodontic care.
TREATMENT FOR ADULTS
Although adolescence is the ideal time to receive treatment, orthodontic treatment options don’t end when you hit adulthood. We offer a wide range of orthodontic services for adults.
We at Unique Orthodontics treat smiles of every age, and it’s never too late to seek orthodontic treatment. More adults seek orthodontic treatment now than ever before in history. Because more adults are taking action toward an attractive and healthy smile, technology and treatment options have advanced to accommodate adult needs.
ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT OPTIONS
It’s best to understand the difference between conventional and cosmetic orthodontic treatment before learning about the orthodontic treatment options available to adults.
CONVENTIONAL ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT
Most people are familiar with conventional orthodontic treatment. Conventional treatment includes braces, brackets, and retainers that are most associated with the smile beautification process. Conventional treatment corrects malocclusion (the technical term for bite irregularities).
Malocclusions are the root of many dental issues and can manifest as crooked teeth, crowded teeth, or jaw misalignment (under bites and overbites). People with straight teeth can also have malocclusions that can cause dental problems.
HOW IT WORKS
Conventional orthodontic treatment bonds corrective appliances to teeth to encourage them to move into proper alignment. With better alignment comes the removal of the malocclusions, and this reveals a straight smile and allows for better oral hygiene. One thing that many people overlook about having straight teeth is that they are much easier to keep clean. Cleaner teeth mean less tooth decay and a reduced risk of periodontal disease.
Conventional orthodontic treatment is a slow-moving process that applies pressure to individual teeth to move them into the desired position. This process can take between one and three years to fix malocclusions and bring teeth and the jaw into alignment.
COSMETIC ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT
Cosmetic orthodontic treatment may not be as familiar because it’s covert by design. Instead of using the hardware commonly associated with straight teeth, cosmetic orthodontic treatments correct crowding and minor spacing issues.
Cosmetic orthodontic treatment is most desirable for adults because it offers a solution for achieving a dream smile without calling much attention to the mouth. For anyone who wants an undercover way to improve their smile, choosing from one of Unique Orthodontics’ cosmetic treatment options are a great way to get the smile you’ve always wanted
UNIQUE ORTHODONTICS TREATMENTS FOR ADULTS
There’s nothing wrong with going with the traditional bracket braces as an adult, but for some patients, cosmetic orthodontics best fits their lifestyle. If you work in the public sphere and don’t want everyone to know that you are correcting your teeth, Unique Orthodontics offers a variety of smile-enhancing solutions. Below we investigate all orthodontic treatments for adults we provide at Unique Orthodontics.
INVISALIGN(R)
Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment system that’s most appealing to adults because it’s clear, removable, and comfortable. The system works with a series of 20 to 30 see-through retainers or aligners custom-made for your teeth.
Although Invisalign aligners are removable, they are meant for constant wear. Removing the aligner for eating, brushing, and flossing offers an advantage for maintaining oral hygiene throughout orthodontic treatment.
Each retainer is shaped slightly differently to guide teeth into a straighter smile in the most gentle way. Users wear each aligner for approximately two weeks, and it takes an average of eleven months to reach your straight smile goal.
INVISALIGN(R) EXPRESS
If waiting eleven months or more to get straight teeth doesn’t work for you, Invisalign Express offers all the classic Invisalign benefits in a fraction of the time. By combining the proprietary science behind Invisalign, orthodontics, and advanced 3-D technology, Invisalign Express cuts the straight smile wait time in half. On average, users need ten or fewer Invisalign Express aligners to achieve desired results in about six months.
THE DAMON SYSTEM
The Damon System is a fast and comfortable alternative to traditional braces and clear aligners. Although this method is a bracket system, it’s virtually invisible to keep smile correction covert. Many people report less discomfort when using the Damon System as compared to a traditional bracket braces system.
As one of the most innovative orthodontic systems on the market today, the Damon System doesn’t require tooth extraction or headgear and can improve the appearance of the entire face–not just the smile. The non-invasive Damon System widens the smile, improves the facial profile, and reveals a more youthful appearance in as little as ten weeks.
SURGICAL ORTHODONTICS TREATMENT
Sometimes orthodontic care has less to do with the smile’s appearance than it does our overall health and wellbeing. Often the way our smile looks offers clues about general health. For those who suffer from sleep apnea, TMJ disorders, and skeletal disharmonies, braces are often not enough to correct these problems that have orthodontic origins.
If your orthodontic needs fall into the category of corrective jaw surgery, Dr. Bayrakdarian at Unique Orthodontics operates within a network of superior Oral Surgeons and other dental professionals who work together to provide the best treatment plan.
ESSIX RETAINERS
Essix retainers are transparent appliances for upper and lower sets of teeth with full arch coverage. They are most commonly used to fix slight teeth misalignment or after orthodontic treatment to keep teeth in position.
Each Essix retainer is custom made in the in-house Unique Orthodontics lab to fit the wearer comfortably. Comfort is vital, and the exceptional team at Unique Orthodontics ensures that all appliances fit as they should while still supplying maximum comfort.
HABIT APPLIANCES
Although most common in children, many adults have habits that can impact the overall appearance of the teeth. Anything from thumb-sucking to tongue thrusting can affect dental health by causing open bites or protruding teeth. Unique Orthodontics offer configurable metallic gate habit appliances to break bad habits while preventing teeth from shifting.
After receiving a habit appliance, adults usually drop the habit of tongue thrusting or finger sucking within a week. Still, it may take a few months for the habit to stop completely. Dr. Bayrakdarian, your orthodontist at Unique Orthodontics, removes the habit appliance once the habit is broken.
HEADGEAR AND FACE MASKS
Unique Orthodontics offers headgear, reverse headgear, and face masks for adults and children. These appliances correct two of the most common jaw misalignment issues–overbites and underbites.
Headgear and face masks are dental appliances that work with braces to correct overbites, a condition marked by the upper row of teeth covering the lower row. Headgear promotes the lower jaw to move forward, thus aligning the teeth.
Reverse headgear and face masks correct underbites, which is the dental condition of lower teeth covering the upper row of teeth. Reverse headgear encourages forward growth in the upper jaw for better alignment.
FORSUS(R) FOR OVERBITES
An overbite can cause discomfort when eating and smiling but for different reasons. Overbites result from a misaligned jaw, and this makes chewing less comfortable. An overbite can also create feelings of self-consciousness when smiling. Forsus is the answer to the physical and mental discomfort caused by extensive overbites.
Forus is a spring module dental appliance that works with braces to correct overbites when the patient doesn’t want to wear headgear or elastics. Forsus is also a common alternative to jaw surgery for treating excessive overbites. The duration of Forsus treatment depends on the severity of the overbite but usually requires use for at least six months.
WHAT MAKES UNIQUE ORTHODONTICS DIFFERENT
As an adult, choosing an orthodontist that best fits your needs requires more than appointment availability; you want to give your business to a practice you can trust. Unique Orthodontics differs from other orthodontist practices for several reasons.
IN-HOUSE LAB
Unlike Unique Orthodontics, most orthodontists don’t have in-house labs, which makes for a slower turnaround for dental appliances. Unique Orthodontics has an in-house lab to best serve patients with quick and on-time delivery of dental appliances.
EXCEPTIONAL TEAM
We believe in treating you and all our patients like family; that’s why you’ll always be greeted and treated warmly when visiting a Unique Orthodontics office. We pride ourselves on the pleasant and professional ways we interact with our patients because we know that you deserve the best in orthodontic care.
WORLD-CLASS CARE IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS
We at Unique Orthodontics offer state-of-the-art orthodontic care in five convenient locations throughout the Central Valley. With offices in Fresno, Old Town Clovis, Peach and Nees Clovis, Madera, and Tulare, we offer plenty of options to fit a healthy smile into your workday routine.
MEET DR. BAYRAKDARIAN
Award-winning Dr. Bayrakdarian is your orthodontist at Unique Orthodontics. He has dedicated over 15 years to helping patients achieve the stunning smile they’ve always dreamed of having.
Dr. Bayrakdarian achieved his expertise from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Dental Medicine, University of Rochester’s Eastman Dental Center, and Vanderbilt University’s Orthodontic Fellowship program. He is a member of the American Association of Orthodontics, American Dental Association, California Dental Association, Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontics, and the Fresno Madera Dental Society.
CONCLUSION
If your smile has been holding you back, receiving orthodontic treatment is not only possible, but there are now more options than ever for adults. If it’s time to make a change, contact our friendly staff at Unique Orthodontics in Fresno, CA, today to schedule a consultation with Dr. Bayrakdarian.
