Dr. Jonathan Shouhed has successfully used custom braces in a variety of colors and styles to straighten his patients' smiles. At West LA Orthodontics we believe getting braces should be fun! From misaligned bites to cosmetic issues we have you covered.
At West LA Orthodontics, we understand your smile is an important part of your daily life. That’s why our goal is to bring a happy, healthy smile to the faces of our entire community. We are committed to providing you and your family with gentle, high-quality orthodontic care.
Common Reasons for Braces
Crooked or overcrowded teeth
Gaps between teeth
Overbite, where the upper front teeth come out too far over the lower teeth
Underbite, where the front teeth bite down behind the lower teeth
Other jaw misalignments that create an uneven bite
Wearing braces has a number of health and cosmetic benefits to your teeth, your jaw and your confidence:
Benefits of Braces
You will find it easier to clean your teeth
You will reduce your risk of tooth decay, cavities, and gum disease
With straighter teeth you will have a more even bite, reducing the wear and tear on your teeth
You will have a better ability to speak properly
Prevention of tooth decay and jaw bone deterioration
Better digestion
You will experience improved confidence and increased self-esteem because you love your smile!
Traditional braces are made up of bands, wires, and brackets. The bracket bonds to the front of your tooth, and the wire, known as an archwire, threads through it. To keep the archwire in place, the bands wrap around the brackets. Over time, the archwire exerts pressure on your teeth, gradually moving them into a straighter position.
With braces, you can straighten your teeth and correct a crooked or misaligned bite. We offer a few different types of braces when it comes to choosing braces that are the perfect fit for you:
Metal braces have been around for more than 100 years and are the most common type of braces. Braces used to be bulky and noticeable. Luckily, braces aren't what they used to be years ago! With advances in technology and innovation, braces:
Are now smaller
Move your teeth faster
Feel more comfortable
Work more effectively
At West LA Orthodontics, we find that braces are most popular as a teeth straightening solution for kids and teens.
Teeth are as distinctive as fingerprints and your braces should be custom-made just for you. Using revolutionary 3D printing technology, LightForce brackets are made to precisely suit the unique surface of your tooth, unlike conventional brackets that are mass-produced to fit everyone. They are available in all different colors if you wish to express your personality with your braces, or clear if you want your orthodontic treatment to be more discreet. With LightForce you get:
Less discomfort
More efficient tooth movement
Shorter treatment time
Fewer office visits
Self-ligating braces work like metal and ceramic braces and come in metal or clear ceramic material. These braces also use a wire to move your teeth. With self-ligating braces, the wire doesn't need elastic rubber ties to hold it in place in the same way as metal braces or ceramic braces. Because self-ligating braces are easy to adjust, your appointment duration to get them adjusted can often be shorter. Self-ligating braces are great for:
Patients with a greater sensitivity to discomfort
Those who can't sit still for very long in the dental chair
Children with developmental delays and orthodontic needs
Typically, patients wear braces from 12 months to 3 years. However, the average treatment period is around 24 months. Orthodontic treatment time is completely dependent on each individual patient’s unique bite and degree of misalignment.
As your teeth move into place, you will need to have your braces adjusted. Dr. J at West LA Orthodontics usually sees patients every month to carry out this procedure. Braces can straighten your teeth in as quickly as a few months or as slowly as a few years, depending on the position of your teeth and your treatment plan. Dr. J uses LightForce orthodontic technology.
West LA Orthodontics recommends an orthodontic evaluation for your child at age seven, when they have some permanent teeth but haven’t yet lost all of their baby teeth. When your child is this age, the jaw is still developing, which makes treating complex problems easier. If your child has not had an orthodontic evaluation by age 9 – 14 years old, Dr. J recommends coming in for a consultation as this time of life is still an optimum age to consider getting braces.
In order to achieve harmony between the function, aesthetics and overall health of your child's smile, Dr. J can begin and complete treatment before your child's jaw and facial development is fully complete.
Although childhood is the optimal time to begin orthodontic treatment, braces work incredibly well for patients of any age! Dr. J can see patients aged seven to 70! Today, adult braces are common and Dr. J offers clear ceramic braces or Invisalign® clear aligners if you want a more discreet treatment option.
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