
At West LA Orthodontics, Dr. J utilizes the latest orthodontic technology to offer the most efficient treatment and achieve the best outcomes for his patients.
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
With the help of a series of 3D images, Dr. J is able to obtain a non-invasive, three- to five-minute scan that digitally records the shape and structure of the teeth and gum line. Our digital imprint scanner gives patients better accuracy while essentially removing the need for follow-up appointments for corrections. A new and updated digital map of the mouth aids in patient education and enhances the in-office experience for our team.
At West LA Orthodontics, we have the latest technology so our patients can enjoy the most efficient treatment and the best possible outcomes.
Utilizing the latest in advanced orthodontic technology, the Motion Appliance ensures a fast, effective, and aesthetic first phase treatment. Plus, by jumpstarting your orthodontic care with the Motion Appliance, your overall treatment time is reduced, which means less time in braces.
The Motion 3D Appliance is a direct bond appliance that attaches to the maxillary canine and first permanent molar, providing a simple procedure for turning complex “overbite” treatments into simpler orthodontic treatment plans. Once a proper bite is achieved, malocclusions become easier to treat and can be finished with your preferred orthodontic treatment option.
The Motion 3D Appliance may be used with patients who want to be treated with clear aligners, but display complex bite problems. This allows us to treat more patients requesting clear aligners without limitations. Complex overbite or underbite malocclusion patients can be “jump started” with the Motion 3D Appliance and finished with a clear aligner system.
The patient-friendly Motion Appliance is bonded to your teeth in the first phase of orthodontic treatment.
Moving your teeth faster and more aesthetically than other traditional Class II correction appliances.
So, with less time in braces and less discomfort you will have the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted in no time.
Severe underbite malocclusion can be treated orthodontically as well as skeletally depending on the nature of the problems and the skeletal maturity of the patients. When young patients present skeletal discrepancy (a disparity between the upper jaw and the lower jaw), use of a facemask headgear, with or without palatal expansion, is one of the traditional approaches.
This treatment often results in excessive flaring of the upper incisors by forward movement of the upper arch, elongation of the lower face by tipping and extrusion of upper posterior teeth. In recent years, incorporating micro-implants (MI) with expansion and headgear devices in various ways, in order to avoid the unwanted dental side effects, resulted in significantly better outcomes. One popular application is the use of a micro-implant or miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expander (MARPE) to promote bone-anchored expansion, and by applying headgear force against the MARPE in order to promote bone-anchored protraction.
Dr. J uses a specific configuration of the MARPE appliance that has been proven to provide unique results. This method causes expansion of the entire midface, disrupting all premaxillary structures. In combination with headgear, many goals can be achieved:
Limited elongation of the lower face
Total bite correction
The upper jaw advances efficiently in large magnitude; skeletal protraction is possible even in older patients
Combining micro-implants, rapid palatal expanders and headgear has also resulted in some skeletal protraction even in mature patients; this represents a non-surgical orthopedic treatment modality for severe underbite patients.
If you have been told that you need surgery or that you can only achieve a proper bite with extractions, this type of treatment option may be the one for you. At West LA Orthodontics, we always strive to use the least invasive treatment possible.
Other approaches have traditionally included extracting four (and sometimes even eight) teeth. Some orthodontists encourage waiting until full skeletal maturity and then using complex jaw surgeries to correct the bite. Using MARPE is an alternative to surgery for patients of all ages.
Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:30pm