Orthodontic Treatment

Living with crooked teeth doesn't only impact how you feel about your smile; it also affects your dental health.

Straight teeth are easier to brush, floss, and clean properly, which minimizes your risk of developing problems like tooth decay and gum disease.

The good news is that it's easier than ever for busy adults and teens to straighten their teeth with ease and discretion at Media Lima Dental because Dr. Sung and Dr. John are certified Invisalign and ClearCorrect providers and master providers for FASTBRACES® in Media.

 

 

 

What Are Invisalign and ClearCorrect?

Invisalign and ClearCorrect in Media use clear plastic aligners to move teeth into position gradually. In addition, clear aligners are removable, so there are no restrictions to your diet as there are with braces, and it's easy to brush and floss.

Clear aligners are smooth, comfortable, and easy to wear, and you'll change them approximately every two weeks. If you are compliant with wearing them at least 22 hours each day, most patients can finish their treatment in around 12 to 18 months.

Invisalign and ClearCorrect work well for most patients, but they can't correct complex bite concerns as well as FASTBRACES®. We can determine which type of orthodontic treatment best suits your needs during an evaluation, where we'll take x-rays and photos of your teeth and thoroughly examine your smile.

Interceptive Orthodontic Treatment for Children

Our pediatric dentist, Dr. John, monitors the littlest smiles in our dental practice. He provides children with their first orthodontic evaluation around seven or eight years old.

Some kids have early issues with tooth crowding or bite concerns like severe overbites, underbites, crossbites, or open bites. These children can benefit from early orthodontic treatment. These issues can arise from long-term habits (e.g., pacifiers or thumb/finger sucking), severe mouth-breathing, low muscle tone, airway obstruction, or congenitally small jaws.

Interceptive orthodontics (or Phase 1) treatment harnesses a child's growth patterns to make room for adult teeth or correct early bite concerns. Comprehensive orthodontics/braces (or Phase 2) is often easier as a result, making tooth alignment more straightforward.

Phase 1 treatment, if needed, typically occurs between ages 7-10. The goal of Phase 1 is to help facilitate and guide the eruption of permanent teeth into their proper space by correcting bite issues or to ensure enough room for permanent teeth eruption. Interceptive treatment can often prevent future instances of severe overcrowding, tooth impaction, and dental trauma. 

Depending on your child's needs, Dr. John may recommend one or a combination of these treatments for Interceptive (Phase 1) orthodontic treatment:

  • Upper and lower jaw expanders
  • Facemask with elastics
  • Braces/segmental archwires
  • Space maintainers
  • Orthopedic appliances

Phase two is often easier as a result of the progress we make during phase one, making tooth alignment more straightforward.

Learn More about What's Possible for Your Smile

A straighter, healthy, and more beautiful smile is within your reach! Contact us at (610) 892-9280 for more information about orthodontic treatment in Media.