A straight smile is a healthy smile! At Southern Dental Associates at Spring Branch, we offer orthodontic treatment to help all our patients enjoy the benefits of straight teeth and properly aligned jaws. Our caring and highly-skilled dental team are trained to provide orthodontic treatment to patients of all ages and care needs. Schedule a consultation with a trusted local dentist to learn more about orthodontic treatment.

What is Orthodontics?

Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that treats issues with teeth and jaw alignment in patients of all ages. Orthodontic treatment may also be used to help young children correct issues in their tooth or jaw development. A poor bite caused by crooked teeth, misaligned jaws or other problems can impact the patient’s overall oral health. Crooked teeth are harder to keep clean even with proper oral hygiene and regular cleanings. This can result in an increased risk of gum disease, cavities, and eventual tooth loss. A poor bite can also put additional stress on the chewing muscles and jaw joints, causing headaches, TMJ disorders, and difficulty eating or speaking.

How Do I Know if I Need Orthodontics?

If you think you or your child are a candidate for orthodontic treatment, be sure to schedule a consultation with your Houston dental office. Only a trained dental professional can assess your orthodontic needs. Our dentist will perform a thorough exam and review your medical history to design a treatment plan that’s right for you or your child.

We can recommend orthodontic treatment to correct many common dental issues, including:

• Crooked teeth
• Crowded teeth
• Irregular spaces between teeth
• Overbite (or buck teeth)

• Underbite
• Crossbite
• Open bite

How Does Orthodontic Treatment Work?

Orthodontics offers a variety of treatment options to guide your teeth and jaws into the desired alignment. Based on your needs, we recommend oral appliances to correct your bite, reposition your jaws, retrain your chewing muscles, and treat issues in your jawbone development. Our dentist may recommend:

• Traditional Braces: Braces use brackets and an archwire to correct your bite. Made of metal or ceramic, brackets are cemented to the front of your teeth and used to anchor the archwire. The archwire is gradually tightened at regular orthodontic checkups so that the teeth can be repositioned over one to two years. Once your braces treatment is complete, we will remove the braces and prescribe a dental retainer to maintain your teeth’s desired alignment.
• Clear Aligners: For patients who want to straighten their teeth without the need for braces, we recommend clear aligner. Clear aligner therapy uses a series of removable, custom-made aligner trays to shift your teeth over one to two years, or as recommended by our dentist. The aligner trays are made of thin, transparent plastic, making them virtually invisible during use. Wear your aligners for 20 to 22 hours a day for the best results.