Orthodontic Treatment

Our Orthodontic Treatment Approach

When you think about orthodontics, you likely think of conventional braces made of wires, bands and brackets. This approach pushes and pulls teeth into place to get the smile to look like it’s “supposed” to look within a certain space, and sometimes that may even involve removing teeth to make sure everything “fits.”

But our approach to orthodontics isn’t about pushing, retracting or removing teeth. Instead, we focus on making more space in the mouth to allow the teeth to fit naturally, protect the jaw joints and improve overall health.

This approach focuses on expanding the jaws and midface to bring them into harmony and correct function, develop dental arches to help align the jaw, make enough room for proper tongue placement, improve lip seal, and promote better breathing, swallowing and speech. Ultimately, this type of orthodontics can also reduce the risk of orthodontic relapse and make the mouth’s physiological structure and jaw more stable.

Why This Approach to Orthodontics?

We take this approach to orthodontic treatment because it’s not just about your teeth; it’s also about your overall health. By treating the whole patient and not just the teeth, we can help address:

  • Misaligned/crooked teeth
  • Bite malocclusions such as overbites, underbites and crossbites
  • Periodontal disease
  • Tooth decay
  • Chewing and swallowing issues
  • Obstructive sleep apnea in adults and children
  • Mouth breathing
  • Poor oral rest posture
  • Forward head posture
  • Headaches/migraines
  • Facial pain
  • Psuedo-ADHD, hyperactivity and behavior issues related to lack of sleep
  • Improper facial development/midface deficiency
  • Tongue ties
  • Jaw problems, including TMJD (temporomandibular joint disorder)
  • Orthodontic relapse

You’re going to get a beautiful, strong chin, a nice straight jawline apart apart from all of the really pretty facial aesthetics. With an appliance, you are also going to get a lot of a whole lot of other things that impact your health and a really great way.

Orthodontics

Many people have their own vision of a perfect smile. If you think about the perfect smile, you probably think of pearly white and perfectly straight teeth, but do you consider whether those teeth are correctly aligned, and if they’re not, how that impacts the mouth and body?

While it’s true that teeth that are out of alignment can alter your smile’s appearance, they can also impact your overall health and contribute to jaw problems, breathing disorders and chronic health issues. Misaligned teeth can even affect how you feel about yourself and your appearance.

The solution for misaligned teeth is orthodontics. Miami Designer Smiles is proud to offer patients a full range of orthodontics to give you a beautiful and healthy smile. So many people do not love their smile because of orthodontic issues, but here’s your chance to change that for yourself or your child.

Veneers
A logo with the title 'logo design' for a general dentist.

Carl

Testimonial

Traditional dentistry and extractions aren’t always the answer and can sometimes lead to problems later in life. Learn how Carl overcame dentistry mistakes in the past to live his best life showing his healthiest smile.

A man with a controlled arch orthodontics smile, sporting a beard
A patient's mouth with teeth that have been removed after receiving braces.
A man's teeth before braces and after Controlled Arch Orthodontics treatment.
A man's mouth with a missing tooth after getting Controlled Arch Braces.

I came in with TMJ pain. I had extractions when I was 14. My bicuspids were taken out on the top and bottom at the time, it might have been the correct treatment, maybe not. But over time, I started developing TMJ pain and grinding. So I came to this office looking for some relief.

Orthodontic Solutions

TYPES OF ORTHODONTIC OPTIONS AT MIAMI DESIGNER SMILES

Controlled Arch Orthodontics

Controlled arch orthodontics is designed to expand the upper jaw. Unlike conventional orthodontics, controlled arch orthodontics restructures the midface through an oral appliance so the jaws can reach their proper size and function together in harmony. More room for the teeth is created by expanding the jaws, allowing them to move into their correct position and straighten.

Expanders work by stimulating the palate’s nerves, which causes the body to produce both new bone and soft tissue.

Expanders can be fixed or removable, and can safely be used for both children and adults.

Expanders can help to improve or prevent a range of concerns, including:

  • Breathing problems due to a narrow or obstructed airway
  • Facial asymmetry and facial growth problems
  • Lack of jawline definition/a “weak” chin
  • Sleep apnea and other sleep breathing disorders
  • Headaches/migraines
  • Malocclusion (a misaligned bite) including crossbites, underbites and overbites
  • Open bites
  • Jaw problems and temporomandibular joint disorder

Invisalign ® Orthodontic Treatment

Invisalign ® is a revolutionary orthodontic treatment that allows individuals to improve their smiles and avoid the discomfort of metal braces! Invisalign works to correct misaligned teeth using a series of clear plastic aligners that gradually move and straighten your teeth. If you have put off orthodontic treatment because you want to avoid metal braces, Invisalign might be an ideal option for you. Invisalign is highly customizable, comfortable, effective and virtually unnoticeable to others. Invisalign treatment can also be shorter than conventional orthodontics, depending on the patient and their smile goals.

Clear Braces

Clear braces, made of a transparent ceramic material that does not stain or change color, are so clear they are virtually invisible on your teeth or your child’s teeth and are generally unnoticeable to other people. This makes them a popular treatment option among adults and teenagers who want great smiles but do not want their braces to be noticeable as with traditional braces. Clear braces are self-ligating, which means they use a specialized clip instead of elastics to help the wire that runs along the arch gently guide teeth into place. These clips help lessen the amount of pressure placed on the teeth. Self-ligating braces are also easier to keep clean, which means better oral health for you.

Myobrace

We also offer both adult and pediatric patients a no-braces orthodontic treatment approach known as the Myobrace System for straightening the teeth. Myobrace works by using very light, intermittent forces through removable dental appliances worn for one to two hours each day and overnight while sleeping.

Myobrace is often used in combination with exercises designed to improve muscle function, tongue posture and breathing. This improves facial development and smile appearance.

Are you interested in learning more about the types of orthodontic options available from Miami Designer Smiles for you or your child? Call Miami Designer Smiles today at 305-595-4616 for more information or to schedule a consultation.

When Is the Best Time for Orthodontic Treatment?

As an adult, you may think your ship has sailed for orthodontics, but it is never too late for orthodontic treatment. While we consider many variables when developing your customized orthodontic treatment plan, age is rarely a critical deciding factor. Adult orthodontic treatment is often as successful as adolescent treatment.

On the other hand, if you’re considering treatment for a child, you may be wondering when the best time is to start orthodontics. Early intervention is best, and the best time to begin this intervention is before age 9, when facial growth stops. Early orthodontic intervention can also prevent braces 30 percent of the time and improves your child’s oral and overall health. An expander is an excellent option compared to metal braces for children to expand their jaw and correct tooth placement and crowding problems. It is removable, making it ideal for young children who haven’t established good brushing and flossing habits yet.

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