Orthodontics

Consider orthodontics if you have crooked, crowded, or misaligned teeth. At Smile Structure Dentistry and Braces, with five offices in San Antonio and Helotes, Texas, the team of general and family dentists offers orthodontic treatment to people of all ages, including traditional metal braces and Invisalign®. These procedures improve the position of your teeth and jaw, allowing for a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing smile. Call the nearest Smile Structure Dentistry and Braces office to schedule an orthodontic consultation, or request your appointment online today. 

How does orthodontics fix smiles?

Orthodontics is a dental specialty focused on improving the alignment of your bite. During treatment, you wear fixed or removable orthodontic appliances that place mild pressure on your teeth and jaw. That pressure changes the position of your teeth and/or jaw over time, resulting in a healthier and more symmetrical smile. 

The Smile Structure Dentistry and Braces team provides orthodontic treatment to adolescents, teenagers, and adults. The treatment process is quick and effective and provides lasting results. 

What types of alignment problems does orthodontics treat?

The Smile Structure Dentistry and Braces team uses orthodontics to treat various alignment problems, including:

• Overcrowding
• Spaces between the teeth
• Misaligned jaw
• Problems with chewing and speech
• Overlapping teeth
• Crooked teeth

Orthodontics also provides a nonsurgical way to address bite abnormalities, including overbite, crossbite, and underbite. 

Are there different types of orthodontics?

The Smile Structure Dentistry and Braces team offers several types of orthodontics, including:

Metal braces

Braces attach to the front of your teeth with dental bonding. They use metal brackets, arch wires, and small rubber bands (o-rings) to place pressure on your teeth and jaw. Braces can be challenging to clean, but they provide stellar results. 

Invisalign

Invisalign is an orthodontic treatment system that uses removable plastic aligners to improve tooth and jaw alignment. You wear the aligners 20-22 hours daily, only removing them to eat or brush and floss. 

Orthodontic retainers

After you finish wearing braces or Invisalign aligners, you transition to a retainer. A retainer is a removable appliance made of plastic and metal. It holds your teeth in the proper position and prevents them from moving out of place.

Does orthodontic treatment take a long time?

The time that orthodontic treatment takes depends on various factors, including the severity of your alignment problems and your commitment to your provider’s care plan. Orthodontic treatment could take 12-18 months or up to two years, depending on the issues treated.

Be patient, follow your provider’s instructions, and attend each of your orthodontic checkups. Keep your aligners in as much as possible if you opt for Invisalign. Your teeth might return to their original alignment if you don’t. 

Call the nearest Smile Structure Dentistry and Braces office to schedule orthodontic treatment, or request your appointment online today.

*Individual results may vary.