Your dentist may have discussed with you the benefits of having healthy teeth and proper jaw alignment. Crooked and crowded teeth are hard to clean and maintain. This can result in tooth decay, worsen gum disease and lead to tooth loss. Other orthodontic problems can contribute to abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, inefficient chewing function, excessive stress on gum tissue and the bone that supports the teeth, or misalignment of the jaw joints. These can lead to chronic headaches and face or neck pain. Treatment by an orthodontist can be less costly than the additional care required to treat dental problems arising as a result of orthodontic problems. For most people, a beautiful smile is the most obvious benefit from orthodontics. Straight teeth and a beautiful smile can increase your self-confidence.

Braces for Children

The American Association of Orthodontics recommends that your child get an orthodontic check-up no later than age 7. At this time, the first permanent molars and incisors have usually come in and crossbites, crowding, and other problems can be evaluated. While your child's teeth may appear to be straight, there could be a problem that only an orthodontist can detect. Having your child see the orthodontist at this age gives Dr. Bryant the chance to:

• guide jaw growth
• lower the risk of trauma to protruded front teeth
• correct harmful oral habits such as thumb sucking and tongue thrust
• improve appearance and self esteem
• guide permanent teeth into a more favorable position
• improve the way the lips meet

Second phase treatment, or comprehensive treatment, consists of finishing alignment and bite of the newly erupted adult teeth. This occurs usually between the ages of 11 and 13. After Phase II, the retention phase begins.

Braces for Adults

Braces aren’t just for kids anymore. Teeth alignment can be changed at any age if your gums and bone structure are healthy. We offer a variety of treatments that are designed for different age groups – including adults. A new smile can begin today.

Orthodontic treatment at later stages in life can dramatically improve your personal appearance and self-esteem. Improving the health of your teeth and gums is equally important. Crooked teeth and a bad bite can contribute to gum and bone loss, tooth decay, abnormal wear of the tooth enamel and surfaces, even headaches and sometimes jaw joint (TMJ/TMD) pain.

Good news! The new techniques and appliances we use greatly reduce discomfort levels, decrease the frequency of visits, shorten treatment time and may allow you to choose from several options. Your options may include metal braces, translucent braces and even transparent aligners that can be worn at night to improve mild cases of misaligned teeth.

During the initial examination, we will be able to determine the best possible treatment for your individual needs. During this initial examination, we can outline the treatment plan, time of treatment expected and the approximate cost.

A large percentage of our patients are adults, and they agree that it’s never too late to improve their greatest asset - their smile.