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VILLAGEOrtho
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The Art And Science Of Your Smile ART One person, one face, one smile. One vibrant way of connecting with the world. It has been captured on canvas, on film and in sculpture for centuries.Your smile shows love, support, pride, triumph. Shouldn't it radiate across your face with ease and grace? SCIENCE Radiographic Surveys. Skeletal Analysis. Bite Structures. The specific needs of your mouth should not be trusted to chance. At VILLAGE ORTHOdontics, every detail, every cause and every technology is used to chart the course to complete dental health for you and your family. Let VILLAGE ORTHOdontics be your first choice! Orthodontics is more than just a beautiful smile. The goal of orthodontic treatment is to achieve balance and harmony between your teeth, joints and facial contours. When that balance is achieved, you can enjoy a lifetime of beautiful, healthy smiles. Orthodontic treatment also improves the health of your mouth by helping to reduce your risk of tooth decay and gum disease. It can improve your ability to chew properly and correct speech problems. Most of all it gives you a beautiful, radiant smile that you won't hesitate to show others! We Have the Expertise The practice of orthodontics requires professional skill in the design, application and control of corrective appliances to bring teeth, lips and jaws into proper alignment and achieve facial balance. Teeth and sometimes faces are permanently changed by orthodontic treatment. Only a specialist can give your mouth the care it deserves. Our orthodontists are specialists limiting their practice to orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. Each has completed advanced orthodontic education following dental school, honing the skills required to manage tooth movement and guide facial development. More information on our doctors' individual backgrounds is available in our brochure (PDF file). The Importance of Treatment Since the first thing people notice about you is your smile and teeth, your self confidence and self esteem grows when that smile is healthy. Properly functioning teeth and jaws impact your smile and your overall dental health; therefore, our goal for every patient is to achieve both. Successful orthodontic treatment is a team effort.We provide the expertise, the treatment plan and the appliances to straighten teeth.You provide the opportunity for us to show you how much we care about making your smile the best and healthiest it can be. Whether you have decided you want to make a change in your oral health or your dentist has recommended a visit, creating a healthy smile is a team effort. You, your dentist and your VILLAGE ORTHOdontist work together throughout the entire treatment. Types Of Orthodontic Problems Orthodontic problems occur for a variety of reasons — all of which need to be understood in planning your course of treatment. Most malocclusions (or "bad bite") are inherited, but some are acquired. Inherited problems may include overcrowded teeth, too much space between teeth, extra or missing teeth, cleft palate and other facial or jaw irregularities. Acquired malocclusions can be caused by thumb or finger sucking, tongue thrusting, a restricted airway caused by tonsils and adenoids, dental disease, or premature loss of primary or permanent teeth. Whether inherited or acquired, many of these problems affect both the alignment of your teeth and your facial appearance. It is important to note that orthodontic problems can also be hidden behind perfectly acceptable smiles. Our orthodontic specialists are qualified to diagnose existing or potential conditions that, left untreated, could impact your dental health. Why Is Orthodontic Treatment Important To You? Crooked or overcrowded teeth are difficult to clean and maintain, and this contributes to conditions that cause tooth decay, gum disease and eventually, premature tooth loss. Other orthodontic problems can cause abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, excess stress on supporting bone and gum tissue, or misalignment of the jaw joints, leading to chronic headaches or pain in the face or neck. You may be experiencing pain that could be easily treated by having better oral health. VILLAGE ORTHOdontics can help. What Tests Can You Expect? If orthodontic treatment is required and you decide to proceed, further diagnostic tests are necessary. Information we need may include the following: Digital imaging of the teeth and face. Cephalometric (skull) radiographs to determine positioning of the teeth, jaws and cranial structures, analyze the soft tissue profile and other skeletal features (i.e. airways). An accurate model of the teeth and surrounding structures to determine tooth size and analyze the relationship between the teeth. A complete radiographic survey of all teeth and their associated bone support. A complete radiographic survey of the temporomadibular joints (TMJ), cranium, sinuses or cervical spine. A complete orthodontic clinical examination. Consultative discussions with your family dentist, physician or other medical/dental specialists. What About My Child? Orthodontists can improve smiles at any age, but there is an optimum time for treatment to begin. Early examination enables us to determine how and when your child's particular problem should be treated for maximum improvement, requiring the least amount of time and providing the greatest benefit. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that a child's first visit to an orthodontist take place no later than age seven. Although treatment may not be necessary, an examination is important to ensure maximum dental health for your child. Here are some warning signs to watch for as your child's teeth develop: Early or late loss of teeth Difficulty chewing or biting Mouth breathing Finger sucking, tongue thrusting, etc Crowding, misplaced or blocked-out teeth Jaws that shift or make sounds Speech difficulty Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth Protruding teeth Teeth that meet in an abnormal manner or don't meet at all Facial imbalance Grinding or clenching of the teeth Jaws that protrude or retrude Everyone's self-confidence can increase when his or her smile is improved. For children, this also has an impact on those around them — parents, siblings, teachers and other children. Successful treatment can lead to greater success in all areas of your child's life. The value of a beautiful, healthy smile is more than you might ever have imagined! Your First Appointment The Orthodontic Evaluation Your first appointment allows us to get to know you and determine the nature of your and/or your dentist's concern. This appointment is designed to inform you, in detail, about the nature and extent of the orthodontic problem. We will formulate a treatment plan and, where appropriate, perform orthodontic diagnostic tests. We'll explain the length of treatment and what you can expect at each appointment. We will show you examples of treatment and demonstrate types of braces.You will want to have your spouse, or, in the case of a child, your parent, present so that objectives, methods and duration of treatment may be clearly outlined. We will answer all your questions and we will mutually agree on a satisfactory financial arrangement. When Is The Right Time? If this is your child's first appointment, after an evaluation your orthodontist may simply want to check your child periodically while the permanent teeth are erupting as the jaws and face continue to grow. If your child has a problem that requires attention, your orthodontist may recommend interceptive treatment. Early intervention takes advantage of facial growth and tooth eruption and can lessen the severity of a problem. It frequently makes the completion of treatment at a later age less time-consuming and less expensive. Here's how interceptive treatment can help: Avoiding fracture or loss of protruding teeth Assuring that jaws and teeth meet properly during chewing and swallowing Eliminating adverse habits such as thumb/finger sucking and tongue thrusting Correcting tooth alignment Enhancing speech development Evaluating breathing problems that may adversely affect normal growth and jaw shape Correcting crossbite, tooth grinding, tooth interference and lower jaw displacement Coordinating the extraction of primary (baby) teeth with the family dentist and allowing for proper eruption of permanent teeth Improving self-image Our orthodontists will explain every element of the recommended treatment. Whatever the treatment, we will ensure that you fully understand the process from beginning to end. Regular visits to your family dentist should be continued during your orthodontic treatment because good dental care (i.e. cleaning) and fluoride treatments are critical. Proper nutrition also is essential. We would be happy to give you information on how to plan a diet that will enhance your smile. How Will It Happen? All corrective appliances function in the same way using gentle pressure to move teeth into their proper positions. Current techniques involve less discomfort than in the past, fewer office visits and less treatment time. Orthodontic treatment can be successful at any age. About 25% of orthodontic patients today are adults. Because adult facial bones are no longer growing, certain corrections cannot be accomplished with braces alone. However, a combination of surgery and orthodontics will be the right choice for some patients and this approach can result in remarkable facial changes.

Average active treatment time ranges from six months to three years, depending on the growth of your mouth and face, your adherence to treatment plans and the type of treatment. In addition to loving their dazzling smiles, many of our patients feel more confident socially, may experience greater career success and their attitude towards life just seems to shine after treatment.