We offer a wide variety of treatment options which will be discussed by Dr. Schwartz during your initial consultation. These treatment considerations are based on many variables which affect your individual case and will be thoroughly explained to you.
Early Treatment
Your child may be referred to the office by a General Dentist or a Pediatric Dentist for an initial assessment. It may be of interest to you to know that the American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first time orthodontic evaluation by the age of 7, because many changes occur around that stage of development and can be resolved early with little cost and great preventive benefits. The purpose of this early consultation is to determine the ideal time for initial care. This will enable the most effective treatment to reduce growth and development problems which may be extremely difficult to correct at a later age.
Our goal is to obtain the best of all possible results in the least amount of time. Occasionally, several phases of treatment are recommended to take full advantage of physical changes as they occur. This may necessitate fine tuning after most of the teeth have erupted.
Adult Treatment
There are many reasons why adults seek orthodontic treatment including esthetic considerations, crooked teeth, headaches, and jaw pain. Often these cases are treated with ceramic braces, metal brackets, TMJ splints or Invisalign ™ (“invisible braces” which are clear esthetic sequential aligners similar to bleaching trays). Occasionally, jaw surgery may be recommended in an attempt to obtain an ideal result.
Technique
Dr. Schwartz has taken thousands of hours of continuing education programs specializing in orthodontics such as Damon Technique Courses, and Sondhi’s Smart Clip course. He currently uses Ormco’s straight wire bracket, Unitek’s Smart Clip bracket, and APC Clarity braces: a clear prepasted ceramic bracket made by Unitek. When appropriate, Dr. Schwartz uses such modalities as orthognathic surgery and reverse headgears or face masks in the treatment of class III malocclusions. Palatal expanders may be inserted to correct crossbites, and colored ties and bands may be selected by the patients to enhance esthetics. Headgears and functional appliances such as Bionators, Orthopedic Correctors, and Twin Block appliances may also be utilized in the treatment of class II malocclusions. Space maintainers or a lingual arch is sometimes necessary to hold missing tooth space in interceptive orthodontic treatment, and retention appliances such as designer Hawley retainers are sometimes placed. Essix or Trutain retainers may also be employed as transitional appliances and are made in the in-house lab.
Insisting on using gentle dental techniques, Dr. Schwartz is able to accomplish complicated, sophisticated maxillofacial orthopedic corrections. Non-extraction therapy is stressed at the office and used wherever feasible. Progress records including study models, panoramic radiographs, and cephalometric x-rays may be taken to enhance results.
Routinely working in conjunction with general dentists as well as periodontists and oral surgeons to produce the most ideal treatment results, Dr. Schwartz may use implants, TAD’s (temporary anchorage devices) and bone plates to enable achievement of orthodontic goals. Temporomandibular joint splints are often placed for TMJ dysfunction, and tongue thrust appliances are also considered when diagnosing pathological tongue thrust patterns.
Invisalign as well as “Red White and Blue” are popular, new clear braces which are removable. They are a favorite technique if used properly in the hands of a qualified and certified practitioner.