Orthodontics and Jaw Development
aving a terrible bite can affect the body in a horrible way. Many patients suffer from headaches, neck pain, back pain, facial pain, clicking and popping of the jaw, grinding and clenching of the teeth, and more. At PWS, we focus on another level of orthodontics where we align the bite with the head and neck muscles and jaw joints. This is a more comprehensive and physiologic approach to orthodontics. This technique can also enhance the ability to breathe and improve head posture. We refer to this as orthopedic orthodontics or jaw development orthodontics. Many of the patients that seek us out have deep overbites, extreme over-jets, or cross bites. Severely crooked teeth or narrow dental arches can affect breathing and posture. Just straightening teeth and leaving the jaw in the same terrible position will not alleviate the symptoms that these patients may be suffering from. We like to correct the bite position first and test it out. We call that phase 1. During phase 1, you should feel that your jaw position is aligned and you should be feeling very healthy. We will then move your teeth into that position utilizing our orthodontic system. We call this phase 2. When we do this utilizing orthodontics, we call it jaw development orthodontics.
How are we different?
Many dentists solely focus on how the teeth come together and look, but we take a much more physiologic approach to your well being.
- We determine a physiologic bite position before beginning orthodontics and test it to make sure the jaw joints are in the correct position. We call this Phase 1. We then proceed to move the teeth into that corrective position.
- We examine the volume of the airway before beginning orthodontics to determine if it needs to be enhanced by measuring with a CT scan.
- Having a bite that is in harmony with the muscles of the head, neck, and jaw joint will allow proper function without popping and clicking. It is a headache-free position that the body likes since its aligned with the spine for better posture. When function is aligned, it will translate into a better looking smile!
- Many dentists just straighten teeth and focus on bringing them together.
- Examining the airway volume may be out of scope as normal orthodontics use straightening teeth as the main goal.
- Focusing on only how the teeth come together and neglecting jaw joint position and muscle activity can lead to painful and uncomfortable consequences.
Happier Face
Sometimes people have “reverse” smiles that are going the opposite way of a happy face. This is easily corrected with a smile makeover using orthodontics or porcelain veneers.
Perfect Smile
Having a beautiful smile can affect your life in a positive way as people will treat you better and you will feel better about yourself when you smile!
More Confidence
A smile says a thousand words. If you are ashamed of parting your lips, orthodontics might be right for you.
Dr. Frey ended up giving me the glamorous smile of my dreams for my wedding day, and I could not be happier with the results.
Frequently Asked Questions.
If you want to learn even more, we invite you to reach out for a free smile consultation where we can answer all of your questions in depth.
I Still Have QuestionsDo you use white ceramic braces or Invisalign in addition to metal braces?
For our TMJ patients who are in a lot of pain, we want to use the quickest and most efficient orthodontic system. We feel it’s not about aesthetics at this point as we are helping patients who have been in a lot of discomfort for many years.
How long do your patients typically wear braces?
We perform a type of orthodontics called controlled arch orthodontics. It can typically last anywhere from 1 to 2 years.
Does PWS treat children?
We do treat children, but mostly we are treating TMJ patients who have been suffering in pain and have finally found relief. We call it phase 2 when we move the teeth into the healthy bite position of the TMJ therapy.
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