Mesa Orthodontist

If you’re concerned about the alignment of your smile — or that of your child — we can help. Orthodontic treatment provides benefits that go beyond a beautiful smile. At Mountain View Family Dental, orthodontist Dr. Brent Brooks provides treatment with traditional braces as well as ClearCorrect aligners.

Benefits of Orthodontic Treatment

Treating misaligned or crowded teeth has an obvious aesthetic advantage. But there are other benefits, as well. Orthodontic treatment promotes:

• Healthy jaw function
• Comfortable chewing
• Easy-to-clean teeth
• Prevention of tooth decay
• A beautiful smile

At Mountain View Family Dental, our treatment options include wire braces and ClearCorrect invisible aligners. Your recommended treatment will depend on factors unique to you, such as the severity of your misalignment or crowding. Read on to learn more about each type of treatment.

Braces

Braces consist of brackets attached to your teeth and connected with wires. These, along with elastic bands in some cases, place pressure on your teeth to move them into alignment over time. The length of time braces are worn is different for everyone, with 2 years being common, though it could be anywhere from 1-3 years. Here’s a look at a typical process with braces, from initial exam to aligned smile.

Evaluation

At your initial exam, Dr. Brooks will assess your occlusion (bite) and alignment to determine the appropriate orthodontic treatment for you, as well as its estimated duration. If braces are recommended for you, we will schedule a time for you to have them placed.

Placement

At this visit, Dr. Brooks will place your braces. This involves adhering the brackets to your teeth and threading a wire through them to connect them. Elastic bands may also be placed. This process may take an hour or an hour and a half, but future adjustment visits should be much shorter.

Adjustment

Over the course of your treatment, you will see the orthodontist periodically to have your braces adjusted. At these visits, Dr. Brooks will assess your progress and make small changes like tightening or replacing the wire or replacing the elastic bands. These adjustments keep your braces working steadily toward your treatment goal.

Removal & Retainer

When your treatment is complete, Dr. Brooks will remove your braces. He’ll give you a retainer to wear, along with guidelines as to how long and when to wear it. It’s important to wear your retainer as prescribed to keep your teeth from shifting out of their proper position.

ClearCorrect

ClearCorrect is a brand of clear aligners that straightens your teeth invisibly and often in less time than braces. To learn more about how ClearCorrect works, visit our page on clear aligners.

At What Age Should You See an Orthodontist?

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children first see an orthodontist at the age of 7. One reason for this is so the orthodontist can check to make sure that the child’s jaw is developing properly and treatment can begin while the jaw is still malleable, before the age of 10. Another reason is that intervention at this stage, while some baby teeth are still present, can help permanent teeth erupt favorably and prevent the need for more complicated treatment down the road.

While age 7 is an ideal age for a first orthodontic visit, teeth can be straightened at any age. At Mountain View Family Dental, we serve adults and children of all ages.

Your Family Orthodontist

If you need an orthodontist for you or your child, we would love to help you. To get started, give us a call to schedule an initial exam. Or feel free request an appointment online, and we’ll reach out to you to set one up.