Orthodontic treatment straightens your teeth so they look and work better. It may even make your face look better, and help your jaw muscles function properly. Orthodontic treatment uses braces or other appliances to put gentle pressure on your teeth and eventually move them into the right position.

An orthodontist is a dental specialist with two to three years of extra university training after dental school, who specializing in the moving of teeth while bringing the teeth, jaws, and smile into harmony.

Why you may need orthodontics

A number of factors may affect the size and position of your teeth and jaws. Problems like crooked teeth may "run in your family." You may have a habit that affected your teeth, such as thumb-sucking. You may have lost a tooth (or teeth), and the teeth that are left may have moved or shifted.

A number of factors may affect the size and position of your teeth and jaws. Problems like crooked teeth may "run in your family." You may have a habit that affected your teeth, such as thumb-sucking. You may have lost a tooth (or teeth), and the teeth that are left may have moved or shifted.

No matter what the cause, our office can treat:

• crowded teeth;
• crooked teeth;
• an overbite, an underbite and an overjet;
• an openbite;
• too much space between teeth;
• the results of extra or missing teeth.

It's important to treat these problems because teeth that are crowded, crooked or protruding can make you unhappy with your appearance. You may be shy and unwilling to smile because of your teeth.

Teeth that are misaligned affect your bite. This misalignment can make it hard to chew some foods and may cause some teeth to wear down. It can also cause muscle tension and pain.

Crowded and crooked teeth are harder to clean. Cavities and gum disease may develop as a result. Teeth that stick out are more easily chipped or broken.

Some orthodontic problems should start to be treated before all the adult (or permanent) teeth come in. An orthodontic consultation is the ideal way to find out if your child will have any orthodontic problems.

An orthodontic screening by the age of seven can help our office treat (or intercept) a problem as it is developing. This type of screening is called interceptive orthodontics.  Having said that, it is never too late to straighten crooked teeth. We have helped adult patients in their late sixties achieve the beautiful smile and straight teeth they always wanted.

To watch some interactive videos of teeth moving with orthodontics, click here

To read more about braces and orthodontics, click here

To schedule a no-obligation informative consultation, click here or call our office directly at 604-589-2212