Orthodontics straightens teeth, but not only to make them look great. Straight teeth help people feel good about themselves, are easier to keep clean, catch less food, and form fewer cavities.

For teens and adults, orthodontics often involves attaching brackets or “braces” to the teeth, which are periodically adjusted to align teeth with facial bone structure. Kids might need braces, or only a retainer.

Depending on the individual, the benefits of orthodontics can vary greatly: from purely aesthetic fixes, to major improvements in dental health and speech development.

Tooth crowding and spacing
Crowding is when teeth are too close together and overlap with other teeth, which can lead to difficult cleaning, food traps in difficult spots, and increased cavity risk.

Spacing is when teeth are too far apart, which can lead to speech and gum health issues.

Bite alignment
Underbite or reverse bite is when the bottom row of teeth sits in front of the top row of teeth while biting.

Protrusion is the opposite of underbite. The top row of teeth sits in front of the bottom row of teeth while biting.

Open bite is when the top and bottom teeth do not meet while biting. If the back teeth meet sharply, open bite can lead to excessive wear on the back teeth.

Deep bite or overbite is the opposite of an open bite. The top front teeth cover almost all of the lower front teeth while biting.

Overjet is when the front top teeth sit out and over the top of the lower front teeth, which may create a horizontal gap between top and bottom front teeth.

Correct bite alignment helps teeth last longer by ensuring they come together properly and do not wear unevenly.

VIDEO: OVERJET

If you think that straightening your teeth could be a long term benefit to your oral and overall health, don’t be intimidated by the upfront cost.

We can help you figure out the best way to keep expenses down, using your dental insurance or a flexible payment plan.

Is orthodontics “worth it?”
The confidence a great smile brings can be priceless, but having straight teeth often means better dental and overall health, too.

Easier cleaning, preventative care, and fewer cavities can help to reduce dental problems, leading to a lifetime of lower expenses.

What is Invisalign?
Invisalign is a series of clear tray aligners that are customized to your specific mouth shape and the changing contour of your teeth. The clear tray aligners fit snuggly over your teeth, ultimately becoming "invisible" in the process.

How does Invisalign work?
Precisely fitted as a series, each Invisalign tray is progressively closer to the ideal position. Just like with speed braces, this creates continuous light forces that cause teeth to move through bone and develop new bone to stabilize in the new position.

Why choose Invisalign?
Many of our adult patients choose Invisalign, as having clear braces with no visible metal brackets or wires helps minimize the impact on their daily life and appearance.

Most people won’t even notice you're wearing invisible braces, but once the process is complete, they’ll definitely notice your brilliant, straight smile!

VIDEO: INVISALIGN CLEAR BRACES

Childhood or early-childhood orthodontics is what dental professionals call “phase 1 orthodontics”. Unlike later phases for teens and adults, phase 1 orthodontics focuses more on skeletal growth than tooth movement. The most common appliance is a retainer and treatment is usually completed between ages 7 - 12.

Why is childhood orthodontics so beneficial?
While children are in the growth phase between ages 7 - 12, skeletal structures can still be manipulated and their permanent teeth have not all erupted. Addressing potential problems in this phase can avoid painful and expensive future adjustments such as extraction-based orthodontics.

In some cases, wearing a retainer for 6 months in early childhood can greatly reduce the amount of time a child needs to wear braces later on.

In addition to the same preventative care and bite alignment benefits that adults get from straight teeth, well-aligned oral structures help children develop a great looking smile, which often helps with confidence at a sensitive age.

When should children start with orthodontics or braces?
The Canadian Association of Orthodontists recommends all children get an orthodontic checkup no later than age 7.

What are speed braces?
Also known as “fast braces”, speed braces are passive self-ligating brackets with special memory wires — a recent and significant improvement over traditional braces.

How do speed braces work?
The brackets and wires are regularly adjusted to create continuous light forces that cause teeth to move quickly through the bone. These gentle forces also develop new bone to stabilize teeth in the new position.

Speed braces are sometimes more effective than Invisalign for certain difficult movements required by severe misalignment or bite correction. Dr. Ma is fully-trained to offer braces as well as Invisalign.

Why choose speed braces?
Speed braces are a popular and cost-effective choice with the many families we serve.

Visible braces are common for children, teens, and young adults, and most kids adjust to wearing them easily. For patients who prefer a “lower-profile”, we also offer clear ceramic tooth-coloured braces. Either way, there is nothing cooler than great oral health!

How long does it take? Are some braces really “faster” than others?
If you need braces, you’ll probably need to wear them for 1 to 3 years. The total time depends more on the amount of adjustment needed than on the type of braces used.

VIDEO: SPEED BRACES