Straight Teeth, Balanced Bite for Health & Beauty
Crooked teeth can negatively affect oral health and function. Crooked or oddly spaced front teeth can also reduce a person’s self-confidence. Dr. Bilello offers more than one solution for straightening and aligning teeth. He provides orthodontic treatment for patients of all ages.
Orthodontic Consultation and Assessment
At your consultation, we will take a 3D image of your mouth using iTero, a digital scanner that emits zero radiation. The digital images will show the crowns of your teeth, which are visible to the naked eye, as well as roots within the jawbone. You will not have to endure bad-tasting, gag-inducing traditional impressions made with putty.
After identifying the patient’s orthodontic issues, Dr. Bilello will develop a customized treatment plan with either traditional braces or Invisalign. He’ll explain his findings and treatment plan, and the two of you can discuss which type of orthodontic therapy will best suit your lifestyle while producing the desired results.
Types of Orthodontic Treatment
Dr. Bilello has extensive training and experience with Invisalign. He was the first general dentist in the area to offer the clear, removable aligner therapy fand now provides a full suite of Invisalign treatment options for children, teens, and adults.
Invisalign relies on custom-fabricated, clear acrylic, removable aligners to shift teeth into ideal alignment. Whether you want to improve the appearance of your smile or your mouth has more complex problems, like malocclusion, Dr. Bilello will recommend Invisalign if it would be an effective treatment.
Patients love Invisalign because it’s convenient, easy to care for, and can be removed for special events, like class reunions, a photoshoot, or a speaking engagement.
Invisalign Teen is very similar to traditional Invisalign for adults, but this system takes the habits and common problems of teenagers into account. You can order up to six replacement aligners at no additional cost. If your teen accidentally damages or loses an aligner, no problem! Also, a blue dot on each aligner changes color as the appliance is worn, so parents and Dr. Bilello will know for sure if the patient is wearing his aligners as often as necessary.
Invisalign First is a phase-one orthodontic therapy for young patients, usually between six and 10 years of age. Phase one orthodontics aims to guide jaw and arch development in preparation for incoming permanent teeth. Invisalign First is a removable appliance free of metal brackets and wires. This solution treats issues like narrow palates, crowding, and spacing problems.
Traditional braces are necessary for some cases, particularly complex cases. To move teeth into proper alignment, braces rely on gentle forces. Brackets cemented onto the teeth that need to move are strung together by a wire. We adjust the wire, and in some cases the brackets, for specific movement of each tooth. In most cases, braces are worn for six to 24 months. Children who need phase one orthodontics will wear corrective orthodontic appliances like braces, expanders, and spacers, for a few years. Phase-one orthodontics guides the development of the palate and arches to make sufficient space for incoming permanent teeth. Then in the late teen years, the patient will need to wear braces again to correct any alignment or occlusion problems.
Maintaining Dental Alignment
After orthodontic therapy with Invisalign or traditional braces, the patient will need to wear a retainer as directed by Dr. Bilello. We can permanently attach a retainer to the back of the teeth or create a removable retainer. Patients who do not wear their retainer as instructed may experience relapse, which means teeth can shift out of alignment. In this situation, braces may need to be worn again–so wear that retainer!
Schedule Your Appointments Now
For more information on braces or Invisalign, give us a call. Mark Bilello Family & Cosmetic Dentistry in Houma, LA, invites you to schedule an orthodontic consultation now by calling 985-872-9470 or you can schedule online today.