Braces & INVISalign

Traditional braces (both metal and tooth-colored), as well as Invisalign (invisable braces), straighten and align the teeth and jaw to improve your smile and oral health.  An ideal time for placement of braces is between 10 and 14 years of age, while the head and mouth are still growing and teeth can be straightened easier.  As adult teeth appear they may come in crooked, overlapped or rotated.  This can crowd the teeth and change your bite.  The placement of braces to correct these changes may take a couple years, but will create a lifetime of healthy smiles!

Braces & Invisalign for Adults

Improving smiles for adults is becoming very popular and less visable by the use of tooth-colored brackets or the new invisable Invisalign! 

Adults have been choosing to straighten their teeth for many reasons ... because they were not given the option as a child, they want to straighten just a few front teeth, their teeth have shifted back from childhood braces, or to correct a bite problem.  

Before	After

Braces for Teens

Because teenagers are still growing, the teen years are often the best years to correct tooth problems and achieve excellent results.  Too much space between teeth, crowding of teeth, crooked teeth, extra or missing teeth,  and jaw growth problems are common among teenagers.
 
Treatment is important because crooked or crowded teeth are hard to clean which may cause tooth decay, gum disease, and tooth loss.  A bad bite can also cause abnormal wear of tooth surfaces, difficulty in chewing or speaking, and excess stress on supporting bone and gum tissue.  Without treatment, problems may become worse. 
 
There is an emotional side of an unattractive smile.  When you are not confident in the way you look, your self-esteem suffers.  Teenagers with crooked/crowded teeth that are left untreated may go through life feeling self-conscious , hiding their smiles with tight lips or a protective hand.  
 
Braces for a teenager is an investment that will provide a lifetime of beautiful smiles!

Before	After

Braces for Children

Children under the age of 12 can experience dental crowding, too much space between teeth, teeth that stick out (protrude), and extra or missing teeth.  All of these situations can cause malocclusions, or a "bad bite".  They can be caused by thumb or finger sucking, mouth breathing, dental disease, abnormal swallowing, accidents, and poor nutrition. 
 
Early treatment with braces or appliances can prevent more serious problems as the child grows and gets older.  The goal for children is to provide each patient with the most appropriate treatment at the most appropriate time.
 
Early treatment gives the dentist a chance to:
 
     Guide jaw growth
     Lower the risk of trauma to protruded teeth
     Correct harmful oral habits
     Improve appearance and self-esteem
     Guide adult teeth into a favorable position
     Improve the way the lips meet
 
Children can have evaluations beginning with their first dental check-up.  Early intervention is the key to a healthy smile in adulthood!

 Patient Testimonial

"I never considered braces for myself for many different reasons.  I got used to hiding my smile.  When it was time for my daughter to have braces, we decided to do it together. 

Dr Zuidema put my braces on and 10 months later I was done.  I was amazed at the result from just straightening my teeth. I chose to whiten my teeth to brighten my smile a bit. 

Now I find that I enjoy smiling and do it without thinking about it.  I have received many compliments and would recommend to anyone not to wait on improving their smile.  It's a great confident booster."

--Lorie