Orthodontics

Have you ever wondered how (and why) the teeth in your mouth stay in position? It’s not because they’re attached directly to your jaw! Instead, it’s because there’s a network of soft tissue - muscle, ligament, and tendon - keeping them in place.

These soft tissues are all somewhat pliable, but they’re also extremely tough and effective at keeping your teeth in place. This also means they can also keep you stuck with hard-to-fix problems like…

1. An overbite or an underbite, wherein your upper or lower teeth protrude in front of the other set.
2. A crossbite or bite gap, wherein your upper and lower teeth are angled towards or away from each other, preventing you from having a comfortable, healthy bite.
3. Spacing issues that either crowd your teeth or make them stand too far apart, causing discomfort and functional limitations.

These problems, and others like them, cannot be fixed with any amount of regular dental work. Instead, they require special tools that slowly “train” the soft tissue in your mouth to keep your teeth straight. These “tools” are called orthodontic devices, and you likely know a few of them – like spacers, braces, clear plastic aligners, etc.

In the section below, you’ll find what makes each of these options unique - and how you can find out what’s right for you.

Orthodontic Solution Types

1. Pediatric Spacers
   When a child’s tooth falls out or fails to erupt, the ones around it start "closing in" on the available free space. To prevent this from happening, we offer spacers: small metal inserts that maintain the gap between teeth so a new one can grow (or be installed by a dentist).
2. Spacers for Adults
   Spacers for adults work in the same way as pediatric ones but are mostly used before implant and/or bridge installation to create extra space.
3. Retainers
   Retainers are what keep teeth in place after they’ve been re-aligned. They usually need to be worn for several hours a day to make sure your soft tissues don’t go back to their old ways.
4. Braces and Clear Aligners
   Braces and clear aligners are the 2 surest ways to re-align a whole mouth full of teeth. At our clinic, we offer Invisalign: a clear alternative to braces that gets the job done without making a patient feel self-conscious or limited at any point.

Depending on your child’s needs, or your own, you may need some, all, or none of these devices. To find out more about the orthodontic services we offer, simply call us at (781) 767-1400 for a free consultation and/or quote!