Orthodontists practice the branch of dentistry that diagnoses and treats malpositioned teeth and jaws.
- Orthodontists and dentists work together to support your beautiful smile and healthy mouth.
- An orthodontist helps you achieve a perfect smile by aligning your teeth with braces, aligners, retainers, and other interventions.
- A general dentist focuses on the health of your teeth with exams, cleanings, extractions, root canals, and other helpful treatments.
People seek orthodontic treatment for aesthetic improvements to their smile. Just as important, orthodontists address significant health problems that result from misalignment of the teeth and jaws. Treatment can tackle problems that may have bothered a patient for a long time.
Orthodontists offer preventive interventions to avoid bigger problems in the future, especially for children.
The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends that children first see an orthodontist when they are about 7 years old. By the end of their teen years, kids’ jawbones stop growing. Getting orthodontic treatment as a child can reduce the need for more invasive procedures when they’re older.
However, orthodontic treatment benefits patients of all ages. If you’re unhappy with your smile, book an appointment with Dr. Lupi today.
While braces are the most common orthodontic treatment, they’re not the only intervention offered by orthodontists. Other treatments include removable orthodontic appliances, retainers, clear aligners, orthognathic surgery, and orthodontic mini-screws.
Dr. Lupi will help you figure out which treatment path is right for you.
Braces gently shift your teeth into the right positions with brackets and wires. Braces can correct overbite, underbite, crossbite, open bite, and gaps between teeth.
The length of treatment depends on your unique needs. On average, patients need treatment for about 22 months to achieve their perfect smiles. However, this period may vary. Some patients require treatment for 6 months and others for as long as 30.
The most important thing to remember is that at the end of your treatment, no matter its length, you’ll walk out with confidence from your gorgeous and healthy smile.
After an adjustment to move their teeth and align their bite, patients commonly experience discomfort. Everyone is different, but the discomfort can last around 24 to 72 hours. We suggest you take an over-the-counter pain reliever to help. But don’t worry, it’s only temporary. In a couple days you’ll feel great.
You will have certain food limitations with braces. Avoid hard, sticky, chewy, and crunchy foods because they can loosen brackets, bend wires, or knock bands off of your teeth— resulting in an unplanned appointment with Dr. Lupi.
Other than that, braces don’t restrict your daily life.
If you’re interested in making your dream smile a reality, book an appointment with Dr. James E. Lupi. Dr. Lupi’s highest priority is to transform the smiles of people in Stafford and the surrounding area.
Haven’t found what you’re looking for? Give us a call. We’ll happily answer all of your questions.