Orthodontics with Dr. Michael Sher
Braces for Adults and Children
No matter your age, braces are an option for straightening your teeth to give you a healthier and more attractive smile. We offer many different options, allowing us to address your specific orthodontic needs while also taking into consideration how they look and how they impact your comfort. Below are some of the types of braces we can offer you.
Traditional Braces
Traditional braces are what everyone pictures when they think of braces—well, sort of. What people tend to think about are braces of the past. Modern options are sleeker, more comfortable, and more effective. The traditional braces we offer are made from high-grade stainless steel and straighten your teeth using brackets and archwires. We can use specialized brackets and colored elastics to personalize these braces for you.
Ceramic Braces
Ceramic braces are made from clear or tooth-colored materials, making them significantly less visible against your teeth. If you are concerned about the look of braces but need the effectiveness they offer, ceramic braces are a great choice. However, they do require greater care and caution as they can easily discolor and are fragile. In most cases, we will only use them on older patients and generally only place them on the upper front teeth.
Invisalign®
Invisalign is often referred to as “clear braces” but it isn’t braces at all. Rather than using metal brackets and wires, it uses plastic aligners to place pressure on the teeth and gently move them into place. Because they are made just for you, they fit perfectly against the teeth, making them invisible to those around you. They are also removable for eating, drinking, brushing, and flossing, which means you do not need to change your diet and hygiene habits to accommodate them. We also offer Invisalign Teen for our younger patients, which offers special features to help teens stay on track with their treatment.
iTero Scanner
The days of uncomfortable and messy impressions are quickly coming to an end thanks to the iTero scanner. This tool creates a scan of the inside of your mouth that is so handy, it can even determine the need for surgery.
This intra-oral scanner combines thousands of photos into a precise 3D model of your dental anatomy. This completely safe process takes only 10 minutes, and by the end of it, we'll have an accurate image to diagnose oral health issues and form a treatment plan.
Phase I Treatment
For children who present with orthodontic problems early on, we can offer specialized treatments that prevent the problems from becoming worse and requiring surgery later on. Phase I Treatment focuses on controlling the development of the child’s jaws so there will be room for their permanent teeth but not so much room that problems develop.
This early correction helps to avoid invasive and difficult procedures later on, such as jaw surgery and the removal of permanent teeth. We only recommend this treatment when the problems are presenting in a way that leads us to believe that later correction with braces alone will not be possible. Phase I Treatment usually lasts between 9 and 18 months. Once completed, we monitor the child’s progress every 4 months until the remaining permanent teeth erupt.
Phase II Treatment
Phase II Treatment works to make certain every tooth has the space needed to erupt, and that the space is in the correct location. We take into account how the teeth placement works with the lips, cheeks, tongue, and other teeth. Once this treatment is complete, the teeth will be properly aligned and function well. In general, we accomplish this with full braces or Invisalign on both the upper and lower teeth.
Once this phase of treatment is complete, the patient goes into the maintenance stage where retainers are worn to keep the teeth in place.
Premier Insurance Providers
We accept almost all insurances (Orthodontic treatment only). We are proud to be Orthodontic Premier Providers with major insurance companies including:
- Metlife
- Delta Dental
- Cigna
- Dentamax
- United Concordia Advantage Plus