Wellington Office:
Comprehensive Orthodontic Exam for a Healthier Smile
An orthodontic exam is a comprehensive evaluation to assess the alignment of your teeth, jaw, and bite. During the exam, we’ll look for signs of misalignment, crowding, bite issues, and other concerns. Early exams help identify potential problems and create a personalized treatment plan for achieving a healthier, more confident smile.
Crowded Teeth
Crowded teeth occur when there is not enough space in the jaw for teeth to align properly, causing overlap or twisting. This can make cleaning difficult and increase the risk of decay and gum issues. Early evaluation helps guide treatment to improve alignment, function, and overall oral health.
Malocclusion (Class I)
Class I malocclusion refers to a normal bite relationship between the upper and lower teeth, but with issues like crowding, spacing, or minor alignment problems. Even though the bite is generally correct, treatment may be needed to improve function, oral hygiene, and overall appearance.
Malocclusion (Class II)
Class II malocclusion, also known as an overbite, occurs when the upper teeth protrude beyond the lower teeth. This misalignment can affect chewing, speaking, and overall oral health. Treatment options like braces or aligners can help correct the bite, improving function and appearance over time.
Malocclusion (Class III)
Class III malocclusion, or an underbite, occurs when the lower teeth extend beyond the upper teeth. This misalignment can lead to difficulty with chewing, speaking, and jaw discomfort. Treatment options, such as braces or surgery, can help correct the bite, improving both function and appearance.
Anterior Open Bite
An anterior open bite occurs when the upper and lower front teeth don't touch when the mouth is closed. This can affect biting, chewing, and speaking. Treatment options, such as braces or aligners, can help realign the teeth, improving function and overall oral health.
This girl sucked her thumb as a young child. She started treatment at age 13. She had braces and a special appliance — called a crib — to retrain the tongue, for 28 months. Now she can bite the lettuce out of a sandwich.
This adult patient, age 25, required braces and jaw surgery to correct his severe overbite. Treatment lasted two years. His problem could have been corrected without surgery if he had been treated before he was a teenager.
This woman’s lateral incisors were missing since birth. She had braces for 20 months to move the teeth into their correct positions, then the missing teeth were replaced with bonded “Maryland” bridges.
This woman’s underbite was causing her jaw joint discomfort and excessive wear patterns on her teeth. After about 30 months of treatment starting at age 32, she now finds smiling and chewing much easier.
The patient was bothered by the spaces between his teeth. Braces closed the spaces and gave him an ideal bite in 24 months. Special glued-in retainers help keep the spaces closed.
At age ten, this girl had a big overjet with the top teeth protruding beyond the bottom. She had two phases of treatment. The first helped her jaws to grow more harmoniously and the second aligned her teeth and bite. At age 13, she was proudly displaying her new smile.
Sometimes, braces are not needed to get noticeable improvements in tooth alignment. This patient was first seen at age seven for crowding of the lower permanent teeth. A procedure was performed to reduce the width of the adjacent baby teeth and the permanent incisors aligned on their own in nine months.
This boy’s parents were concerned about both aesthetics and the health of the erupting permanent teeth when they brought him to the orthodontist at age eight. The lower front teeth were crowded and touching the palate, and the upper front teeth were extremely displaced from their normal positions. After 12 months of Phase-One treatment with an expander and partial braces, the patient’s appearance and dental function were vastly improved.
