Services
Orthodontic treatment is highly individualized. Two people can have similar teeth, bites, and jaw relationships but different goals, preferences, or priorities; and the right treatment approach may be different for each.
How We Plan Treatment
The goal is to understand what matters to each patient, identify concerns or potential future risks they may not be aware of, and determine which treatment approach makes the most sense for the result we're trying to achieve.
Outside → In
Treatment Options
Recommended Most Often
Teeth respond to the forces placed on them regardless of the appliance. Metal braces give Dr Zack the greatest flexibility for controlling tooth movement while being durable and efficient.
More Discreet, Slower
Clear braces work much like metal braces but use ceramic brackets that blend more naturally with the teeth. With pearl-colored ties, they can be difficult to notice from a normal conversational distance.
Most Discreet, Slowest
Clear aligners offer the least visible treatment option, but they also place considerably more responsibility on the patient and give the orthodontist fewer ways to control certain tooth movements.
Facial Harmony
Dr Zack starts by looking at the patient as a whole; what they want to accomplish, how the face is balanced, how the jaws relate, how the bite fits, and finally where the individual teeth are positioned. The goal is to improve what can be improved while protecting the facial qualities that already work well.
Jaw Relationships
A patient can have relatively straight teeth while the upper and lower jaws still do not fit together properly. Jaw relationships can affect the bite, facial balance, and the treatment options available. Evaluating jaw position is an important part of determining an appropriate treatment plan.
Tooth Position
Once the jaw relationships are understood, Dr Zack evaluates tooth position. Common tooth-position problems include crowding, spacing, and teeth that are rotated or otherwise out of position.
When Moving the Teeth Isn't Enough
Most patients have some degree of jaw-position discrepancy, but jaw surgery is not recommended for most orthodontic cases. In a smaller group of patients, the jaw relationship is significant enough that moving the teeth alone cannot create a healthy or satisfactory result.
For patients who are still growing, growth-modification treatment can sometimes help guide jaw development toward a healthier relationship.
For significant skeletal problems in patients who are nearly finished growing or fully grown, orthognathic surgery may be required to achieve a satisfactory result.
Some cases fall in a range where either camouflage treatment or jaw surgery may be reasonable. Treatment length, recovery, cost, facial changes, and the patient's goals all become part of the decision.
Making Room
Crowding happens when there is more tooth structure than the available space can comfortably accommodate. Before moving the teeth, Dr Zack determines where the needed space should come from.
The right approach depends on the teeth, jaws, growth, facial harmony, and amount of crowding present.
Creating Space
Creating space may involve widening the arch, making small adjustments between teeth, moving teeth farther back, removing teeth, or a combination of approaches.
Increasing the width of the dental arch can create room for crowded teeth. In growing patients, certain approaches may also influence jaw development.
Small amounts of enamel can be carefully removed between selected teeth when a modest amount of additional space is needed.
When crowding is significant or other treatment goals make it appropriate, removing one or more teeth can provide the necessary space.
Teeth can sometimes be moved farther toward the back of the mouth to create room elsewhere in the arch. Whether this is practical depends on the patient's anatomy and treatment needs.
Your Treatment Plan
You don't need to figure out the treatment before you come in. That's what the consultation is for. Dr Zack can evaluate what's happening, explain the options, and help you understand the tradeoffs.
Finishing the Smile
Orthodontics controls where the teeth are positioned, but tooth size, shape, and other esthetic concerns can also affect the finished smile. In those cases, Dr Zack may coordinate treatment with the patient's general or restorative dentist.
Dr Zack's role is to position the teeth so the bite, facial harmony, and planned restorative work can fit together. The restorative dentist determines the final material and restorative treatment.
Retainers & Guards
Teeth can continue to move after orthodontic treatment, which is why retention matters. Rather than offering one retainer for everyone, The Orthodontist provides several options with different combinations of comfort, durability, and protection.
Samples are available in the office so patients can see and handle the options before deciding what makes the most sense for them.
Comfort
0.75mm Invisacryl
Our thinnest retainer and the option designed primarily for comfort. It can be a good choice for patients who do not grind heavily and are comfortable trading some durability for a thinner feel.
Comfort · Light or non-grinders
Thinner material may require replacement sooner.
Most Common Retainer
Medium
1mm Invisacryl
A sturdier everyday option that balances comfort with additional durability. This is the most common retainer choice for patients who want something more substantial without moving to a heavy guard.
Everyday retention · Moderate grinding
Thicker than the comfort option.
Hard Guard
2mm Invisacryl
A thicker, highly durable option for patients who grind heavily and want more protection. It can also hold the teeth in position like a retainer, but it does not require previous orthodontic treatment.
Heavy grinding · Maximum durability
Thicker and more substantial.
Most Common Occlusal Guard
Hard / Soft Guard
Hard outer layer + soft inner layer
Combines a durable outer surface with a softer inner layer for patients who need significant protection but prefer a more cushioned fit. It can also function as a retainer when appropriate.
Heavy grinding · Protection with comfort
The softer inner layer may wear sooner than the hard outer layer.
Occlusal Guards
Some patients come to The Orthodontist specifically for a guard to help protect their teeth from damage related to clenching or grinding. Hard and hard/soft guards can be made independently of orthodontic treatment.
Sports Protection
For patients in braces, we offer sports guards that can be remolded as the teeth move during treatment. After treatment is complete, we can make a custom-fit soft sports guard designed around the patient's finished smile.
Choose In Person
Retainer and guard samples are available in the office so you can compare the thickness, flexibility, and feel before choosing.
If you do not like how your retainer feels, bring it back within one month. Our first goal is to adjust it or make a better-fitting replacement, but if it still is not right for you, you can return it for a refund.
If your retainer breaks within one year during standard use, we will replace it with a new one at no charge.
Dental Whitening
Patients who complete comprehensive orthodontic treatment with The Orthodontist and have a healthy mouth are eligible for complimentary dental whitening. We use carbamide peroxide whitening gel that works gradually over time in an appropriate tray, including compatible retainers or mouth guards.
A Gradual Process
Whitening is easier to evaluate over time than from one day to the next. Recording your starting tooth shade can make it easier to compare the change over the following weeks.
Ready When You Are
Every treatment plan starts by understanding what you want to change and what Dr Zack sees clinically. From there, we'll explain the options, the tradeoffs, and what makes the most sense for you.
No referral required.
