Braces information for the Los Angeles, California Area

Invisalign Can Work For You, Just as it has for Over

Why get braces?

People want braces to help them create the smile of their dreams. They know that a beautiful smile is a priceless, precious asset that can last a lifetime. Investing in orthodontic treatment today means you can enjoy the benefits of a super smile for years to come.

It's not just about appearance, either. "Malocclusions" or "bad bites", can affect the way you chew or talk, and can even lead to more oral health problems.

EIGHT WARNING SIGNS TO LOOK FOR:

During the initial FREE ORTHODONTIC CONSULTATION our orthodontist, Dr. David Alpan, will look for the answer to the following questions:

Do the upper teeth protrude?

Excessive protrusion (or overbite) of the upper front teeth "bucked teeth" is by far the most common orthodontic problem. You can test this by placing a Popsicle stick behind the upper front teeth when you bite down on your back teeth. If there is plenty of room for the stick, you probably have more than two millimeters of space between the upper front teeth and the lower front teeth. In many patients the lower jaw is retruded giving the "weak chin" appearance. When "patient records" are done, the x-ray picture taken of the side view of the head shows if the upper jawbone is protruding in front of the lower jawbone.
Is there a deep bite or over-jet?

The upper teeth cover the lower front teeth too much - more than one millimeter of the lower teeth. In severe cases, the lower front teeth are totally covered by the upper front teeth when you bite down on your back teeth.
Is there an underbite?

The upper teeth fit inside the arch of the lower teeth. Usually the lower jaw protrudes or sticks out farther than the upper jaw giving one the "strong chin" or "Jay Leno" appearance.
Do the upper teeth protrude?

You can stick your tongue between the upper and lower front teeth when the back teeth are together.
Is there too little room for the upper or lower teeth? Do you see crowded or overlapped teeth?
Is there too much room (spacing or gaps) between the upper or lower teeth?
Do the front teeth line up?

The spaces between the two upper front teeth and the two lower front teeth should line up with each other and both should line up with the bridge of the nose. When they do not, the probable cause is drifted teeth or a shifted lower jaw, resulting in an improper bite.
Is there a crossbite The upper back teeth fit inside rather than outside of the lowers.

After you've read the above questions and match the pictures to your own teeth or jaws, you will be able to determine if you need braces.

Seek treatment before age seven if your child has:

Difficulty chewing
Open mouth breathing
Thumb or finger sucking
Overlapping or crowding of erupting permanent teeth
Jaws that click or pop
Biting of the cheek or into the roof of the mouth
Speech problems
Grinding or wearing down of teeth
Obvious abnormal bite development of any kind

When you and/or your child ask yourselves this question, "Do I like my smile and my profile?" and the answer is, "NO," then orthodontic treatment can be one of the best investments you'll ever make. If you're not sure, ask others you trust to give an honest answer if they like your smile and profile. If they see any of the conditions described above, you deserve to get orthodontic treatment.

It's a common misconception that braces are just for children and teenagers. The fact is that anyone, at any age, can benefit from orthodontic treatment, whether it's correcting a long-time bite problem that wasn't addressed in younger years, or catching developmental problems early in children.

To ensure the best overall dental and facial development, all children should have an orthodontic consultation sometime between the ages of four and seven. Usually, nothing more than observation is needed and we will continue to monitor progress at no charge. If a problem is evident, taking action early can spare a lot of treatment and expense down the road.

In fact, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children see an orthodontist by age seven and sooner if something is obviously wrong.

You're never too old for a beautiful smile. If you've been living with a bite problem for a long time, or been hiding your smile, it's time you found out how adult orthodontics can transform your smile and your life.

Who should get braces?

In short, anyone who needs treatment.

To ensure the best overall dental and facial development, all children should have an orthodontic consultation sometime between the ages of four and seven. Usually, nothing more than observation is needed and we will continue to monitor progress at no charge. If a problem is evident, taking action early can spare a lot of treatment and expense down the road.

In fact, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children see an orthodontist by age seven and sooner if something is obviously wrong.
You're never too old for a beautiful smile. If you've been living with a bite problem for a long time, or been hiding your smile, it's time you found out how adult orthodontics can transform your smile and your life.

Will my child's teeth straighten as they grow?

The space available for teeth in the mouth does not increase with age; therefore, there won't be any opportunity for your child's teeth to straighten without orthodontic treatment. The fact is, after the molars erupt (usually in the sixth year), the space in the mouth actually gets smaller as the child grows older. If your child has crowded teeth, it's best to come in for a FREE ORTHODONTIC CONSULTATION sooner (age 7) rather than later.

Can my family dentist do orthodontics?

Your family general dentist may have taken some additional weekend training seminars to do orthodontics. Your general dentist is obliged to assume professional dental care for all of his patients. He or she knows what he or she is adequately skilled to do. You can trust your general dentist to do what he or she does well and refer you to a specialist for work needed beyond his or her scope of training.

Orthodontists are dentists that complete at least two additional years of very comprehensive full time specialized university training. They handle the simplest as well as the most complicated orthodontic problems, which most general dentists are typically not qualified to treat.

Do I need to be referred?

No, you don't need to be referred, although many family dentists refer their patients to us for orthodontic treatment and TMJ-TMD-MSD treatment. If you have concerns about the health or appearance of your or your child's smile and would like a FREE ORTHODONTIC CONSULTATION, schedule an appointment now.

Initial Consultation Cost

Your initial orthodontic consultation is FREE because we consider it to be an important first step in your orthodontic health and a great opportunity to welcome you into our family.

Do we still need to see our family dentist?

Yes, you still need to see your general dentist for check-ups and cleanings. Patients with braces or other orthodontic appliances can find it difficult to keep their teeth clean. Your family dentist will advise you as to how often to come in for check-ups. Check out Cleaning Tips for more information on how to keep your mouth as clean as possible.

What alternatives are there to braces?

Dr. David Alpan and his team take continuing education courses to keep up with the latest advancements in orthodontic materials and techniques.

For many teens and adults, we can use invisalign or invisalign teen - a series of removable, clear plastic, virtually invisible aligners that fit over the teeth like a glove over the hand. Each aligner moves the teeth very slightly and is worn for 2-3 weeks. Align Corporation certified Dr. David Alpan to do invisalign for his patients in 2000. Because of his success with invisalign, Align Corporation invited him, in 2001, to teach general dentists and orthodontists how to use invisalign. During the next six years, Dr. David Alpan trained over 6,000 dentists to use invisalign. These dentists still invite him to teach them more about invisalign in their Study Clubs after the two-day invisalign seminars. Dr. David Alpan has treated over 1,000 patients with invisalign since 2000. Do you want to know if you qualify for invisalign treatment? If yes, call us immediately to schedule a free orthodontic consultation.

Invisalign uses the latest computer imaging technology to create a series of custom aligners.

If you do not qualify for invisalign, but still want and need your teeth to be straightened, lingual, hidden or invisible braces attached to the tongue side of your teeth is another alternative. Dr. David Alpan is a Certified iBraces provider.

What foods do I have to avoid?

Fortunately, there are only a few foods that should be avoided while in braces - primarily hard foods and sticky foods. For example, foods such as peanut brittle and candied apples can not only be very difficult to clean from braces but can even loosen bands and brackets or break them and bend or break the arch wires. There are many more foods that you can eat than those you can't.

If you qualify for invisalign treatment, you will not have to avoid any foods because there will be no fixed brackets, bands or wires to loosen, break or bend. You may still feel more comfortable eating soft foods at times.

How long will treatment last?

There are a number of factors that determine how long you will wear braces, but in most cases you'll be ready to show off your new smile in about 18-24 months. With today's modern orthodontic appliances and techniques, treatment is getting faster, easier and more comfortable for the patient all the time.

Damon Braces, attached to the facial side of teeth, are the most comfortable to the lips, cause less tooth pain, require fewer and shorter appointments and shorter total treatment time (about 6 months less time to finish treatment).

iBraces, attached to the tongue side of teeth require fewer appointments and shorter total treatment time. You can show off your beautiful smile while you are having your teeth straightened with lingual braces or hidden braces or invisible braces.

Invisalign, requires fewer appointments and are removable so you can eat whatever you want and you can brush and floss your teeth easily. You can show off your beautiful smile while you are having your teeth straightened without braces.

Invisalign and braces are used to straighten your teeth gradually, not overnight, so a little patience is needed. Just remember, any discomfort you may feel is brief.

Your beautiful, healthy smile, however, will last a lifetime.

Will a retainer be necessary?

Wearing a retainer after braces is an important step, because it keeps the teeth stable after the active orthodontic appliance is removed at the end of treatment. Without retainers, your teeth would return to their old "crooked ways." If you want your teeth to remain in their ideal positions for the rest of your life, it would be best to wear a retainer that long. Some retainers can be put in permanently. The ideal one is made of a clear plastic removable material that fits on your teeth like a glove on your hand that can be worn at home and while you are sleeping.

Retainers are the cheapest form of insurance around. If you lose your retainer, it is cheaper to replace it IMMEDIATELY than to do your orthodontic treatment over again. As the saying goes, "If you don't use it, you lose it." The corollary to this saying is, "If you lose it, you can't use it." Then you'd better get a new one IMMEDIATELY so you won't have to "dooz it" over again.

What about costs?

Every person (adult or child) that has received a FREE CONSULTATION at any one of our offices has always been able to afford to have Dr. Alpan treat them - without exception.

The total cost varies for each person depending on the complexity of the orthodontic problem. Because our modern materials and techniques often require fewer visits, you might be surprised how affordable your orthodontic treatment can be.

A beautiful, healthy smile is one of the best investments you can make in your or your child's future. To help you fit this investment into your budget, we offer a variety of payment methods:

In-house financing with no interest, an appropriate down payment and the remaining balance paid over your treatment time.
Outside financing that offers no down payment and low monthly fees paid over your treatment time.
Payment in full with a courtesy bookkeeping discount.
Automatic Credit Card payments. All major credit cards accepted.
Most major insurance plans. We will fill out the necessary paperwork for you.
Medi-Cal patients are examined. Medi-Cal decides for whom they will pay.

During your initial FREE ORTHODONTIC CONSULTATION, our Treatment Coordinator will explain all the financial options to you. She will help you customize a payment plan that fits your needs.