Child Has Jaw Pain? It Could be a Misaligned Bite

Has your child been showing signs of jaw pain? Perhaps you’ve seen them rubbing their jaw, maybe they’re less excited about eating, or maybe they’ve told you it hurts.

Jaw pain is surprisingly common amongst both kids and adults. While there are several causes of jaw pain, one of the more common explanations we find with kids is that they have a misaligned bite (also known as malocclusion).

The good news is — misaligned bites can be fixed! In this article, we’ll explain how misaligned bites can cause problems, and how you can help solve the problem of your child’s jaw pain.

How a misaligned bite causes jaw pain

Eating delicious food is an American pastime, and kids certainly love participating. As you know, when we eat we use our jaw muscles. What you may not know, however, is that your jaw is an extremely strong muscle, and chewing can generate forces as high as several hundred pounds of force per square inch.

If you or your child has a misaligned bite, those powerful jaw muscles will not bite down evenly. This can create imbalance or place significant pressure on specific teeth. Your jaw muscles will attempt to correct this, but often overcompensate. As you can imagine, chewing in this manner over time can lead to soreness in your jaw.

When jaw pain becomes severe it can affect more than just your child’s eating. It can also interfere with breathing, sleeping, speech, and even cause discomfort when the jaw isn’t moving. The joint where the upper and lower jaw meet is complex, and so if it cannot function properly, it can lead to chronic pain.

Imagine if you wore two different types of shoes and one was an inch taller. It might not be painful at first, but by the end of the day you’d likely feel sore in both your legs and back because your balance has been misaligned. It’s the same with a bad bite, except we can’t fix it by simply taking off our shoe! We must deal with it every day or we must find a way to correct the bite.

What causes a misaligned bite?

There are several reasons your child might have a misaligned bite:

• Most commonly, a bad bite or crooked teeth is simply the result of genetics.

• Their mouths are too small for their teeth, causing them to get overcrowded and shift.

• Their upper jaw and lower jaws are not the same size.

• Early loss of baby teeth.

• They experienced a jaw injury.

• Thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, pacifier use beyond the age of three, or prolonged use of a bottle.

As you can see, in most cases there is nothing you can do to prevent a misaligned bite from happening, but there are steps you can take to correct it.

Treatments for misaligned bites

Since every bite is different, there is no one-size-fits-all treatment. The following are some of the most common ways your orthodontist will help correct your child’s bite.

Braces:
Braces are the most common way to correct a misaligned bite. With this treatment, we place metal brackets to the front of the teeth and connect them with a wire. The wire is regularly tightened to slowly move the location of the teeth and jaw. Rubber bands might also be used to apply pressure that can slowly put the mouth into better alignment. After treatment is complete with braces, we will provide a retainer that helps keep your child’s teeth in the correct location.

Upper Jaw Expander:
An upper jaw expander is an appliance that helps correct an underbite. The appliance is a wire frame device that fits across the upper palate, and you use a special key to widen the expander a tiny amount every night. This slowly causes the upper jaw to get wider, thus fixing the misaligned bite.

Jaw Surgery:
Although rare, some people do require jaw surgery to correct their bite. Surgery is typically only for patients who experience misalignment that affects everyday functions such as eating, speaking and sleeping. Fortunately, with children, we can usually correct the alignment issue before it gets so bad that surgery is required.

There are other ways of treating misalignment, and your child might require a combination of appliances and braces. Whatever the case, you can trust that at Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics, we will speak honestly and work to find the best treatment possible for your child.

Benefits of fixing a misaligned bite

As we’ve said already, fixing a misaligned bite can prevent jaw pain. This alone is a great incentive to make a change, but there are other benefits you and your child should know about, as well:

• Teeth are easier to clean, which reduces the risk of tooth decay and cavities later in life.

• The confidence that comes from having a brilliant-looking smile will increase.

• They will speak with more clarity.

• They’re less likely to chip or lose teeth.

Correcting your child’s misaligned bite is an important investment, but it is also one that will reap rewards for years to come.

If you’re in the Suwanee, Hamilton Mill, or Cumming, Georgia areas, then contact us at Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics to discuss your options. Our priority is to make a positive impact in your child’s life by enhancing self confidence, self esteem, and overall dental health. Correcting their misaligned bite is one of the best ways we can do all three!

Posted by Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics

What Can I expect at my child’s first orthodontic appointment?

It’s always hard to believe how fast children grow. Every new change is a new adventure, and one of the more visual changes is when they lose their baby teeth and grow adult teeth. Once you’ve started noticing those adult teeth growing, then it’s time to book your child’s first orthodontic evaluation.

If that seems too early, then just remember that visiting the orthodontist at a young age can save you many visits in later years by letting you know if early intervention is required. This is why the American Association of Orthodontics recommends that all children first visit the orthodontist at the age of seven. Don’t worry, your child won’t walk out of their first appointment with a full set of braces, but here are the things you can expect to happen if their first appointment is at Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics.

To be put at ease

Our first goal, with both our young patients and their parents, is to put everyone at ease. We know visiting any kind of doctor can be a little nerve wracking, so we take extra care to ensure your child feels comfortable. One of the main goals is to introduce you to our office and the family friendly atmosphere that is central to our mission statement.

Meet with a treatment coordinator

One of the first things you and your child will do is meet with a treatment coordinator. Her top priority is to get to know your child and help you learn about the care you’ll receive. She will review your child’s health history, ask and answer questions, and help you make informed decisions. We believe this one-on-one time to learn your family’s needs and educate our patients is vital to everyone’s success.

Panorex Radiograph X-Rays

After you’ve met with your treatment coordinator, your child will then obtain a Panorex radiograph and photographs of your child’s teeth. This is a dental x-ray, but it is different than the ones you might receive at the dentist. It does not reveal any cavities, but instead gives us a broad view of the jaws, teeth, and temporomandibular (jaw) joints. In other words, it gives us a great picture of how your child’s teeth are growing and what, if any, kind of orthodontic treatments might be required.

Meet with the Orthodontist

The orthodontist will meet with you personally to explain the findings from your X-Rays. He will also take a quick look at your child’s bite and teeth. The primary goal of the first evaluation is to determine what, if any, treatments are required and what the timeline might be.

We know that you and your child may have questions, and we welcome this opportunity to help you fully understand each step of treatment. We firmly believe that parents are a child’s number one advocate, and we want you to know you can ask your questions at Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics – We are parents, too!

Explore Treatment Options

There are four key things we’re looking to possible correct at your child’s first appointment:

• Bite—the way the upper and lower teeth meet

• Potentially problematic oral habits

• Jaw growth

• Any potential interference with the eruption (appearance) of permanent teeth

• Each of these issues, when caught early on, can save you significant time and money in the future.

For instance, your child’s bite will affect how their teeth settle. If we can correct the bite earlier in the process, we can ensure the teeth settle in a better place and prevent chipped teeth or discomfort later down the road into adulthood.

Many children (and even adults) might have problematic oral habits. They might still suck their thumb or they may stick their tongue out too much, both of which can cause their teeth to become crooked. If we identify these habits early on, we can work with your child to correct them with education or appliances.

And of course, many teeth become crooked because the child’s mouth is too crowded. If we identify problems with jaw growth or interference with eruption, we can start creating more space at an early age so the teeth don’t come in as crowded.

Review financial options and procedures

Ultimately, we believe in allowing our patients and their families to make informed decisions. Because of that, the Treatment Coordinator will discuss your treatment plan and the payment options that come along with it. We know finances are always a concern, which is why we work with you to identify the right payment plan for your needs should you decide to start treatment. We will also obtain the amount of insurance your carrier will allow and factor that into the cost of your treatment plan.

Schedule an Evaluation today

If your child is ready for their first orthodontist appointment, then contact us at one of our three convenient locations in Cumming, Hamilton Mill, or Suwanee Georgia and schedule an appointment. We are a family oriented business, and would be thrilled to meet you and your child. Creating a healthy smile for your child is our passion, and we hope you’ll visit soon!

Posted by Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics

How to Take Care of Your Child’s Teeth While They Have Braces

Convincing your kids to take care of their teeth is always a challenge, but once they have braces it seems to get even more challenging! Having braces, however, makes it all the more important to take care of teeth. Not only do you want to ensure the braces do their job and don’t break, but you also want to ensure healthy teeth with no cavities or tooth decay.

Helping your child remember that proper care of braces means they will work more quickly and efficiently can be a great motivator! Here are several things you and your child should do to take care of teeth with braces.

1) Brush after each meal

Brushing your teeth is important for removing plaque from teeth and maintaining good oral hygiene with braces. As you can imagine, braces provide quite a few places for food to get stuck on your teeth and create plaque.

For this reason, it’s important for your child to brush his or her teeth after every meal. If they can only manage twice each day, then swishing water around their mouth after lunch can help.

Brushing with braces is pretty similar to brushing your teeth without braces, but a couple tricks can help keep teeth clean. First, they should use a power toothbrush or a toothbrush with thinner, soft bristles that can gently clean around the braces, under the wires, and at the gum line. Second, fluoride toothpaste should be used to help fight tooth decay.

Then, they need to follow the following steps:

• If your child has elastics (rubber bands), they need to remove them.

• Your child should brush their teeth at a 45 degree angle where the gums meet the teeth, pointing upward on the lower teeth and downward on the upper teeth.

• Gently brush each tooth individually, using a back and forth motion, and take the time to brush around each bracket on the top and bottom surfaces and clean the wire.

• Rinse to cleanse any loose food particles.

• Check to make sure all food particles are removed along the gums, between the braces, and on each tooth.

• Replace the elastics.

2) Floss every day

Even though it takes more time, flossing is still very important with braces. If using actual floss, your child will probably need to use a floss threader. This floss threader looks similar to the eye of a needle – the floss is inserted into the threader, and then you use the threader to pull the floss under the wire of the braces.

If flossing proves to be too difficult, then you can also try thin interdental cleaning brushes. These provide your child with a slightly easier way to clean between teeth and can help remove the plaque between their teeth. Your orthodontist can provide advice on cleaning between the teeth and even provide samples so your child can find the best interdental cleaner for themselves.

3) Avoid sticky candy

Sticky candy may taste delicious, but it creates quite a few problems for your child’s teeth and braces:

• Sticky candy is full of sugar, which causes tooth decay.

• Because sticky candy gets stuck on your child’s teeth, it holds the sugar close and causes even more tooth decay.

• Braces provide even more places for sticky candy to get stuck and hold sugar close to the teeth.

• Sticky candy can also stick to part of the braces and rip them out while chewing.

• For all of these reasons and more, your child should avoid sticky candy like taffy, caramel, or sugary chewing gum.

4) Avoid crunchy and hard food

Crunchy foods and hard foods can cause problems and should be avoided, just like sticky candy. Food like popcorn, hard pretzels, and jawbreakers can get stuck inside your braces and then cause the wire or brackets to break when chewing. A single bite of the wrong food can cause a lot of trouble for kids with braces!

5) Wear a mouthguard during sports

Sports like football, basketball, and soccer create a risk for your children and their braces. Loose balls or stray hands can accidentally hit them in the face and cause damage to their braces or gums. Most commonly, braces can cut the inside of their lip.

Wearing a mouthguard will help protect your child’s mouth and their braces. Your child may not like them, but they’re much better than a bloody lip or a broken bracket!

6) Regular visits to the dentist

Visiting the dentist to get teeth cleaned is a must for kids with braces. They can check and clean areas that are often forgotten or difficult to reach. They can remove excessive plaque and calculus buildup that can cause tooth decay. They can also check for healthy gums, and help teach your child good habits for keeping their teeth clean.

7) Partner with your orthodontist

Your child’s orthodontist will have extensive experience in providing, inspecting, and caring for braces. They’ve also had plenty of experience working with kids, teaching them how to take care of their teeth to ensure the braces do their job as quickly and effectively as possible.

At Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics, we partner with the entire family to give kids a great smile. If you have concerns or questions as a parent, we are here and ready to listen. Don’t hesitate to ask for advice or help.

We have three convenient locations in the Cumming, Hamilton Mill, and Suwanee, Georgia areas. If you’re looking for an orthodontist who will work with you and your family, then contact us today to schedule an appointment. We’d love to hear from you!

Posted by Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics

How do Braces Really Work? (The Science Behind Orthodontics)

Today it’s very common to see children, teenagers, and adults wearing braces. Most people know that braces are all about straightening your teeth and correcting your bite, but few people know how they actually work.

In this article, we’ll discuss the reasons someone would get braces, along with how braces work and the different components that work together to straighten teeth.

Reasons to get braces

Because braces require a financial investment, many people question whether or not they actually need braces. But if your bite isn’t right, braces will provide several important improvements for your life.

First, if you have an abnormal bite, braces can correct this. Not only will orthodontic work improve the way your smile looks, but it will also improve the way your bite functions. Having a bad bite (also called malocclusion) can cause problems for years to come. A bad bite can lead to excess pressure to specific teeth, causing them to chip or break. It can also create tension and pain in the jaw.

Having a good bite, therefore, is essential to a healthy looking smile, reducing tooth damage, and preventing jaw problems.

Second, braces can also correct crooked teeth. Once again, there is a cosmetic benefit to correcting crooked teeth, but there are also benefits to your oral health. Crooked teeth can affect speech and create pockets of space around your gums that hold excess plaque and expedite tooth decay or tooth loss.

As you can see, braces play an important role in both cosmetic issues and oral health issues. Investing in braces now can prevent decades of problems later. Although crooked teeth and abnormal bites often go together, they don’t always.

If you or your child simply has an abnormal bite, you may not even notice, which is why it is important to check with an orthodontist before jaw pains or other issues develop.

How do braces work?

Put simply, braces straighten your teeth and align your bite. This can be accomplished in a few different ways. Here at Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics, we offer traditional metal braces, clear braces, Invisalign® Teen trays, and more. Each case is different and we take pride in developing treatment plans tailored to each patient’s unique needs.

Traditional braces work by simply applying the right amount of pressure to realign teeth. They consist of several different components, described below, that are designed to move your teeth into the ideal location.

Common components of braces

Brackets: These are small squares that we bond directly to the front of each tooth. Each bracket holds the arch wire (described below) that move the teeth. Brackets are available in stainless steel and tooth-colored ceramic or plastic, which some prefer because they blend in better with the teeth.

Arch wire: This is the wire that attaches to the brackets and guides the movement of the teeth. They are typically made of metal, and pull the teeth in the right direction to become straight.

Orthodontic bands: These bands wrap around certain teeth (typically molars) to provide an anchor for the brackets and arch wire. They are also cemented to the teeth to ensure a strong hold. Although common, they are not used in all patients as some only require brackets without bands.

Spacers: These do exactly what they say they do; they fit between your teeth and create space so that we can later fit the orthodontic bands in between the teeth.

Ligatures: These are small rubber rings or bands that fasten the arch wire to the brackets. Depending on your preference, they can be clear or colored.

Elastics: These rubberbands attach to hooks on brackets and connect the upper and lower teeth. These are important for correcting one’s bite; they apply pressure to move the teeth to achieve a perfect fit and a good bite.

Bringing it all together

Every child is different and therefore every treatment is different. Your child may only need small adjustments with a few components over several months, or they may require several years and styles of treatment. Whatever the case, here at Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics, we take great pride in meeting each child’s needs and giving them a great smile.

Although braces are an investment of both time and money, they play an important role in creating a lasting smile. Having good teeth not only looks good, but is important for your child’s health. Braces can help prevent long-term dental problems like tooth decay, jaw soreness, and chipped teeth.

If your child is over the age of 7 and hasn’t seen an orthodontist, we recommend you schedule an appointment soon. The earlier we begin treatment, the easier the treatment will be.

If you’re in the Cumming, Hamilton Mill, or Suwanee Georgia area, then we recommend you contact us and schedule an appointment today. We will examine your child’s teeth to determine if and when action is required, building a treatment plan that benefits your child for years to come.

Posted by Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics

What Orthodontic Treatments Can Correct an Underbite in Children?

An underbite is a fairly common problem for children. With a normal bite, your child’s upper teeth stick out slightly farther than their lower teeth when they bite down. With an underbite, however, the lower teeth actually protrude out farther than the upper teeth.

What causes underbite?

The University of Maryland Medical Center identifies genetics as the most common cause of underbite. Some children are simply born with a natural tendency for an underbite. If you had an underbite as a child, there is a good chance your son or daughter will have the same issue.

Thumb sucking, constantly pushing one’s tongue against teeth, and extended use of a pacifier can also contribute to an underbite. But these factors are much less common than simple genetics.

Does an underbite really need to be corrected?

Underbites are problematic because they do not look “normal.” It can make others think you are conveying an emotion that you aren’t trying to convey, which can be socially awkward, especially for children.

Not only that, but underbites can also cause difficulties with chewing and eating, excessive jaw pain (such as TMJ), challenges with speaking, tooth decay because of worn down enamel, sleep apnea, snoring, and difficulty sleeping.

Because of the many complications, it is recommended that an underbite is treated as soon as possible. Fortunately, there are several treatment options available, which we will now explore.

What orthodontic treatments can correct an underbite in children?

There are several treatment options and they tend to vary based off the severity of the underbite. One of the reasons we recommend children visit the orthodontist by age 7 is that the earlier treatment begins, the simpler and less expensive it will be.

An upper jaw expander:
For some children, a simple appliance is all that is required. An upper jaw expander is a wire-frame device that we place across the child’s palate. Each night, you use a special key to widen the jaw expander a very small amount. Over time, this process causes the upper jaw to widen until there is no longer an underbite. Patients typically wear this appliance for about a year, followed by a retainer that helps hold the teeth in place.

The “reverse-pull” face mask:
This is another appliance, although it is slightly more complicated. It resembles headgear because it wraps around your child’s head. It uses metal bands fastened to the upper back teeth, and then pulls the upper jaw back into the correct position.

Braces:
When an appliance won’t do the trick, braces probably will. Braces are the most common way to correct an underbite. Braces are made up of several components, but essentially they involve brackets bonded directly to the front of a tooth. Brackets hold the wires that move teeth in the correct position.

Braces can also include spacers or separators that create space between teeth; the rubber ties that hold the wire to the brackets; and rubber bands that attach to the brackets of both the upper and lower teeth to apply pressure and create a perfect bite.

Surgery:
In rare cases of extreme underbite, surgery might be required. We rarely recommend surgery and avoid it as much as possible. Treating an underbite early will help ensure treatment is easy and does not require surgery.

Does your child have an underbite?

If your child has an underbite and you are in the Cumming, Hamilton Mill, or Suwanee, Georgia areas, then we recommend you make an appointment with us at Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics. Our team of orthodontists have extensive experience and love working with children.

Each child is unique so we will start by determining the severity of the underbite and then create a treatment plan that suits the specific needs of your child. Remember, leaving an underbite untreated can cause further complications down the road, so don’t delay!

Posted by Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics

Why is it Important for Your Child to See an Orthodontist by Age 7?

Kids grow fast. It seems that one day they look up from their crib to give you a gummy grin, and shortly thereafter, that same toothless child requires evaluation for braces. Didn’t you just walk them to their classroom on the first day of elementary school last week?

Actually, you may just have. Orthodontic work is no longer a rite of pre-teen passage. Interceptive orthodontics (orthodontic treatment in young children) now often begins at a younger age.

In fact, the American Association of Orthodontics recommends that all children receive a screening by age 7. As permanent teeth generally appear around this age, so can evidence of orthodontic problems.

What Should You Look for When Choosing an Orthodontist for Your Child?

Why encourage orthodontic treatment for young children?

Around age 6 or 7, the jaw is still growing and adult teeth are starting to come in. Orthodontists use this to their advantage. If we can fix or improve issues in their early stages, future treatment is often simplified, less invasive, less time consuming, or even unnecessary.

What types of issues can early treatment address?

When scheduling an initial evaluation at Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics, your orthodontist will look at many factors, including your child’s bite, jaw growth, eruption of permanent teeth, and oral habits to conclude whether or not early treatment is necessary.

Early treatment often improves issues so that, when further corrections are required in the future, treatment is less significant. Some problems, however, can cause pain or discomfort immediately and therefore require early intervention.

Here are three things that early treatment can support:

1. Bites & Jaw Growth

Crossbites and underbites can cause the jaw to grow unevenly and produce strain on your child’s growing teeth and jaw muscles. Using an expander at this time will guide the jaw and dental arch to grow properly. In some cases, expanding your child’s upper jaw can even improve breathing ability in his or her nose.

2. Eruption (Growth) of Permanent Teeth

Once the arch is at a correct size, expanders ease overcrowding of permanent teeth as they emerge (erupt) through the gums, therefore reducing the potential future need to extract adult teeth.

Another form of early treatment is a space maintainer. If a baby tooth falls out prematurely, these devices can hold the now vacant space open to await the arrival of the adult tooth, and effectively keep other teeth from filling the open space.

Orthodontists may also discover teeth growing in unusual places (eptopic eruption), and guide these teeth towards their proper location, as they continue to emerge from the gums.

Front teeth that protrude from the front of your child’s mouth are more exposed and can therefore be susceptible to damage or trauma, such as an accident or a hard fall. Correcting this early can protect your child’s smile from reconstructive surgeries due to unavoidable accidents.

3. Oral Habits

Oral habits are often developed by age 7. While some habits, such as flossing and brushing, positively affect your child’s oral hygiene, other habits may have an adverse effect.

One bad habit is thumb or finger sucking that continues into childhood. It can cause a myriad of oral issues, such as protruding front teeth, crossbite, and overcrowding.

Another habit is relying solely on mouth breathing, which causes a greater chance of developing gingivitis (inflamed gums) or halitosis (bad breath). Children who habitually breathe through their mouth often have a greater buildup of dental plaque through inhalation of bacteria. Mouth breathing sometimes has implications on dental and facial growth.

Improper swallowing technique is another harmful habit. Properly closing your lips and pressing your tongue upwards onto your palate to swallow significantly affects both dental alignment and facial development.

By noticing these damaging habits early, orthodontists can suggest behavioral modifications or use appliances to change the habit before they cause permanent damage.

More Benefits to Early Treatment

Most children who require early orthodontic treatment will still need additional work or braces later in life. However, the amount of time in braces may be significantly less if early treatment has occurred.

Additionally, patients who are treated at a young age can often avoid invasive treatment measures, such as tooth extraction and surgery.

Furthermore, children who receive orthodontic treatment earlier in life could be finished by the time appearance begins to affect their teenage self-esteem and confidence.

Booking Your Child’s First Evaluation

If you’ve started noticing adult teeth growing in your child, or if you suspect your child may have harmful oral habits, then it’s time to book your child’s first orthodontic evaluation. Visiting the orthodontist at a young age can save you many visits in later years, and it will let you know if early intervention is required.

The team at Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics is skilled, caring and eager to help. We have extensive experience working with kids, and we will ensure your child feels comfortable during his or her first orthodontic experience.

Contact us at one of our three convenient locations in Cumming, Hamilton Mill, or Suwanee and schedule an initial evaluation for your child.

There is no time like the present to take the first step towards creating a beautiful smile for your child.

Posted by Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics

Is Invisalign the Best Option for Adults Who Need Braces?

As an adult, realizing that you may need braces isn’t a fun experience. After all, when you think of braces you probably think of metal brackets and wires, which aren’t exactly flattering on adults who work in professional settings.

In addition to the potential social stigma attached to adults who get braces, they just aren’t a very practical treatment option for adults. Who wants to show up to meetings and socialize with friends and family while wearing braces?

It’s not fun.

Fortunately, if you have mild to moderate teeth crowding issues and want a convenient, nearly invisible solution to reduce teeth crowding and close the gaps between your teeth, Invisalign may be the perfect answer for you.

Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics provides Invisalign treatment at our Cumming, Hamilton Mill, and Suwanee locations.

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What is Invisalign?

The Invisalign treatment protocol is a series of clear aligners that an adult or teenage patient can receive to straighten their teeth gradually over a period of 12-18 months.

Unlike traditional metal braces that are not so pleasant to look at, Invisalign aligners are nearly invisible and can be removed when eating or for big events, such as weddings, reunions, etc.

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How Does it Work?

The Invisalign treatment process is very simple and starts with a visit to our office to see Dr. Barnes. At Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics, we believe in matching every patient to the procedure that is right for them.

Before we start Invisalign, we want to conduct a thorough dental exam to ensure that Invisalign is the best treatment option for you. Invisalign typically works best for adults and teenagers who have mild to moderate teeth crowding issues, which will be determined during your initial consultation.

If we determine you are a good fit for Invisalign treatment, then we will start the process by taking impressions of your teeth and sending them to the Invisalign lab so they can make your first set of custom aligners, as well as additional aligners based on future projections and very precise calibrations.

At your first “fitting,” Dr. Barnes will ensure that your aligners fit appropriately and if so, you’ll continue to receive a new set of aligners every two weeks. We encourage you to visit us every 6-8 weeks for follow-up appointments to ensure that treatment is progressing as planned.

It typically takes 12-18 months and several sets of aligners for you to get the results you are looking for. In reality, a year or a little more is a very small price to pay for a lifetime of happy smiles and more self-confidence!

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Will it Work for Me?

As much as we wish we could definitely tell you yes or no, it’s just not possible without a personal consultation to evaluate the current positioning of your teeth, as well as your overall dental health.

What we do promise is that, after your initial consultation, you’ll have all of the information you need to make an informed decision on whether or not Invisalign treatment is right for you.

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How Do I Get Started?

If you’re an adult who wants to straighten your teeth using Invisalign, it’s important to find a provider who has experience with adult orthodontics, has experience with the Invisalign process, and knows how to provide the best treatment outcomes for patients.

At Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics, you’ll receive orthodontic care from a compassionate, caring orthodontist— Dr. Barnes (click here to learn more about Dr. Barnes).

In addition, you’ll also be receiving care from our experienced team of orthodontic professionals, which you can learn more about here.

If you are looking for an Invisalign provider in Cumming, Hamilton Mill, or Suwanee, GA, give our office a call today or click here to schedule your Invisalign consultation.

Posted by Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics

A Personal Welcome from our Orthodontic Office!

Thank you for visiting our site. We see this as our virtual front door to meeting you, so welcome! You’ll find on our site an introduction to our doctor and staff, a tour of our offices, information on the services we provide, and answers to many of the questions you may have regarding orthodontic care.

We welcome the opportunity to discuss your specific needs. We’d be glad to schedule that time. Simply submit the contact form on this page, or give us a call in order to schedule your consultation today. We look forward to meeting you soon!

Posted by Chattahoochee Family Orthodontics