Orthodontic Treatments
We are a specialty orthodontic practice. Orthodontic treatment is all we do: straightening teeth and correcting how the upper and lower jaws fit together, for children, teens, and adults.
Our orthodontists, Dr. Stephanie Ross and Dr. Aden Peterson, focus entirely on how teeth and jaws align. Dr. Ross earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery and a master’s degree in orthodontics from the University of Colorado, and is a member of the American Association of Orthodontists. Orthodontists are dentists who complete an additional two to three years of specialty training in tooth movement, bite correction, and jaw development.
Where a general dentist cares for the health of your teeth and gums, we focus on their position and on how your bite comes together. The goal is more than a straighter smile: a well-aligned bite spreads chewing forces more evenly, and teeth that don’t overlap are easier to keep clean.
What We Treat
We treat problems in how the teeth are arranged and in how the upper and lower teeth meet.
- Crowding: There isn’t enough room for all the teeth, so they overlap, twist, or sit out of line.
- Spacing: Gaps between teeth, from missing teeth, small teeth, or a jaw that is large relative to the teeth.
- Overbite (deep bite): The upper front teeth cover too much of the lower front teeth when you bite down.
- Overjet: The upper front teeth stick out too far ahead of the lower front teeth.
- Underbite: The lower front teeth sit in front of the upper front teeth, often because of the lower jaw’s position.
- Crossbite: Some upper teeth sit inside the lower teeth when you bite, instead of slightly outside them.
- Open bite: The front teeth don’t touch when the back teeth are closed together.
Most patients we see have more than one of these at once, so our treatment plans address the whole bite, not a single tooth or gap.
Our Treatment Options
We offer four treatment options for alignment and bite problems.
Braces
Our braces use small brackets bonded to the teeth and connected by a wire, which we adjust at regular visits to move the teeth gradually. Braces work around the clock, and they let us treat the widest range of cases, including severe crowding, rotated teeth, and complex bite corrections. We offer both traditional metal braces and clear braces.
Invisalign
We use Invisalign to straighten teeth with a series of custom-made clear aligners. You switch to a new set every one to two weeks, and each set moves the teeth a small step further. The aligners come out for eating and brushing but need to be worn 20 to 22 hours a day, and we track your progress at regular check-ins. We also offer ClearCorrect, another clear aligner system.
Surgical Orthodontics
Some bite problems come from the jaws themselves: one jaw is too large, too small, or out of position relative to the other, and moving teeth alone can’t fully correct them. For these cases, we provide the orthodontic side of treatment, usually braces before and after surgery, and coordinate with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon who performs the corrective jaw surgery. This is typically done after jaw growth is complete.
Learn more about surgical orthodontics
Two-Phase Treatment
Some children have jaw or bite problems that are easier to correct while they are still growing. Two-phase treatment addresses them in two steps. In phase one, typically between ages 7 and 10, we use appliances such as expanders to guide jaw growth and make room for incoming permanent teeth. This growth-guiding work is also called dentofacial orthopedics. After a resting period while the remaining permanent teeth come in, phase two, usually braces, moves each tooth into its final position. Not every child needs two phases, and an early exam tells us whether your child will benefit.
Learn more about two-phase treatment
How We Help You Choose an Approach
We recommend an approach based first on what is causing the problem, then on how you live day to day.
- Teeth or jaws: If the problem is in the position of the teeth, we can usually correct it with braces or Invisalign. If the jaws themselves are mismatched and growth is complete, we’ll talk with you about surgical orthodontics. In growing children, two-phase treatment can often guide jaw development early.
- Complexity: Braces let us treat nearly any case. Invisalign works well for many mild to moderate cases and some complex ones, depending on the tooth movements needed.
- Daily routine: Invisalign is removable, which makes eating and cleaning simpler, but results depend on consistent wear. Braces work without any effort to wear them, but come with some food restrictions and extra care when cleaning.
- Age and habits: For younger patients who may struggle to wear aligners consistently, we usually recommend braces.
We make that recommendation after an orthodontic exam with photos and X-rays or scans. It’s the only reliable way to know which options fit a specific bite.
Who We Treat
We treat patients at almost any age, as long as their teeth and gums are healthy.
- Children: The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first orthodontic check by age 7. Most children don’t need treatment that early, but an exam lets us spot jaw or bite problems while growth can still help guide them.
- Teens: The teen years are the most common time to start treatment, since most permanent teeth have come in and the jaws are still developing.
- Adults: There’s no upper age limit. Adults often come to us to fix problems they never addressed, or to correct teeth that have shifted over time.
What Treatment With Us Involves
Every treatment we provide follows the same four stages, whichever approach you choose.
- Consultation and records: We examine your teeth, bite, and jaws, and take photos and X-rays or digital scans.
- Treatment plan: We explain what needs to change, which options fit, and roughly how long treatment will take.
- Active treatment: Braces or aligners gradually move the teeth, and we see you for check-ins along the way. Active treatment commonly lasts 12 to 24 months, depending on the case.
- Retention: Teeth naturally tend to drift back after treatment, so we provide a retainer to hold them in place. Retainers can be removable or bonded behind the teeth, and they are worn long term.
Not sure which approach fits your bite? A consultation with us is the place to start.
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