Orthodontic Treatment in Lawrenceville, NJ

Examination

The first step of your orthodontic journey is a consultation. Dr. Callan will examine your mouth, jaw, teeth, and gums to check for obvious issues. You’ll then receive x-rays so he can take a more thorough look at your mouth and jaw structure, followed by a second consultation where he’ll review the results with you. From here, he’ll lay out your orthodontic treatment plan options.

Treatment

Once Dr. Callan has diagnosed the issue and discussed your treatment plan, you’ll move on to the treatment itself. There are several orthodontic treatment options, with braces being one of the most well-known methods for properly aligning teeth. Traditional metal braces are most common, but if possible, Dr. Callan may recommend clear aligners, which are “invisible” braces made from clear plastic trays. You’ll be seen regularly to monitor the health and progress of your treatment, and to customize your smile.

Follow-up Care

Once your treatment is over, you’ll have a follow-up appointment to ensure there aren’t any complications. You’ll also receive removable appliances called retainers in order to maintain the position and alignment of your new straight teeth.

What Issues Do We Treat?

At Callan Orthodontics, we strive to provide the best care for a variety of orthodontic issues. This includes:

• Misalignment: Misalignment occurs when the upper and lower teeth are crooked. Misalignment can range from mild to severe, with severe cases leading to malocclusions (bad bites), such as an open bite. 
• Underbites: Underbites occur when the lower front teeth protrude past the upper front teeth. This can be caused by a number of issues, including tongue thrusts and/or the lower jaw extending further than the upper jaw.
• Overjet: Overjet – often called overbites – Overbites are similar to underbites, but occur when the upper front teeth protrude past the lower front teeth. This is due to the upper jaw extending past the lower jaw.
• Crossbites: Crossbites occur when one or more upper teeth slot behind the lower teeth. It occurs most commonly as a result of a misaligned upper and lower jaw. It’s similar to an underbite, but only affects a group of upper teeth as opposed to all of them. 
• Speech/chewing issues: Crooked teeth and mouth and jaw deformities can negatively impact speech and chewing. 

If you’re still unsure about your orthodontic treatment, don’t take our word for it. Take a look at some of our successfully realigned smiles!

 Who Needs Braces?

When most people think of braces, they tend to imagine them on teens and preteens. This is a misconception, however — braces are for everyone with correctable orthodontic issues, no matter the age.

Children

Because their teeth aren’t permanent, most young children don’t receive braces. In extreme cases, however, they may have jaw issues severe enough that they’re apparent even at a young age. In these instances, Dr. Callan may suggest early orthodontic treatment to prevent or mitigate future dental issues.

Preteens and Teens

While preteens and teens aren’t the only recipients of orthodontic treatments, they represent the bulk of our patients. That’s because most of us lose all of our baby teeth by the age of 12 or 13. Most non-wisdom adult teeth, or permanent teeth, are also in place at this age. By this stage of development, we can see any issues with the mouth, jaw, and teeth more clearly.

Adults

A child may never get the orthodontic help they need growing up. Because of this, braces can be helpful for adults as well as children and adolescents. There’s no shame in getting braces once you’re older — in fact, you should be proud of yourself for taking steps later in life to improve your oral health and get the healthy smile you’ve always wanted!