For many adolescents and adults battling the issue of crooked or otherwise imperfect teeth or a bad or uncomfortable bite, the idea of finding an ultra-fast and easy solution is quite attractive. Orthodontic shortcuts are the last shortcut you really want to take when it comes to your teeth. This explains the growing popularity of products like Six Month Smiles and Crystal Braces, which are non-orthodontic tooth alignment systems. While Six Month Smiles requires the care of a dentist (orthodontists typically do not use this product), Crystal Braces is an at-home solution, monitored and managed entirely through the patient (ask yourself, do you feel qualified to straighten your own teeth?).
Our board certified orthodontists feel an obligation to inform our patients and community about these products to be sure prospective patients are making educated choices about health care decisions. There is a difference between seeing a general dentist and an orthodontist for orthodontic treatment. Orthodontists attend university based graduate school programs for an additional 2-3 years of education in tooth movement technique and growth and development management. According to Dr. AJ Ker of Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, “The reality of it is that if you apply pressure, teeth will move. However, the ‘how, why, when, and how much’ of this movement is the hard part that typically only orthodontists and very highly experienced general dentists know how to manage.”
It is important to remember that many orthodontists offer more cosmetic treatment options, if traditional orthodontic treatment is not for you. Invisalign is an effective and invisible dental correction system that requires the continual care of a dentist. However, only certified orthodontists have access to the 3D controls that make Invisalign treatment work optimally. “We are seeing patients that have started with something like Six Month Smile treatment come into our office for a mid-treatment second opinion because they are in distress with the process and are not happy with the outcome. We are happy to step in to help them but I would say that 10 times out of 10 the patients chief concerns would be addressed in a more efficient and more cost effective way if they would have started under the care of an orthodontist in the first place,” says Dr. Ker.
Drs. Ker and Thanasas are using state of the art treatment techniques including digital radiography, low friction brackets, and even non-invasive bone stimulation using the Acceledent mouthpiece (see our article on this next month) to quicken treatment and make traditional orthodontic treatment and Invisalign finish faster and more comfortably.
Solutions like Six Month Smiles or Crystal Braces may seem like a great shortcut to better looking teeth, but the compromises and lack of appropriate supervision with these products do not make them suitable replacements for treatment with an orthodontist. Dr. Ker concludes, “We want our patients to feel great about their smile when they are finished with treatment. I fear that if we do not educate the public about the differences between what they want and what they will get with these compromised solutions, the only probable outcome for the patient will be regret. And, that doesn’t make us smile.”
About Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan, the offices of Drs. Delaney, Plunkett, Ralstrom, Makowski, Thanasas, Ker, and Associates
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan have specialized in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics since 1968. Our family-friendly office gives patients and families a more comfortable and consistent experience with dentistry from the very beginning. The pediatric dentists treat children from newborn to 18 years of age while our orthodontists provide care for both children and adults, including being an Invisalign preferred provider. The ability to treat all special needs patients reaches beyond our facility, which has treatment rooms available for children who require additional privacy. Valued hospital affiliations allow dental services to be performed at DMC Children’s Hospital when needed.
Pediatric Dentistry and Orthodontic Specialists of Michigan
39400 Garfield Rd., Suite 200
Clinton Township, MI 48038
586-286-0700
www.mychildsteeth.com
