There are multiple reasons to consider orthodontic care.

You may have crooked teeth or crowded teeth. You may have an overbite, underbite, or another bite alignment issue. You may have a gap or gaps between your teeth that you would like to close.

Having straight teeth can make it easier to remove bacteria and plaque when you brush and floss, but most people would also agree that straight teeth improve the appearance of your smile.

We offer orthodontic care at Lakewood Dental Centre as one of our cosmetic services. We want you to have a healthy mouth, and we want you to be happy with your smile, too.

Today, we will be discussing orthodontic treatment options at our Winnipeg, MB, dentist office. If you would like to schedule a consultation to discuss whether orthodontics could help you, please call 204-977-8515 or contact us online to request an appointment.

Who Is A Candidate For Orthodontics?

While it is common for teenagers for to receive orthodontic care, adults can benefit from orthodontic treatment as well. In fact, the Canadian Dental Association has noted that more and more adults are receiving orthodontic care for the sake of improving their smiles and their oral health.

As we mentioned earlier, orthodontic treatments can be used to help with a variety of issues.

How your teeth are aligned with one another can affect how you bite and chew food. Alignment issues also can cause wear and tear on your teeth, and bite issues can lead to pain or tension in the muscles around your mouth in some cases.

The time needed to complete your treatment will depend on a variety of factors. This includes the type of treatment you choose, the severity of your alignment issues, and other factors.

Orthodontic Options

At Lakewood Dental Centre, we offer both braces and short-term orthodontic treatments.

Let’s look at some of your options.

◼ Braces — This may the first thing that comes to mind when you think of orthodontic care.

When a patient receives braces, brackets are attached to his or her teeth. Then an archwire is attached to the brackets.

Together, the wire and brackets apply pressure to the teeth. This encourages the movement needed to realign your teeth and change your smile.

Braces can work on a wide range of issues, which is part of the reason they remain such a popular orthodontic option.

◼ Invisalign — Invisalign takes a different approach to orthodontic treatment. Instead of applying pressure to your teeth with brackets and wires, Invisalign uses what are called aligners to push your teeth where you want them to be.

These aligners are made of a clear plastic, which makes them more discreet than braces when worn over your teeth.

Please be aware that Invisalign may not be as effective on every alignment problem as braces. An in-person evaluation will give us a better idea if this treatment is a good option for you.

◼ Smart Moves and K-Line clear aligners — These two options are also based on the use of clear aligners. If you are a good candidate for these, we can discuss the differences between them and Invisalign so you can make the right decision about which one you would like to use.

How You Can Schedule An Orthodontic Visit

If you are interested in orthodontic care for yourself or your son or daughter at Lakewood Dental Centre, you can start by contacting us online or by calling us at 204-977-8515. Again, our office is located in Winnipeg, MB.

During your visit, we will examine your mouth and assess your needs so we can advise you about what orthodontic options could help you or your loved one. If you would like to change your smile, we would like to help.

Many people get their teeth straightened with braces when they are teenagers. Getting orthodontics before that age doesn’t make sense because too many people’s teeth are still moving somewhat. Your teeth can easily fall back out of alignment even if you had braces.

But since your teeth never really stop moving, that can still happen. It just takes years. That’s why some adults can find themselves with crooked teeth or gaps between them even if they had braces many years ago.

Call our Winnipeg, MB dental office today at 204-977-8515 and make your initial appointment for Invisalign clear aligners. This is not braces! Instead of metal and wire, you get smooth, clear plastic trays that fit over your teeth. The Invisalign results are comparable to what you’d get with braces.

Why You Might Have Crooked Teeth

Some adults have great, aligned smiles that need no more work. For the rest of us, teeth can get a bit crooked over time. Here are a few reasons why.

• You never had braces as a teen: While it’s true that many families give braces to their teens, some do not. It may have been the cost, or your teeth at the time might not have been this bad.
• You had an injury to your mouth: Getting hit in the mouth by a stray puck or ball can do more than just chip teeth. It can knock them out of their proper place.
• Your teeth are never locked in place: It’s not like your teeth are moving all the time, but even after an orthodontic treatment like braces, they’re not stuck there. Decades of chewing can put enough pressure on your teeth to make them move slightly.

That’s why you should call Lakewood Dental Centre today at 204-977-8515 to make your first appointment for Invisalign clear aligners. After a thorough dental exam, you’ll have a better idea of how Invisalign can help your smile in particular.

Invisalign Fits Many Adults Well

Many adults choose Invisalign as their orthodontic treatment. Here are some reasons why Invisalign works so well for adults.

1. Invisalign is often complete around one year after starting it.

Adults have busy lifestyles. In fact, they’re usually the ones taking care of teens who have braces! That means your time is valuable. Normally, traditional braces will last 2-3 years before you can get them taken off.

However, Invisalign is often done sooner. Some people are complete with Invisalign in around one year. That can mean a big difference if you have a busy schedule or need your teeth ready for a big event like a wedding.

2. Invisalign is very hard to see when worn.

One reason adults might not like braces is how they’re so obvious. You’ll have a hard time not letting people see the metal and wires in your mouth whenever you talk, eat, or laugh. Because braces remind people of teenagers, that can be embarrassing.

The plastic trays that make up Invisalign are clear. When worn over your teeth, people will have difficulty seeing them. Invisalign is definitely more discreet for your orthodontic care.

3. Invisalign is comfortable in your mouth.

Some people do not like having metal brackets and wires in their mouth for a few years. It’s not too hard to cut yourself on the brackets, as they can catch on the inside of your lips and cheeks. And if you get hit in the mouth, there could be some serious damage.

Since Invisalign clear aligners are made from smooth plastic, there’s nothing to catch on the inside of your mouth. They’re more comfortable that way. Plus, getting it the mouth won’t be as bad.

4. Invisalign can be taken out at any time.

With braces, you have to be careful about what you eat. Chewing something very sticky or tough can damage your braces. But there’s not much you can do because those braces have to stay where they are.

Invisalign clear aligners can be taken out whenever you need. They have to stay on your teeth for almost the whole day, but when it’s time to eat, you can pop them out and eat what you want. Then clean your teeth and pop them back in.

Call Lakewood Dental Centre today at 204-977-8515 or use our online form to schedule your first appointment for Invisalign clear aligners. Although they are smooth and there’s no metal, the Invisalign results will compare to those you’d get with braces. Straight teeth without wires or metal brackets? That’s something adults can get behind.

Would you like to straighten your teeth and improve your smile? Whether you are ateenager or an adult, orthodontic treatment is an option to improve the alignment of your teeth.

With braces or Invisalign^®, you can fix bite issues, close gaps between your teeth, and move crooked and crowded teeth into parallel positions. Our Winnipeg dentist can explain the differences between your orthodontic options, too.

Call 204-977-8515 if you would like to schedule a consultation at Lakewood Dental Centre. You also can use our online form to request an appointment.

In the video below, you can listen to Lea describe how braces helped her.