Located in Beverly Hills, Dr. Jonathan Shouhed and the team at West LA Orthodontics are dedicated to your orthodontic care. We understand the importance of a healthy smile and believe getting braces should be fun! Whether for you or a family member dealing with misaligned bites to cosmetic issues, our approach is patient-centered, ensuring we have you covered.
Navigating the world of orthodontics can be filled with questions and decisions. One of the most common questions we receive at West LA Orthodontics is, "Why would I need braces?" There are plenty of reasons, ranging from health benefits to aesthetic preferences. It's important to understand why many choose this orthodontic treatment. Let's explore the factors that might make braces the right choice for you or your loved ones.
Wearing braces has a number of health and cosmetic benefits to your teeth, your jaw and your confidence:
Traditional braces are made up of bands, wires, and brackets. The bracket bonds to the front of your tooth, and the wire, known as an archwire, threads through it. To keep the archwire in place, the bands wrap around the brackets. Over time, the archwire exerts pressure on your teeth, gradually moving them into a straighter position.
With braces, you can straighten your teeth and correct a crooked or misaligned bite. We offer a few different types of braces when it comes to choosing braces that are the perfect fit for you:
Metal braces have been around for more than 100 years and are the most common type of braces. Braces used to be bulky and noticeable. Luckily, braces aren't what they used to be years ago! With advances in technology and innovation, braces:
At West LA Orthodontics, we find that braces are most popular as a teeth straightening solution for kids and teens.
Teeth are as distinctive as fingerprints and your braces should be custom-made just for you. Using revolutionary 3D printing technology, LightForce brackets are made to precisely suit the unique surface of your tooth, unlike conventional brackets that are mass-produced to fit everyone. They are available in all different colors if you wish to express your personality with your braces, or clear if you want your orthodontic treatment to be more discreet. With LightForce you get:
Self-ligating braces work like metal and ceramic braces and come in metal or clear ceramic material. These braces also use a wire to move your teeth. With self-ligating braces, the wire doesn't need elastic rubber ties to hold it in place in the same way as metal braces or ceramic braces. Because self-ligating braces are easy to adjust, your appointment duration to get them adjusted can often be shorter. Self-ligating braces are great for:
Typically, patients wear braces from 12 months to 3 years. However, the average treatment period is around 24 months. Orthodontic treatment time is completely dependent on each individual patient’s unique bite and degree of misalignment.
As your teeth move into place, you will need to have your braces adjusted. Dr. J at West LA Orthodontics usually sees patients every month to carry out this procedure. Braces can straighten your teeth in as quickly as a few months or as slowly as a few years, depending on the position of your teeth and your treatment plan. Dr. J uses LightForce orthodontic technology.
West LA Orthodontics recommends an orthodontic evaluation for your child at age seven, when they have some permanent teeth but haven’t yet lost all of their baby teeth. When your child is this age, the jaw is still developing, which makes treating complex problems easier. If your child has not had an orthodontic evaluation by age 9 – 14 years old, Dr. J recommends coming in for a consultation as this time of life is still an optimum age to consider getting braces.
In order to achieve harmony between the function, aesthetics and overall health of your child's smile, Dr. J can begin and complete treatment before your child's jaw and facial development is fully complete.
Although childhood is the optimal time to begin orthodontic treatment, braces work incredibly well for patients of any age! Dr. J can see patients aged seven to 70! Today, adult braces are common and Dr. J offers clear ceramic braces or Invisalign® clear aligners if you want a more discreet treatment option.
Flossing with braces is important. We'll show you how to use floss threaders or special brushes to clean between your wires and brackets. It's all about keeping your smile healthy!
Avoid crunchy or sticky foods like popcorn, nuts, or chewy candy. These can damage your braces. But don't worry; we'll give you a list of delicious foods you can still enjoy!