Adult Orthodontic Services, Houghton, Michigan

Section Headline

“We treat the people attached to the teeth!”

(need intro) – comprehensive treatment with braces and aligners , and limited treatment with same

Below, learn more about:

• Oral Rest Posture
• Types of treatment techniques
• Braces
• Invisible Aligner Therapy
• Limited Clear aligner therapy
• Non-surgical arch-development appliance therapy
• Conventional surgical orthodontics when applicable

About Oral Rest Posture

Oral Rest Posture | Why Does It Matter?

Often, the root cause of teeth and jaw problems is poor oral rest posture. Poor oral rest posture frequently is a consequence of an airway problem and is also common in individuals who are primary mouth breathers versus nasal breathers. Signs of poor oral rest posture include “gummy” smiles, red and inflamed gums, dark circles under the eyes, forward head posture, snoring, bedwetting, tooth grinding, difficulty or inability to focus, irritability, hyperactivity, or other behavior disorders.

What is Proper Oral Rest Posture?

Proper oral rest posture means that when the tongue is at rest, it touches the roof of the mouth, the upper and lower teeth touch or might be slightly apart, and the lips easily come together without effort. When proper oral rest posture is achieved, the face is balanced, as are the tongue and the cheeks. Proper oral rest posture also means improving general body posture, breathing and oral functions such as chewing, speaking and swallowing. Postural orthodontic treatment can help your child breathe, sleep, feel and look better for a lifetime! We utilize the GOPex system with all our patients to help them develop proper rest oral posture to maximize growth and development in growing individuals, and to improve the breathing physiology and postural habits in all our pateints, growers and non-growers alike!

Types of treatment techniques

Braces

While many people used to believe that braces were “just for kids”, that is no longer the case. Because the basic process involved in moving teeth is the same in adults as in children, orthodontic treatment can be successful at any age. The advent of new orthodontic technologies including low-profile bracket design, and super light wires that deliver a gentle force over a long period of time have made braces more acceptable for adults. These braces are much smaller in size, more esthetic, and more comfortable!

Invisible Aligner Therapy

Invisible aligners are an excellent option for adults who want to straighten their teeth, address midface deficiencies, treat or prevent jaw problems, expand their airway due to sleep and breathing disorders, or simply want to improve their smile and overall health. Clear aligners gently and gradually move your teeth and are very discreet, making them the perfect solution for individuals who may feel self-conscious or have concerns about the time commitment associated with going through orthodontic treatment with braces as an adult.

Limited Clear aligner therapy

Your smile, your way…..& Same price point as the DIY aligner therapies you see advertised on social media
BUT…..

-All treatment is done at UPWard Orthodontics and care delivered by Dr. Darin (certified orthodontic specialist) and his team
-Attachments are placed on the teeth as needed to complete complex tooth movements that are not possible with DIY mail order treatment
-You can pay as you go, and stop treatment at any time once you are happy with your smile (unlike the all or none orthodontics of the past)
-If you decide the limited aligner treatment has not achieved your goals, Dr. Darin will apply everything you’ve put toward the limited aligner therapy toward comprehensive treatment at UPWard Orthodontics. This is NOT an option with the DIY aligner companies – once you pay, you get what you get!

Non-surgical arch-development appliance therapy

Underdeveloped arches are typically caused by incorrect tongue function and breathing through the mouth instead of the nose. UPWard Orthodontic’s interceptive arch development approach offers non-traditional appliances to help develop arches, promote the movement of bones, and create a more balanced face and a healthy smile.

Crozat and ALF Therapy

Crozat and ALF therapy are an alternative way to address the fundamental causes of crooked teeth. They use light, flexible wires to help remodel the growth of the upper jaw and help maximize facial development–without the need for teeth extractions. Crozat and ALF treatments allows for the nearly invisible development of the dental arches to make room for permanent teeth and avoid painful extractions. The lightweight force of Crozat appliances are far gentler, more physiological and less bulky than acrylic “jack-screw” appliances that rapidly expand the palate. Since they are removable, Crozat and ALF appliances allow for better oral hygiene for both adults and children. Ideally, Crozat and ALF appliances are used in children as a phase I appliance to make room for teeth, and in adolescent and adult cases where arch width is needed and can be used in conjunction with braces or with clear aligners.

Expanders

An expander is used to widen the upper jaw, stimulate bone growth and make way for adult teeth. We prefer to use removable expanders so they can be taken out when the teeth are cleaned. Expanders work by slowly widening the jaw over time with the turn of a small screw on a scheduled protocol.

Conventional surgical orthodontics when applicable