While our highly trained staff of Houston cosmetic dentists does not claim the official title of orthodontics, we find ourselves nevertheless providing more and more orthodontic solutions to clients from all over Houston.  There are a number of reasons why so many people are now turning to us first to correct malocclusion in their upper and lower jaws.

 The biggest motivator appears to be a strong desire on the part of these patients to keep their corrective care confidential.  No one wants to smile with a mouth full of metal.  People who do wear traditional braces do so with a sense of resignationputting up with the pain and embarrassment of the devices and grimacing with embarrassment within themselves when they feel forced to smile.  Standard metal braces normally have to be worn a minimum of two years, are very expensive, and cause a great deal of pain on occasions when they are tightened.

Thanks to new technology, though, our cosmetic dentists can now offer some truly viableif not superioralternatives to traditional orthodontic treatment.  We want to qualify this statement by making it clear we by no means feel that metal braces are completely obsolete or non-viable options.  On the contrary, we still refer our most severe cases of tooth malocclusion to practicing orthodontists that we partner with.  These extreme cases can only be corrected by drastic measures, and we recommend someone who specializes only in metal braces handle these cases.

However, a very large percentage of the patients that our cosmetic dentists see do not have problems this severe.  They may only have a problem with crowded teeth that resulted from too little room in their mouth when their teeth first grew in.  Or, equally common, we encounter a patient who suffered an accident and loosened or lost one or more teeth in the process.  The surrounding teeth then began to shift toward the gap and created a noticeable irregularity in the persons smile.

For mild to moderate cases like this, our cosmetic dentists will normally recommend our new Six Month Smile cosmetic dental braces.  These amazing braces are designed much like their metal counterparts-- with two important differences.  For one thing, the brackets are clear and the wires are the color of teeththus making the braces nearly invisible when the patient smiles.  Secondly, the brackets and wires are much smaller and allow for more thorough tooth brushing and flossing.

True to their name, these cosmetic braces get the job done in only six months.

More noticeable problems with malocclusion, however, will need stronger corrective measures.  Our cosmetic dentists, upon discovering severe bite problems, recommend that the patient spend the necessary funds to get the best possible cosmetic orthodontic solution.  This solution does not lie in the form of braces, but rather a retainer-like mouthpiece called an Invisalign aligner.

The Invisalign aligner is custom-made to molds of the patients teeth and pre-adjusted to put just the right amount of pressure on teeth that are out of alignment.  Bit by bit, each new set of aligners moves teeth back where they belong.  A computer is used to pre-set the adjustment factor in each set of aligners, and the entire procedure normally takes about a year-and-a-half for the average patient.

         We do not claim the official title of orthodontists-thanks to new technology though, we can administer orthodontic treatments

         New types of devices, both in the form of braces and new forms altogether

         Clear brackets and tooth colored wires or mouthpieces that move teeth with incremental precision

         Six Months Smiles get the job done in only six months

         Invisible brackets, smaller, allow for more effective dental hygiene

         Tooth colored wires mask the devices

         Invisalign

Cosmetic Dentistry is a specialized field that requires extensive knowledge and experience to be done correctly. The Medical Center Dental Group in Houston, Texas brings all of that and more to the direct benefit of each and every patient we treat. Although we are located in the world famous Houston Medical Center at Scurlock Towers, we routinely see dental patients who travel from Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, Beaumont Midland and Houston, Texas to see Dr. Dale Brant, Dr. Charles Campbell or Dr. Elizabeth OSullivan-Winslow for their cosmetic denistry services. 

For any other questions related to cosmetic dentistry, you can Contact Us at 713.795.5905, visit our Dental Blog or Ask the Dentist