Malocclusion, or teeth misalignment, is a common issue. However, there are options for straightening teeth in Calgary, AB. The dental team at Peak Dental Group can give you a smile that you’ve always dreamed of.
Ideally, your teeth should fit in your jaw without any issues with crowding, spacing, or position. The upper jaw should slightly overlap the lower jaw, which allows the ridges of the upper molars to fit inside the grooves of the lower molars. Alignment issues are known as malocclusions and require teeth straightening.
These issues include:
An overbite is a condition in which the upper teeth significantly overlap the lower. If left untreated, an overbite can cause gum irritation and other issues, as well as wear on the lower teeth and painful jaw/joint issues.
In the case of an underbite, the lower teeth overlap the upper teeth. This is typically caused by the overgrowth of the lower jaw, undergrowth of the upper, or a combination of the two. An underbite may also be caused by missing upper teeth, which impacts the functionality of the front teeth, resulting in abnormal tooth wear and pain in joints and jaw.
Gapped teeth, also known as diastema, is when there is a significant gap between the teeth- most commonly, the two front teeth. While many people can embrace their gap and learn to love it. It is important to note that most of the time there are no issues with leaving it untreated. That being said, if the gap is due to gum disease, you’ll want to treat the gum disease.
Crowded teeth occur when there is not enough room in the jaw to accommodate all of the teeth. Therefore, instead of growing like they are supposed to, they compete for space and may twist and turn or overlap each other. Overcrowding may be mild to severe, depending on the size of the patient’s jaw and the number of teeth present.
At Peak Dental Group, we offer a couple of options for treating dental malocclusions, including traditional braces and Invisalign. We offer both traditional Invisalign and Invisalign for Teens.
The first option we offer for straightening teeth misalignments is traditional braces. This is the oldest and most common solution. It involves brackets and wires which pull the teeth into their appropriate positions within the jaw.
Traditional braces typically take 1 to 3 years, depending on the type and severity of the dental issue. You must visit the dentist every few weeks to have the braces adjusted and to monitor your progress. Plus, since treatment involves metal brackets and wires, you may experience some discomfort, especially after the initial placement of the appliance and every time they are adjusted.
The brackets and wires may also cause cuts on cheeks, lips, and tongue and are not discreet.
Invisalign came onto the market in the late 1990s as an alternative to traditional metal braces. This teeth straightening option is a series of clear, smooth plastic aligners that gently pull your teeth into their proper place within your jaw.
Every 2 to 3 weeks, based on your treatment plan, you will switch to the next set of aligners. If you experience significant discomfort after switching, switch back to the previous aligners for one more week. You still need to come in for follow-ups to check your progress, though not as often.
Since the aligners are smooth, you don’t have to worry about cuts on your cheeks, lips, or tongue.
Invisalign for Teens is basically the same as the traditional Invisalign, with one very important difference. This line includes blue dots on the aligners, which fade over time- if the aligner is being worn. While not 100% fail-safe, it does help parents be sure that their teen is wearing the aligners as instructed.
The dental team at Peak Dental Group has been trained in both traditional braces and Invisalign clear aligners. Whether you work with Dr. Lana Huynh, Dr. Sammy Gill, or Dr. Gurshant Grewal, you can be sure that you’re getting top-quality, patient-centered care. We strive to make sure that you understand your procedures before we move forward with it.
If you need teeth straightening in Calgary, AB, you may want to consider Peak Dental Group. We offer traditional braces and Invisalign for adults and teens. Schedule your consultation today and we can help you determine your best option. We’ll start with an exam and move forward with treatment based on our findings.
At Peak Dental Care in Calgary, many of our patients have questions when it comes to dental procedures. Below are some of the most common questions we hear related to teeth straightening.
