A Holistic Approach
Crooked teeth is not just a dental problem, it is small part of a bigger health problem. When dental crowding occurs, it is not because your teeth are too many or too big. It's actually because the jaws are under developed and therefore ran out of room to accommodate all teeth.
As our jaws are the front boarder of our airway, the size and position of our jaws decide the size of our airway. If our jaws are well developed, our teeth are straight; we breathe and rest well. However, when our jaws are under developed, our teeth become crooked, and a series of other symptom can arise due to airway obstruction.
At TLC Dentistry, our goal of orthodontic treatment is not only for you and your children to have a winning smile, but more importantly for you to develop a good airway and be as healthy as possible.
Non-extraction Orthodontics
At TLC Dentistry, we aim to help you maintain as many permanent teeth as possible. Extraction of adult teeth is still a popular approach to relieve dental crowding. Dr Linda Gao, on the other hand, will always opt for arch expansion 99% of time, as she firmly believes there is no optional body part and your head is intended to have all the teeth that you grow as you get older. Arch expansion is a slow and steady process, brought on by removable appliances that are worn at all times. We believe that non-extraction orthodontics produce broader arches, wider airways and more beautiful faces.
Early Intervention Orthodontics
At TLC Dentistry, all our dentists are trained to notice early signs of dental crowding. As soon as we notice a problem or deficiency in growth and development, we try to guide it back on track. By intervening early, we have the potential to save your children from lengthy and expensive orthodontic treatment in teenage years.
Adult Orthodontics
Many adult patients have spent years shying away from cameras and covering up their crooked smile, but have believed that it is either too late or too inconvenient to undergo orthodontics as an adult. It is actually never too late to have the smile you've always desired and we have adult patients in orthodontic process. Dr Linda Gao herself is indeed underoing orthodontic treatment to eliminate her headaches and teeth grinding. So please feel free to ask about her experience when you meet her. Just remember, it's better late than never.
What are the alarm bells?
- Snoring, loud breathing
- Mouth breathing
- Teeth grinding. dental crowding
- Sore jaw, headaches
- Sleep walking/talking, night terrors
- Waking up tired
- Hyperactive, ADD/ADHD
- Easily irritated, sensitive and emotional