Orthodontics in Northridge, CA

Orthodontics: For A Straighter, Healthier, More Beautiful Smile

Dental misalignment (malocclusion) is a common condition that affects an estimated 74 percent of the global population. This commonality may cause patients to ignore it, but misaligned teeth or a misaligned jaw may pose a risk to your oral health in certain cases. Straight teeth and a properly aligned jaw help prevent issues such as gum disease, TMD (temporomandibular disorder), altered speech, and a less appealing appearance. 

That’s why the dentists at Mid-Valley Dental Care, Drs. Kayla, Terence, and Casey Lau, offer orthodontics to meet your needs. Keep reading to learn about our options for orthodontics and how they can benefit you. 

What Is Orthodontics?

Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry focused on correcting irregularities of the teeth and jaw, especially in how they align and fit together. Common issues orthodontics addresses include:

• Misalignment
• Crowding
• Gaps
• Overbite
• Underbite
• Open bite
• Crossbite

Benefits of Orthodontics

A straight smile is a healthier smile. If you’re dealing with misalignment, here are a few reasons why you should visit Mid-Valley Dental Care for orthodontics:

• Decreased Risk Of Oral Disease – Dental misalignment often causes food particles to get trapped in hard to reach areas, which increases the likelihood of oral diseases like tooth decay and gum disease. When your teeth are straight, they’re easier to clean and less prone to these problems. 
• Better Appearance – Your smile is often the first thing people notice about you. Misalignment can lead to less quality social interactions, reduce your appearance, and bring down your self-esteem. When your teeth are straight, you’ll likely make a better impression and feel better about yourself.
• Helps Treat TMD – Orthodontics may help alleviate symptoms of TMD. Misaligned teeth often lead to TMJ disorders and other painful jaw issues.
• Improved Speech – Malocclusion often causes whistling sounds and other strange noises when you speak. Correcting your malocclusion can help improve your speech, so you can be heard more clearly by others and feel more confident when talking.
• Better Bite – Correcting your bite means you can chew with ease, which means better digestion, less chance of choking, and decreased risk of diabetes.
• Improved, Longer-Lasting Oral Health – A straight smile and a properly aligned jaw will help enhance and preserve your oral health.  

Our Orthodontic Solutions

Traditional Braces

Metal braces are a tried and true method of orthodontics that corrects your smile using wires and metal brackets that slowly exert pressure on your teeth over time. This pressure shifts your teeth into the proper position, correcting your bite. Unlike the uncomfortable and bulky metal appliances of the past, modern-day metal braces are more comfortable than ever.   

Invisalign®

Invisalign® makes use of clear aligner trays instead of metal brackets and wires. Using revolutionary SmartTrack® technology, Invisalign comfortably corrects your bite, usually in half the average time of metal braces. Invisalign trays are removable, which eliminates dietary restrictions and makes them easier to clean. What’s more, their nearly translucent nature makes your aligners almost unnoticeable.   

Invisalign® Teen

Invisalign® Teen is a form of orthodontics geared towards young adults. Invisalign Teen has many of the same features as Invisalign, but comes with six extra aligner trays in case of accidents. Additionally, Invisalign Teen clear aligners feature blue indicator dots on the end teeth, which will let you and our Northridge dentists if they’ve been worn for long enough.