Your Ottawa Invisalign® Provider
At Manor Park Dental in Ottawa, we offer orthodontic services for patients who want to straighten their teeth and restore form and function to their smile.
Orthodontics in Ottawa
Orthodontics involves the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of structural problems involving the jaws and malocclusion commonly known as bad bites. Orthodontic problems can affect your dental and general health as well as your personal appearance.
At Manor Park Dental, we help children, teenagers and adults achieve straight smiles by creating effective, customized orthodontic treatment programs tailored to their needs.
We look forward to meeting you and helping you to decide if orthodontic treatment is right for you. We can inform you about your treatment options, offer advice and monitor your progress as your treatment progresses.
What is Orthodontics?
Orthodontics is a form of dentistry that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. Technically speaking, these problems are classified as “malocclusion,” meaning “bad bite.”.
What are some symptoms of orthodontic problems?
At Manor Park Dental, we see new patients every day present with a range of orthodontic issues. Symptoms that may benefit from treatment include:
- A poor bite that makes it challenging to talk or chew properly, or care for your teeth
- Difficulty chewing due to tooth pain or difficulty aligning teeth
- Facial muscle or jaw pain
- Permanent teeth coming in (erupting) out of their normal position
- Problems with biting the cheek or roof of the mouth
- Speech difficulties
Wondering if your or your child's symptoms require orthodontic treatment? Book an appointment today.
Orthodontics FAQs
These are some of the most Frequently Asked Questions we've received from our patients about orthodontics.
- What types of orthodontic treatment can your practice offer?
Dr. Shodjaee helps to bring teeth, lips and jaws into proper alignment and to achieve facial balance through the use of braces, clear aligners and other orthodontic devices.
Most people associate orthodontics with the application of braces to correct crooked teeth in children. Dr. Shodjaee, however, treats a wide variety of conditions in people of all ages – from overbites to underbites.
- How do malocclusions happen?
Malocclusions are usually inherited or acquired.
Acquired malocclusions can be caused by accidents (called “trauma”), sucking of the thumb, finger or pacifiers, tonsils and adenoids that obstruct the airway, and disease or premature loss of primary or permanent teeth.
Inherited malocclusions that determined how well your teeth fit together are largely determined by such attributes as tooth and jaw size. For example, people can inherit large teeth and small dental arches, or the reverse.
A “poor bite” is often caused by teeth that have too much or too little room in the jaw. Other common causes of crooked teeth are factors that move the teeth out of place, including oral habits and early tooth loss, which leads to tooth shifting.
- What types of problems can malocclusions cause?
Regardless of whether malocclusions are inherited or acquired, many of these problems affect not only the alignment of the teeth but also facial development and appearance as well.
Most cases of malocclusions are mild, or cosmetic, in nature; for example, a poor bite does not cause severe impediments to talking or eating. In some people, however, the condition is so severe that they cannot eat or speak properly.
- When should I consider orthodontic treatment?
A poor bite does not ordinarily cause tooth decay, periodontal disease, or temporomandibular (TM) disorder. It may, however, make it difficult to properly care for one’s teeth.
Although a majority of the population has some type of malocclusion, not all people require or seek orthodontic treatment. For example, with or without a history of orthodontic treatment, many adults develop crowded, crooked lower front teeth. This is a natural result of change over time and does not necessarily require orthodontic treatment.
- How can misaligned teeth impact my health and wellbeing?
If the teeth are out of position, they are more difficult to clean, increasing the risk of tooth decay and periodontal (gum) disease.
If chewing is difficult, people may not eat the foods needed for good nutrition. If your bite is poor, extra strain may be placed on the chewing muscles, possibly causing pain and problems with your jaw joint. Some of the symptoms of jaw joint problems include headaches, neck aches, ringing in the ears, dizziness, fainting, pain behind the eyes and difficulty swallowing.
- Can adults undergo orthodontic treatment? What options are there?
Orthodontic treatment can be beneficial at any age and many of today’s orthodontic patients are adults.
Teeth can be moved at any age and therefore more adults are proceeding with orthodontic treatment today in an effort to achieve straight teeth, a beautiful smile and healthy jaw joints. Many adults today prefer clear or gold braces, which they feel are more aesthetically pleasing than standard metal braces.
You are never too old to straighten your smile. We also have options for invisible braces with clear plastic trays that are worn in cases with minor crowding.
- How long does orthodontic treatment last?
No two smiles are alike, and therefore no two orthodontic treatment programs are either. Typically, active treatment times range from one to two years and vary with the degree of tooth movement and the severity of the problem.
- I'm ready. What should I do first?
If you have crooked teeth or don’t like your smile, come in for a consultation appointment to see what treatment options are possible.