We are here to educate you about your options for treatment and your progress, and stay in communication with your general dentist and any specialists involved in your treatment. Our team will help answer all insurance and financial questions, and of course, make sure you and your family feel welcome and enjoy coming to our Bellevue office.
We are proud to offer the following services to achieve the smile of your dreams:
Adult Treatment
No matter your age, you deserve a smile that gives you confidence. Braces are not just for children anymore. With the latest advancements in technologies, we can get you the smile you deserve!
Here at Dr. Wallace W. Wong, Orthodontics, we work hard to give you the smile you’ve always wanted. We offer several different treatments that can be effective no matter how old you are. More and more orthodontic treatments are becoming available to give adults the smile that they want.
Orthodontic treatments are not just for your smile. Fixing your teeth can also dramatically change your oral health. When you have crooked teeth or a malocclusion (uneven bite), you may be prone to oral health problems such as gum disease and tartar buildup.
If you want to improve your smile, we always start with a thorough examination and x-rays. We will then discuss your options, including different forms of braces, aligners, and retainers. We will also talk about the treatment plan, what you should expect, and the cost. Finally, we will guide you through your insurance coverage to find out if you can be covered for all or part of your treatments.
It is never too late to have a smile that you love to show off. Contact us today to discuss your options! You won’t believe how quickly you can see a change in your smile with the appropriate treatment.
Clear Braces
Here at Dr. Wallace W. Wong, Orthodontics, we are proud to offer clear braces for our patients. Most teens and adults are reluctant to get the orthodontic care they need due to the appearance of orthodontic appliances. That’s why we offer clear braces, which are much less noticeable than metal braces, but still give patients a smile they deserve.
Clear aligners are not the same as clear braces. Clear aligners are plastic trays that you wear over your teeth, like a shell. Clear braces are just like metal braces, but they are almost invisible.
Clear braces have many advantages. They are almost invisible, giving patients who do not want the look of traditional braces another alternative.
After a thorough examination with X-rays, we will be happy to discuss all of your options for orthodontic care. We will go over the advantages and disadvantages of each so that we can determine the right course of treatment.
Early Treatment
The earlier we catch problems with your child’s bite, the simpler they are to fix. The results are often better than if we wait and will require significantly less work. We may not need to keep braces on your child for as long when they are younger, which means less expense for you.
The American Association of Orthodontics (AAO) recommends that children visit an orthodontist as soon as their dentist notices that there might be a problem, or before they are seven years old. We may not have to do anything at this age, other than monitor the child’s mouth. However, if we continue to watch your child, we can start treatment right away if something arises.
Early intervention can be beneficial. We will watch how your child’s mouth and teeth grow and develop, so if we see something that needs to be done, we can do it as soon as possible. We will also know exactly when to start treatment, if needed.
Early treatment allows us to do the following:
- Make room for the permanent teeth when there is overcrowding
- Ensure facial symmetry
- Reduce trauma when the front teeth are protruding
Early treatment also reduces the need to remove teeth and the time patients must wear braces. According to AAO studies, skipping orthodontic treatment can lead to the following:
- Crossbites can result in unfavorable growth and uneven tooth wear.
- Open bites can result in tongue-thrusting habits and speech impediments.With proper and timely orthodontic treatment, you may have the following benefits:
- A healthier mouth since crowded teeth can be hard to brush causing cavities and gum disease.
- Fewer broken teeth since protruding teeth are more likely to get broken.
Invisalign
Dr. Wallace W. Wong, Orthodontics is proud to offer Invisalign®. Invisalign® is a wonderful, modern alternative treatment to braces. You can straighten your teeth without installing metal in your mouth. Instead, we use plastic trays (also known as aligners) to move your teeth back into place. Each aligner is custom made to fit your mouth so you don’t have to worry about mouth irritation or anything else that traditional braces can cause.
Since the aligners are removable, they are easier to keep clean. You can also continue to brush and floss your teeth without trying to avoid harming your braces.
Invisalign® is also popular because the aligners are clear, so most people don’t even know you are wearing anything unless you tell them. If you have considered straightening your teeth but don’t want to bother with braces, don’t hesitate to contact us today at (425) 746-7126.
Retention
After you have worn your braces for the appropriate amount of time, we move into the retention stage of your treatment. It is very important not to skip this step or all of your hard work will not pay off as you had hoped. Your teeth may move back instead of staying in place.
During retention, you will have to wear retainers as your teeth adjust to staying in their new place without braces. You should wear your retainers as recommended by your dentist. Some can be worn only at night, while others need to be worn almost all of the time.
It is really important that you continue to brush your teeth while you are in this stage. All you have to do is remove your retainer, and then you will be able to brush your teeth better than you were able to when you had braces. You should also brush your retainer before placing it back to your mouth.
Surgical Orthodontics
Dr. Wallace W. Wong, Orthodontics is proud to offer surgical treatments for our orthodontic patients. Surgical orthodontics, also called orthognathic surgery, is used for severe cases of bad bites, jaw bone abnormalities, and malocclusions.
Oral and maxillofacial surgery is considered a dental specialty and helps complex cases involving the mouth, jaw, face, and skull. If your case requires surgical orthodontics, your orthodontist will work with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to provide you with the best and most comprehensive care possible.
Surgical orthodontics helps patients improve their bites, though it can also help with other aesthetic concerns, such as facial structure and symmetry. Surgery can only be completed after the jaw is finished growing. This typically happens by age sixteen for females and age eighteen for males.
Surgery is not always necessary, so it is important to discuss your case with an oral surgeon. They will be able to discuss your treatment options, whether they include surgery or not.
If surgery is needed, it will be done by an oral and maxillofacial surgeon. The operation will be completed in a hospital and can take up to a few hours, depending on your needs.
After surgery, you will need to rest for about two weeks. It is considered a major operation, and you should take some time off of work and school while you heal. After you heal, your orthodontist will work on straightening your teeth. Most people have to wear braces for six months to a year after surgery. Then, you will need a retainer to maintain your beautiful smile and hard work.
Like all surgeries, there are risks. However, orthognathic operations have been around for years and are proven to be safe and effective overall. If you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to ask questions before the procedure.
Most people can’t wait to have the smile they dream of. Whether you need surgery to correct your bite, a malocclusion, or a jaw abnormality, we can help you have a smile you want to show off.
iTero®️ Intraoral Scanner
We take pride in providing modern, high quality care so you can have the smile you deserve. We are constantly updating our equipment in order to provide patients with state-of-the-art dental care. One of our newest pieces of equipment is our iTero 3D scanner. It allows us to take images of your smile. We can also use it to show you the results you can get with Invisalign®.
The largest benefit of producing images with our scanner is that you won’t have to get impressions made, which can be quite unpleasant. You won’t have to deal with the unpleasant taste of the gooey material, or the discomfort of the molding trays. Instead, the scanning process is quite comfortable, and you can breathe normally during the procedure.
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