Are you ready to begin the journey to a straighter smile? Are you ready to not only have a smile you like looking at and showing off but is also healthy? Then you’re ready to start your treatment with Jensen Orthodontic Arts! We will gladly help you achieve the smile of your dreams. For some patients, the dual specialty of Dr. Jensen is more than enough to complete treatment. For others, you might need the help of oral healthcare professionals who collaborate with Dr. Jensen during your program. But who are these mysterious other doctors, and what can they do Dr. Jensen does not? Let’s explore all the possible people on the team behind your straight smile!
Orthodontists!
The one doctor almost all people who desire a straighter smile will need to see is an orthodontist like Dr. Jensen! Orthodontists are dentists who continue to pursue more training and education to specialize in the movement of the teeth and jaw. This oral healthcare professional uses fixed and removable braces, like traditional metal braces, 3M Clarity Clear braces, or Invisalign clear aligners, to fix your smile. They can significantly improve patients’ mental, oral, and physical health if treatment is appropriately executed. During your time with an orthodontist, they will monitor the well-being of your teeth and gums while gently but efficiently moving your teeth and jaw into more desirable positions.
Some orthodontists, like Dr. Jensen, have become board-certified! A board-certified orthodontist has proven their capabilities and dedication to stay up-to-date with the latest technology, techniques, and treatment methods with written and clinical exams. Dr. Jensen and all board-certified orthodontists must retest and reprove their dedication every ten years. Only 33% of orthodontists receive this time-limited prestige, so you can be confident you receive the best treatment when choosing a board-certified doctor.
Orthodontists treat overcrowding, abnormal spacing, overbites, underbites, crossbites, and other bite pattern problems.
Dentists!
You should see your dentist before, during, and after you receive treatment for a better smile. Dentists are crucial to maintaining oral health, and you should see them every six months (or however often recommended by your dentist) for a check and cleaning.
Regular dental visits are necessary for finding and administering treatment to oral health concerns that can cause permanent damage to your smile. They will refer to specialists in this list for care if necessary. Dentists can perform the care you need for simple cases, such as tooth extractions. Some dentists even offer orthodontic treatment (though we strongly advise you to go to an orthodontist.)
Regular professional cleanings remove bacteria and plaque that inevitably build up over time. Without cleanings, you have an increased risk of damaging your smile with gum disease or tooth decay. Dentists are also an excellent resource for asking questions regarding your oral hygiene routine!
Dentists are essential to staying happy, healthy, and smiling!
Periodontists!
Like orthodontists, periodontists are dentists who continue their education into a specialty. Periodontists specialize in preventing, diagnosing, and treating issues affecting the teeth’s supportive tissue. These doctors help to maintain the health of your gingiva (gums), periodontal ligament (a group of tissue fibers that connect your teeth to the jaw bone), cementum (hard layer of tissue that covers teeth roots and helps the periodontal ligament attach to the tooth), and alveolar bone (the section of the bone that contains tooth sockets).
The most common reason to see a periodontist is to treat gum disease, also known as periodontal disease, but that’s not all a periodontist can do! They can also provide scaling and root planing, root surface debridement, oral inflammation treatment, bone or gum grafting, frenectomies, smile lifts, cosmetic periodontal procedures, and more. Like with orthodontics, some dentists can provide periodontal treatment but might refer you to a specialist if you need additional or complicated care. Even if you are not advised to see a periodontist, you can always go to one for a second opinion or a checkup!
Periodontists keep your new smile healthy and pretty, so attend all your appointments!
Oral Surgeons!
In really complex cases, you might need an oral surgeon! Oral surgeons are doctors who have attended at least four years of medical school and completed surgical residencies, eventually specializing in oral healthcare. As the name suggests, they perform surgeries on the teeth, jaw, and face. Some of their services include craniofacial surgery, facial cosmetic surgery, facial injuries and traumas, jaw and temporomandibular joint (TMD) surgery, extractions, implants, procedures to save a damaged tooth such as apicoectomies, hemisections, root resections, procedures to treat soft tissue, including frenectomies, soft tissue grafts, crown lengthening, and surgeries which treat sleep apnea. They can also identify and treat oral cancers.
After healing from surgery, you might need braces for the finishing touches.
The Creation Of Your New Smile Is A Team Effort!
These are only some oral healthcare providers that can help you have the smile you want. Schedule a free consultation with Dr. Jensen at Jensen Orthodontic Arts today to discover which treatment options are necessary for you to obtain the beautiful, healthy smile you deserve! Our team looks forward to working with you!