Braces
Traditional metal braces are what comes to mind when most people think about orthodontic treatment. It has been the primary method of orthodontic correction for decades and is still the gold standard of orthodontic treatment because it can give your doctor the most precise treatment capabilities.
Advances in braces have made them sleeker, smoother, and more comfortable. In some cases, they can even help decrease treatment time.
Clear Braces
Clear, or Ceramic braces, are a less visible option to traditional metal braces. Clear braces are often chosen by adults for their esthetic appeal. Most clear braces are made of a crystalline ceramic that blends in with your natural tooth color and make it less noticeable that you have braces. Teens also choose clear braces as a fun way to show off colorful ties on their braces.
Whether you want traditional metal braces or clear braces, at Olentangy Orthodontics, we don’t charge more for clear braces or custom colored elastics…you choose which style suits you the best!
Clear Aligners
You can have a beautiful smile without braces.
Clear Aligner Therapy (CAT), consists of series of custom molded clear plastic trays made from digitally manipulated models of your teeth. Clear aligners are virtually invisible and can be removed to eat and brush. To get the most benefit from clear aligners you must wear your aligners approximately 22 hours a day. Traditionally, clear aligners were chosen solely for adults who desired a cosmetic improvement in their smile that was limited in scope. Now clear aligners can be used for many different conditions and for children through adults.
There are many different brands of clear aligners available today. Some you might recognize include Invisilign, Spark, Angel Aligners, ULab, Clarity, and Clear Correct. Dr. Kang regularly reviews these options and adjusts her recommendations based on what works best for her patients.
Custom 3D Printed Braces
Olentangy Orthodontics offers patients the option of selecting custom 3D printed braces from LightForce. Like using clear aligners, Dr. Kang will scan your teeth and then use specialized software and LightForce’s 3D printing capability to create braces that are an exact match for your teeth and your unique tooth movement needs.
Patients say these custom braces are more comfortable because they are often lower profile and smoother than other braces. See what patients say about custom braces on YouTube.
LightForce claim that their custom solutions can reduce treatment time by up to 30%. Of course, Dr. Kang is more conservative in her estimates.
Retainers
Keep your confident smile for a lifetime!
Patients who complete comprehensive treatment receive a set of retainers to protect and maintain their smile, but they can do more. Occasionally, retainers can be used alone, without braces, to treat conditions involving limited tooth movement such as very minor crowding.
We offer a variety of retainer types for post-treatment and minor improvement. A consultation with Dr. Kang can help identify if you are a candidate for limited tooth movement treatment with a retainer alone.
