Orthodontics

Straight and properly aligned teeth look better, help you smile more confidently, and can actually improve your oral health by making it easier to keep your mouth clean. The talented team of dentists at Driggers & Baker Family Dentistry in West Columbia, Texas, offer orthodontic care to help their patients achieve a better-looking and healthier smile. 

Orthodontics Q & A

What is orthodontics?

Orthodontics is the area of dentistry that treats improperly aligned teeth and jaws. In addition to detracting from the appearance of your smile, crooked teeth are more difficult to keep clean, and open the door to many oral health problems, including:

Tooth decay

Tooth loss

Periodontal disease

And when your teeth don’t fit together properly, or when your jaw is misaligned, it also puts misplaced stress on your chewing muscles, which can cause headaches, pain in your neck, shoulders, and back, and TMJ disorder.

What conditions can orthodontics fix?

Orthodontics can help your teeth look better, work more effectively, and last longer. Some of the specific conditions that can be treated with orthodontics are:

Overbite: the upper front teeth stick out too far over the lower teeth.

Underbite: the lower teeth stick out too far over the upper teeth.

Crossbite: the upper teeth don’t come down properly in front of the lower teeth when biting down.

Open bite: the front and/or side teeth remain separated when the back teeth are touching.

Misplaced midline: the center of your upper front teeth is misaligned with the center of your lower front teeth.

Spacing Gaps or spaces between the teeth.

Crowding: too many teeth for the amount of space allowed by your dental ridge.

Whatever your orthodontic issue may be, the skilled and compassionate team at Driggers & Baker Family Dentistry look forward to helping you overcome it.

What are my orthodontic options?

The most popular orthodontic treatment used by the team at Driggers & Baker Family Dentistry is braces. Braces are made up of a series of bands, wires, and brackets that are attached to the teeth and gradually move everything into its proper position. After you get your braces, you come into the office monthly to have them tightened and keep the teeth moving towards their desired position. Treatment with braces can take anywhere from a few months to a few years.

The braces that the Driggers & Baker Family Dentistry team uses today are much smaller and lighter than the braces of the past, and they show less metal, too, making them a good choice for patients of any age.

Dr. Riley offers SureSmile^® Clear Aligners, an orthodontic treatment that works to gradually straighten your teeth with custom-fit, removable clear aligners. We digitally scan your teeth, then partner with the SureSmile^® Digital Lab to create an individualized treatment plan that enables your aligners to move your teeth from your first aligner to your last.

For any orthodontics questions, or to begin treatment, schedule an appointment today with the professionals at Driggers & Baker Family Dentistry. You can call the office at 979-345-5135.