Orthodontic treatment in Turlock CA supports well-being, a beautiful smile
At Ramsin K. Davoud DDS Family & Cosmetic Dentistry, we encourage patients to see what makes us different. We look at all services through the lens of biological dentistry that supports lifelong health and well-being. Biological dentist Dr. Ramsin K. Davoud and his team stand apart from other dental offices in Stanislaus County with orthodontic treatment in Turlock CA that not only straightens teeth for a more attractive smile, but also corrects many other conditions beyond the cosmetic.
How we’re different: Orthopedic orthodontics
Orthopedic treatment is frequently associated with conditions and injuries of the spine, foot, hand, shoulders, and hips. More broadly, orthopedics as a branch of medicine supports structural alignment and resolving problems that involve the musculoskeletal system. Orthodontics is frequently associated with treatment to align teeth.
Dr. Davoud and his team combine these approaches; together, orthopedic orthodontics aligns the teeth and jaws in a way that optimizes structural harmony and minimizes destructive forces on the teeth, temporomandibular joints (TMJ) in the jaw, and the spine. Viewing orthodontics through a musculoskeletal lens also minimizes the chances of losing permanent teeth, including the molars or wisdom teeth that develop at the very back of your mouth.
Conventional orthodontics treatment like braces, sometimes done in conjunction with the extraction of permanent teeth to better accommodate repositioned teeth, doesn’t account for how the jaws and bite affect the entire body. In turn, cranial bones may be compressed and structural misalignment can arise.
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Dr. Davoud has invested years of additional training to this neuromuscular or orthopedic approach to straightening teeth and correcting bite problems. Orthopedic orthodontics is also known as “functional” orthodontics; functional appliances are used to correct the jaw, while braces are used to correct the teeth. Another way to think about functional orthodontics is to consider that the upper and lower jaws are repositioned to create a better profile. Patients may not realize that a poor profile – weak chin or misalignment of either jaw – creates a cascade of problems with big implications for your health and well-being. For starters, these imbalances throw off a patient’s bite or how the upper and lower teeth come together when the mouth is closed. Many of the patients Dr. Davoud sees with bite problems are also experiencing a number of other ailments, including:
- Chronic neck, back, and shoulder pain
- Headaches and migraines
- Dizziness
- TMJ-related discomfort and functional problems like jaw locking, limited mobility
- Sleep apnea
- Upper airway obstruction
- Earaches and hearing problems
Instead of extracting teeth, the jaw is actually expanded to make room for repositioned teeth. With traditional methods of orthodontic treatment, the bicuspids or premolars are often extracted. While this opens up room in the mouth, it also affects your appearance by narrowing the face. Extractions can permanently “flatten” the facial profile.
Functional or orthopedic orthodontics are a “non-extraction” method; appliances are used to expand the dental arch. There are 2 arches of teeth, one on each side of the jaw. The functional approach is multi-dimensional. Dr. Davoud will also assist with techniques and exercises to encourage proper alignment of the body with the jaw. It’s this proper alignment of the head, neck, and jaw that promotes improved breathing patterns, opens up nasal passages, and even decreases allergies and sinus infections. We could go on and on about the ways you or your child’s quality of life may be improved with this multi-faceted treatment.
Orthopedic orthodontics further correct improper jaw relationships, twists in the bite, overbite, speech-related problems, and swallowing patterns. The key to bite stability is proper swallowing, which occurs when the tongue behaves as a retainer to sustain the proper width of the jaws. Habits such as tongue thrusting, which develop in early childhood, can give rise to protruding, crowded, and crooked teeth. The sooner we can provide early intervention, the better. Your child avoids the many problems discussed above, and may even avoid the need for braces later in childhood. We encourage intervention with functional appliances and techniques around the ages of 7 to 15 and as your child is still developing; however, these approaches can be tailored to adult needs.
Generally, functional orthodontic treatment is based on the idea that environmental elements play a defining role in the development of abnormal dental and jaw features. Traditional orthodontic treatment revolves around the idea that genetics is primarily to blame for abnormalities. In turn, the conventional approach is focused on correct through surgery or extractions, whereas the functional approach believes correction can be achieved without surgery.
See what makes Ramsin K. Davoud DDS Family & Cosmetic Dentistry different for yourself. Schedule a consultation at the Turlock office by calling (209) 666-8867.
