orthodontist
Foster City
(650) 525-9440
Belmont
(650) 592-4850
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Common Orthodontic Issues

Severe Crowding – Resolving Overcrowded Teeth Without Extractions

Severe crowding of teeth in an 11-year-old patient before orthodontic treatment, showcasing misaligned and overlapping teeth.
Before
Image of a patient's teeth showing severe crowding before orthodontic treatment, highlighting misalignment and overlapping teeth.
After

This 11 year old patient was treated without extractions and now has a smile that he loves.

Anterior Open Bite – Front teeth don’t touch

Anterior open bite showing front teeth not touching, illustrating orthodontic issue for patient treatment before intervention.
Before
After orthodontic treatment, the improved smile of an 11-year-old patient with corrected anterior open bite, showcasing aligned front teeth.
After

The patient had a thumb sucking habit as a younger child which created myofunctional issues affecting speaking and chewing. After her orthodontic treatment and tongue training, she can easily bite food with her front teeth.

Deep Overbite – Lower front teeth bite into palate

Close-up of a deep overbite showing lower front teeth biting into the palate, illustrating a common orthodontic issue before treatment.
Before
After orthodontic treatment showing improved alignment of front teeth following correction of a deep overbite.
After

This adult patient, age 25, required braces and jaw surgery to correct his severe overbite, with treatment taking two years. His problem could have been corrected without surgery if he had been treated before he was a teenager.

Early Treatment

Before orthodontic treatment, close-up view of an 11-year-old patient's anterior open bite, showing front teeth that do not touch, highlighting dental crowding and misalignment.
Before
After orthodontic treatment, improved dental alignment of an 11-year-old patient, showcasing corrected anterior open bite and enhanced smile aesthetics.
After

Patient’s parents were concerned about both aesthetics and the health of the erupting permanent teeth at the age of eight. The lower front teeth were crowded and touching the palate, and the upper front teeth were extremely displaced from their normal positions. After 12 months of Phase-One treatment with an expander and partial braces, patient’s appearance and dental function were vastly improved.

Missing Permanent Teeth

Image of an adult patient's dental condition showing missing lateral incisors and severe overbite before orthodontic treatment, highlighting the need for braces and jaw surgery for correction.
Before
Adult patient's teeth with missing lateral incisors, showcasing orthodontic treatment results after braces, highlighting alignment and spacing improvements.
After

This patient’s lateral incisors were congenitally missing. With braces, her teeth were moved into their correct positions to allow for replacement of the missing teeth with bonded bridges or implants.

Underbite – Lower front teeth in front of upper teeth

Underbite with lower front teeth positioned in front of upper teeth, illustrating dental misalignment before orthodontic treatment.
Before
After orthodontic treatment, improved alignment of teeth correcting underbite, with lower front teeth positioned in front of upper teeth, showcasing enhanced dental aesthetics and function.
After

This patient’s underbite was causing her jaw joint discomfort and excessive wear on her front teeth. After adult orthodontic treatment, she now finds smiling and chewing much easier. Underbites should be corrected as soon as possible and can be detected with early screening.

Spacing

Image of crowded lower front teeth and displaced upper front teeth before orthodontic treatment, illustrating significant spacing issues and dental misalignment, relevant to patient concerns about aesthetics and dental health.
Before
Image of aligned teeth after Invisalign treatment, showcasing improved spacing and dental aesthetics, relevant to orthodontic care and patient outcomes.
After

This patient was bothered by the unesthetic spaces and food trapping between teeth. Invisalign treatment gently and efficiently closed the spaces and bonded retainers help keep the spaces closed.

Excessive Overjet

Image showing a significant overjet with upper front teeth protruding beyond lower front teeth, illustrating orthodontic issues before treatment.
Before
Close-up of teeth showing corrected overbite after orthodontic treatment, highlighting improved alignment and smile aesthetics.
After

At age ten, patient had a big overjet with the top teeth protruding beyond the bottom. She had two phases of treatment. The first helped her jaws to grow more harmoniously and the second aligned her teeth and bite. At age 13, she was proudly displaying her new smile.

Non-Braces Treatment

Close-up view of a patient's lower teeth showing alignment issues, relevant to non-braces orthodontic treatment for crowding and tooth spacing.
Before
Image of a dental arch showing aligned permanent incisors and a space maintainer, highlighting non-braces orthodontic treatment results for crowding correction.
After

Sometimes braces are not needed to get noticeable improvements in tooth alignment. This patient was first seen at age seven for crowding of the lower permanent teeth. A procedure was performed to reduce the width of the adjacent baby teeth and the permanent incisors aligned on their own in nine months.

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