Premium Treatments
Indirect Bonding
Most orthodontists put brackets on their patients' teeth without a revolutionary and important new first step called indirect bonding. This new method for applying braces is here in west Michigan and it's available at O'Grady Orthodontics.
Braces work better and faster when the brackets are optimally placed. With indirect bonding, braces are pre-positioned on a cast model of your teeth and then transferred to your teeth with precision.
This important first step has a profound impact on patient satisfaction. Braces go on faster, fit better, and are more comfortable. Fewer appointments are needed which means less time out of school or work. The amount of time in treatment is minimized while achieving better results with less expense.
Herbst Appliance
Those with a retrusive (weak) lower jaw often have head gear (children) or jaw surgery (adults) recommended by orthodontists to correct this problem. Left untreated, misaligned jaw joints can cause joint pain, headaches, and excessive wearing of the teeth. We have an alternative to head gear and surgery which is the revolutionary Herbst appliance. In children, the Herbst appliance uses the child's growth to advance the lower jaw and improve the facial profile. In some adults, the Herbst can be a substitute for surgery ultimately saving $10,000 – $20,000 in surgery costs.
O'Grady Orthodontics developed the framework for the Herbst appliance which moves the lower jaw forward. Children with retrusive lower jaws and adults who are borderline surgery cases are ideal for this type of innovative appliance. It was often thought by orthodontists that the lower jaw could not be advanced in a non-surgical way. However, recent orthodontic literature supports that this is possible. Since 1985, we have been especially successful in treating children with the Herbst appliance giving them more functional bites, better facial structure, and a beautiful smile.
Invisible Permanent Retainers
Most people expect an investment in braces to deliver a lifetime of straight teeth. However, traditional removable retainers fail over time which means teeth can and usually do shift back to their original position. At O'Grady Orthodontics, we don't just straighten teeth. We help you keep them aligned with a proven, revolutionary approach to retainers.
Our patients have the benefit of getting bonded retainers at the close of their treatment. Bonded retainers consist of a thin wire attached behind the front teeth to hold the alignment. This type of retainer can't be seen, is comfortable, and is impossible to lose. You'll have no more worries about the additional cost of replacing lost retainers, remembering to wear them, or losing your investment in braces.
Non-Extraction Orthodontics
Prior to the 1990s, the number of extractions that orthodontic practitioners prescribed for their patients was very high. The percentage of extractions was in the 40-60% range. There are a number of disadvantages with extractions – most notably the negative effects on the face. Patients who have had extractions often have flattened profiles with narrow smiles and inverted lips. So, while the teeth are straight and fit together nicely – the face suffers. We often see adult patients whose treatment has included extractions who tell us they are dissatisfied with their look.
In the late 1980s, we developed techniques for non-extraction therapy. We have refined these techniques over the years which have allowed us to do non-extraction treatment in the majority of our patients. By using non-extraction techniques to widen the upper and lower arches, we are able to provide our patients with more flattering smiles.
Today, about 30% of new orthodontic patients are told they will need to have teeth pulled. At O'Grady Orthodontics, we have had success treating patients with non-extraction techniques and recommend tooth extraction only when absolutely necessary. By not pulling teeth, you or your child will have a nicer smile and more attractive face. In addition, you get to keep the money you would have spent on extractions.
