Dental Braces West Kelowna

What is the maximum age for braces?

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Age is not a limitation for braces. People well into middle age and beyond can get braces if their oral health is good (no gum disease) and the integrity of their jaws and teeth overall is strong. A more important question to ask is what kind of braces should you get in your adult years?

There are several options for adult braces now, and not all of them are wire-based dental braces. Some dentists provide braces that straighten teeth without addressing jaw alignment issues that might also exist, and some braces can actually correct jaw alignment problems such as TMJ. Where can you find the right dental braces West Kelowna that are best for you?

What are dental braces?

Dental braces are wire-based braces which are used to correct crowded or crooked teeth, or a misaligned jaw which is called a malocclusion. A misaligned bite (an underbite or overbite) needs to be addressed to prevent excessive wear on the teeth and possible problems with the jaw joints (TMJ).

Physiologically based orthodontics is done by a dentist who is trained to do a thorough analysis of the jawbone integrity, jaw and bite alignment, the jaw joints, and cranial structures before applying braces.

This ensures the patient receives straight teeth without experiencing new problems with their jaw joints or bite from the braces.

Dentist West Kelowna

Dr. Shauna Palmer

We believe that holistic dentistry should be clear, simple, and effective.

28+ Years Experience

Smart Certified Dentist

1500+ Healthy Patients

HEALTH & BEAUTY DENTISTRY • EVERYONE DESERVES BOTH

MEET DR. SHAUNA PALMER

Patient 1: Case Study

Image 1: Patient with severe crowding and missing an upper lateral tooth. Other orthodontic consultations recommended removal of the lower front tooth that was "tucked back" and leaving the missing tooth in the upper jaw out of the picture and just doing cosmetic veneers after to "hide" the missing tooth.

This patient opted to do physiologically based jaw development orthodontics with us instead. This patient has build-ups on the lower molars temporarily to balance and align the jaws in a physiologic position and the upper jaw remodeling appliance is in place

Image 2: Upper jaw remodeling appliance has finished its work and created room

Image 3 & 4: The braces going on

Image 4, 5 & 6: Mid treatment with the jaws developing a nice shape, a temporary false tooth is placed in the upper right missing lateral space and the front tooth is now in the proper position- no teeth lost, proper spacing, and aesthetics

This patient will require some gum treatment and cosmetic restorations on the upper front teeth after the orthodontics are complete.

Patient 2: Case Study

Image 1: The patient came in with severe TMD ( temporomandibular disorder ) symptoms including migraines and severe vertigo.

Image 2: Patient put into a physiologic fixed orthotic to treat the TMD symptoms (which were resolved) through alignment of the jaws

Image 3: Patient elected to go into phase 2 treatment of jaw development physiologically based orthodontics. This was the first appliance to remodel the upper jaw bone.

Image 4: Once the upper jaw bone was developed, the braces went on to further develop the upper jaw

Image 5: The lower jaw was further developed with the braces while maintaining the lower jaw in a physiologic position with the upper using the lower molar bonded pads

Image 6: We are nearing completion of the physiologically based jaw development orthodontics and the patient still is symptom-free. We will have to treat that front tooth with a veneer or crown for aesthetics due to discolouration once the orthodontics is complete.

NOTE: These are examples only and do not imply any certainty of a result of a procedure, and all outcomes are subject to the circumstances of the individual patient.

Dr. Palmer is a general dentist trained in orthodontics and is not a certified orthodontic specialist.

Finding a dentist who provides physiologic orthodontics might be a challenge

West Kelowna dentist Dr. Shauna Palmer believes finding physiologically based orthodontics should be simple, easy, and clear. She has been practicing a physiologic approach to dentistry since 2000.

Dr. Palmer has practised and done ongoing training in balancing the teeth, jaw muscles, jaw joints, facial structure, and body posture & aesthetics or cosmetics in all dental treatments, and especially when creating dental braces for her patients.

Through computerized tomography imaging and the use of other diagnostic technologies, Dr. Palmer can assess the shape, position, and health of your cranial, facial and jaw structures.

Problems she looks for are things such as an underdeveloped upper jaw, or an underdeveloped bottom jaw, or a bottom jaw that is overgrown (underbites and overbites), jaws that are too narrow or jaw joints that are compressed or damaged.

Physiologically based orthodontic therapy enables her to remodel the top jaw to the proper size and then she can get the bottom jaw into a relaxed physiologic bite position.

With orthopedic treatment, Dr. Palmer can correct the size, shape, and position of the jaws for optimal TMJ, airway, cervical posture, facial beauty and leave plenty of room for beautifully straight teeth.

Once she has a thorough analysis of your jaw position, your jaw movement and the teeth straightening you require, she can create dental braces that are compatible with maintaining the correct position of your jaws and teeth in relation to each other.

When it comes to dental braces, Dr. Palmer’s motto is, “We don’t just straighten your teeth. We have a holistic and comprehensive understanding of your jaw, teeth, facial and cranial structures before the braces are created.”

This gives her the ability to ensure that once your teeth have been straightened, you don’t experience new problems with bite and jaw alignment.