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Main Office
5753 First Avenue North St. Petersburg, Florida 33710 Tel: 727-381-1062 Click here to e-mail us. Northeast Office 7401 9th St. North St. Petersburg, FL 33702 Tel: (727) 526-7462 Click here to e-mail us. Directions/Maps 
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About Our Orthodontic Care Who Needs Orthodontics? Beyond providing a great smile, orthodontics also corrects "malocclusions" or bad bites. A malocclusion (the term for crooked, crowded or protruding teeth) occurs when the teeth are not lined up properly. Malocclusions can affect the way a person chews, talks, or smiles, and in some cases, can affect the jaws causing pain and discomfort. Below are some common conditions treated with orthodontics: [Click picture for a larger view.]
Almost everyone who has experienced orthodontic care can easily list reasons why they had their teeth straightened. Not only were their biting, chewing, and speaking improved but also they found it was much easier to maintain the health of their teeth and gums. Along with teeth that work better, the lifelong benefit and the pleasant "side effect" of orthodontics was that their smile became an attractive asset. We don't think about it, but a beautiful smile contributes to self-esteem, increased confidence, and enhances social and career success. As the orthodontist brings teeth, lips, and face into proportion, he or she shapes not only the smile but also a person's general attitude toward life. People with beautiful smiles have a lot to be happy about. At Amley & Amley Orthodontics we want our patient's of all ages to be aware of twelve early warning signs indicating it is time for an orthodontic exam.
Age 7, The Best Time To See An Orthodontist! 
In our office, seeing us is not synonymous with beginning orthodontic treatment. We like to see our patients around age 7 or when any of the above bite problems or warning signs are recognized. Our goal is to time any treatment appropriately if it is even needed. More often than not, we will enroll our young patients in our Kidz Klub so they can be recalled to have their growth and development observed. Most younger patients need two recall visits per year which are done at no charge and usually include one panoramic x-ray annually. We use this supervisory time to inform your dentist of any developmental difficulties and to pin point when orthodontic treatment will be the most effective.
Interceptive Orthodontics 
If we do any early treatment, it is interceptive in nature to correct a crossbite that impedes facial development, or to hold space, or to increase space for tooth eruption. Interceptive care often helps us avoid permanent tooth extractions or jaw surgery. However, interceptive care rarely eliminates the need to do comprehensive orthodontics later, but it does make the problem less complicated and the treatment easier to complete.
Interceptive treatment is followed by simple retaining wires or appliances to stabilize the correction and allow us to continue observing dental development until it is an optimum time for comprehensive care, usually 10.5-11.5 years for girls and 11.5-12.5 years for boys. The Optimum Time For Orthodontic Treatment 
Since we believe early treatment should be interceptive in nature and limited to several objectives, we typically like to begin comprehensive orthodontic treatment for all of our patients around the time most of the permanent teeth have erupted. We can determine this "best" time for each patient when we have been able to monitor growth and development for several years. Our approach has eliminated the need in most cases for extracting permanent teeth, for using palate expanders or headgears, and for doing two full phases of orthodontics. Research done at orthodontic programs at the University of Florida, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania confirm our approach to confining orthodontic treatment to a single orthodontic treatment episode to accomplish the desired dento-facial changes for a dynamic lifetime smile.
When Is It Too Late To Begin Orthodontic Treatment? 
Almost any adult at any age can benefit from orthodontic care. Today adults especially appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile, enhanced self-confidence, and improved dental health. Our practice is comprised of nearly 25% of patients over the age of 21. Some of our adults have been in their late 80's and early 90's. Although adult facial and dental bones are no longer growing, teeth can still be moved through healthy adult bone. Adult orthodontic treatment can take a little longer and may have some limitations in the amount of correction achieved.
Both the Damon Clear and Invisalign orthodontic systems are esthetically pleasing adult treatment methods. The Damon System employs very light pressures and low friction to position teeth in shorter treatment times and minimal discomfort.
The Damon System [Click picture for a larger view.]
 The Damon System orthodontic appliances are made of either metal or polycrystalline alumina material used in the crystal-clear Damon Clear appliance. This aesthetic appliance is impervious to staining and discoloration from coffee, mustard, red wine and other agents. Each Damon bracket is bonded to the teeth. The system of brackets are connected together by light pressure, super elastic, memory shape titanium wires that do not bind as they work. The memory shape wires deliver gentle biologically adaptive pressures in a carefully controlled direction, to slowly move teeth to correct a bite and produce a dynamic new smile. Because the wires are fit passively (no bungee cord like ties) into each bracket, there is very little friction or resistance to the light pressures applied to the teeth. The result is insignificant discomfort allowing dental corrections to proceed over 2 to 2 1/2 months without an office visit. For more details on the Damon System of orthodontics, please go to our web pages on the Damon System and our links. [Click picture for a larger view.]
 The Invisalign System (Insert some Invisalign Aligner pictures with people) For those teen and adult patients choosing the removable plastic Invisalign aligners, tooth corrections with this system do not depend on brackets or wires placed on teeth. Each clear aligner in a series of aligners delivers a prescribed amount of pressure to produce a final treatment result designed by the orthodontist and aided by Invisalign software. Often tooth matched and inconspicuous "bumps" called attachments are bonded to teeth to provide a "grip" for the aligners to more effectively move teeth. Invisalign is appropriate for image conscious teens and adults who do not want to wear braces and are willing to accept results that are often short of those obtainable with the Damon System. For more details on Invisalign, please go to our web pages on Invisalign and our links. How Long Does Treatment Take Routinely most orthodontic treatment takes 18 to 21 months. Many adults who have experienced a relapse of previous orthodontic treatment when retention was not on a lifetime basis can have corrections completed in 9-12 months. Every treatment time is an estimate by the orthodontist which depends on excellent patient cooperation. Patients who keep their appointment schedule, avoid eating foods that damage appliances, practice good oral hygiene, and comply with instructions to wear elastics or aligners often see their treatment time reduced by 3-6 months. Your Treatment At Amley & Amley Orthodontics (Insert some happy smiling pictures here - before & after from Damon)  This is truly a great time to experience today's orthodontics. Gone is the time when metal bands were forced around each tooth, when adjustment pain lasted for days, when orthodontists removed teeth in over half of their patients, when headgears and palate expanders were routinely used, and when patients were seen every 3 to 4 weeks throughout 2 or 3 years of treatment. Today, new technology is making orthodontic treatment faster, more comfortable, and more discrete as remarkable aesthetic results are achieved. Our adults refer to their newly aligned, fully wider smiles and more mid-face support as "the bracelift" facelift. No matter what your line of work or how public or private it is, your smile is an essential part of who you are and how others see you. One of our patients, a pastor, realized he could be more effective with his congregation if he didn't feel so conspicuous about his smile. Now, following fifteen months in braces, he has such an improved appearance that "it doesn't bother me if people don't notice my teeth. That means they're normal." With today's orthodontics, you can start every day with your best face for the world. Your smile is an essential part of who you are and how others see you. Whether you are a child, teen, or adult, orthodontics is an investment in you, your future, your potential. Smile. Enjoy life. Please visit our Patient Testimonials and Before and After Patient Photos to see how Orthodontics at Amley & Amley has "shaped smiles as well as lives." |
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Phone: 727-381-1062 Click Here to E-Mail Us Our main office: 5753 First Avenue North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33710 Our northeast office: 7401 9th Street North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33702
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