Orthodontic Procedures

Banding

The process of fitting and cementing orthodontic bands to your teeth.

Bonding

The process of attaching brackets to your teeth using special orthodontic cement.

Cephalometic X-ray

An x-ray of your head which shows the relative positions and growth of the face, jaws, and teeth.

Consultation

A meeting with your orthodontist to discuss a treatment plan.

Debanding

The process of removing cemented orthodontic bands from your teeth.

Debonding

The process of removing cemented orthodontic brackets from your teeth.

Impressions

The process of making a model of your teeth by biting into a soft material that hardens into a mold of your teeth. Your orthodontist will use these impressions to prepare your treatment plan.

Invisalign®

An alternative to traditional braces, Invisalign straightens your teeth with a series of clear custom-molded aligners. Invisalign can correct some, but not all, orthodontic problems.

Ligation

The process of attaching an archwire to the brackets on your teeth.

Panoramic X-ray

An x-ray that rotates around your head to take pictures of your teeth, jaw and other facial areas.

What Others Say about us

Here are a few highlights, to read all of the responses we have received click here.

"I, for one, certainly was mae to feel very much "at home" and I appreciated your hospitality. Everyone I had the opportunity to meet today was nice, friendly, helpful and warm."- Doug

"Thank you for the talk we had the other day. It really matters to me that I fully understand issues relating to Katja's treatment, and our conversation helped me to claify the situation. I appreciate the time you took to discuss her little mouth with all of its tribulations..." - Bruce

"Now that I have my braces off, I can smile freely and with confidence. I'm so proud of my new smile that I've taken to carrying around my "before and after" photo to show to friends!" - Jay

"Dear Dr. Vardy,
Thank you sooooooooo much for all your hard work. My teeth really look amazing and I have gotten many complements on them.
People have asked who my orthodontist way!" - Samantha

Dr. Vardy responded "Cha, since you don't want to wear visible
braces, I suggest we use lingual braces on you. Before you know it, your teeth and
smile will be perfect." Dr. Vardy corrected Cha's teeth within a year and a half. "People
ask me if these are my own teeth since they look so great! I never had anyone comment
on my smile and teeth before!"- Cha

What our patients have said

"She (Dr. Vardy) is very smart and cares about getting all the details just right. She also is concerned that our family understands each step of the process and takes the time to explain why it is being done." - Laura

"My orthodontist, Dr. Iris Vardy, is very thorough and meticulous. She is also sensitive to childrens fears and is a highly competent individual interims of dissolving any notions about the discomforts of orthodontia." - Fontaine

"Dr. Vardy is the best. She is always accomadating and does her utmost for her patients. She is concerned, caring and extremely competent." - Joy

"The combination of professionalism and warm atmosphere. The staff is knowledgeable and very gracious. One thing I was dismayed to see at our visit yesterday was a television in the waiting room and it was on. This takes away from the the comfortable atmosphere I always associated with the waiting room- it is intrusive." - Nina

"Her skill and knowledge, her ability to comfort parents and children, her availability, her work ethics, her personality, her office." - Beth

Early Treatment - Great Results

As early as the age of 7, it is possible to redirect growth to restore function and self-esteem. Early/Phase 1 Interceptive treatment is generally limited to one year and is determined by a bite or facial growth pattern that if left unattended will result in a negative consequence.

Initial	Final
Initial	Final
Initial	Final

Orthodontic First Aid

True orthodontic emergencies are very rare, but when they do occur we are available to you. As a general rule, you should call the office when you experience severe pain or when you have a painful appliance problem that you can't take care of yourself. We'll be able to schedule an appointment to resolve the problem.

You might be surprised to learn that you may be able to temporarily solve many problems yourself until you schedule an appointment with our office. When working with your appliances, you need to know the names of the parts of your appliances so you are able to identify what part is broken or out of place. After alleviating your discomfort, it is very important that you still call our office as soon as possible to schedule a time to repair the problem. Allowing your appliance to remain damaged for an extended period of time may result in disruptions in your treatment plan.

The following solutions may help you relieve your discomfort:

- Poking Wire -

Using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down or place wax on it to alleviate the discomfort.

- Loose Bracket or Band -

If your bracket or band is still attached to the wire, you should leave it in place and put wax on it. If the wire comes out entirely, wrap the bracket with a tissue.

- Loose Wire -

Using tweezers, try to place your wire back into place. If you do this and using wax does not help, as a last resort use a small fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If your discomfort continues, place wax on it and call our office.

- Loose Appliance -

If your appliance is poking you, place wax on the offending part of your appliance.

- Headgear Does Not Fit -

Sometimes headgear discomfort is caused by not wearing the headgear as instructed by your orthodontist. If the facebow is bent, please call our office for assistance. Surprisingly, the headgear may hurt less if it's worn more, so be sure you're getting in the prescribed hours.

- General Soreness -

When you get your braces on, you may feel general soreness in your mouth and teeth may be tender to biting pressures for three to five days. This can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm saltwater mouthwash. Dissolve one teaspoonful of salt in 8 ounces of warm water, and rinse your mouth vigorously. Placing Orabase® on the affected area may help; this can be found in your local pharmacy. If the tenderness is severe, take Aspirin or whatever you normally take for headache or similar pain.

The lips, cheeks and tongue may also become irritated for one to two weeks as they toughen and become accustomed to the surface of the braces. You can put wax on the braces to lessen this. We'll show you how!