Los Angeles Braces doctors

Michael J. Thomas, DDS Michael J. Thomas, DDS
Los Angeles Cosmetic Dentist
360 N. Bedford Drive Suite 212, Beverly Hills
5 answers
Henry Fung, DDS Henry Fung, DDS
Los Angeles Cosmetic Dentist
5424 E Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles
3 answers
Scott Bianchi, DDS Scott Bianchi, DDS
Los Angeles Orthodontist
2080 Century Park East Suite 1601, Los Angeles
Bill Dorfman, DDS Bill Dorfman, DDS
Los Angeles Cosmetic Dentist
2080 Century Park East Suite 1601, Los Angeles
Scott Newhart, DMD Scott Newhart, DMD
Los Angeles Orthodontist
416 N Bedford Drive, Beverly Hills

Recent Answers

Can Wearing Braces Also Alter Your Face Shape/profile?

I have a little asymmetry in my face and have quite a long face. My orthodontist is planning to fit a brace to my top teeth to widen the arch as it is quite narrow and I may need a head appliance at night to help pull my upper jaw slightly forward. My centre bite is also a little out and he is going to move that to the correct place. My teeth aren't that bad and the lower teeth are fine so I don't need a brace there. Can all this be done with just braces and will my face/jaw look better?

A: Facial Changes after Braces

The contour of the face and lips rely on two things:

  1. bone structure (the maxillary and mandibular bones, aka cheek bones and jaw, and teeth)
  2. facial tissue (the muscles and fat)

Just like people who have taken out the full dentures have their face shortened and lips caved in, protruding and misaligned teeth gives the face an uneven and unbalanced profile. 

Braces (orthodontic treatment) not only aligns the teeth for functional purposes but also cosmetically enhances the facial features to give a balanced and even look. 

For asymmetrical profiles with elongation and overbite, and depending on severity of the situation, a head gear (also a type of brace) may be used in addition to brackets on the teeth for additional force necessary for the movement to achieve the desired and anticipated results.

Henry Fung, DDS
Los Angeles Cosmetic Dentist
Will Lips Change After Braces And Extraction Of Protruding Teeth?

Will a persons top lip (and area between their mouth and nose) get smaller after extraction and braces are used to fixed protruding teeth?

A: Facial and Lip Changes After Extraction and Braces

The contour of the face and lips rely on two things:

  1. bone structure (the maxillary and mandibular bones, aka cheek bones and jaw, and teeth)
  2. facial tissue (the muscles and fat)

Just like people who have taken out the full dentures have their face shortened and lips caved in, protruding and misaligned teeth gives the face an uneven and unbalanced profile. 

Braces (orthodontic treatment) not only aligns the teeth for functional purposes but also cosmetically enhances the facial features to give a balanced and even look.  Under different circumstances and goals, a dentist would extract protruding teeth followed by braces to fill in the gaps or realign them with the rest of the teeth.

Henry Fung, DDS
Los Angeles Cosmetic Dentist
Braces Vs Invisalign for Receding Gums

What would be the best form of braces if you have receeding gums? My front of teeth sit out too much and the front 2 are crooked. I would be keen for a quick fix such as the Invisaligh Lite braces however I am unsure if this would be wise with my associated receeding gum problem.

My 2nd option would be for the lingual braces (behing the teeth) however, I am put off by this due to the length of time it takes to see improvement. The tradational braces are not an option I want discretion!

A: Invisalign is best for invisable teeth straightening.

Gum recession can be caused by gum disease and traditional braces,even the lingual braces prevent you from properly brushing and flossing. The easy answer is clearly Invisalign..They are completely removable for cleaning and dont cause a flossing problem..

Michael J. Thomas, DDS
Los Angeles Cosmetic Dentist
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