Jaw Surgery Specialist
Griggs Orthodontics
Reginald A. Griggs, DDS
Orthodontist located in Castro Valley, CA
A beautiful smile goes a long way in helping you feel confident. But, overcrowding of the teeth or jaws that don’t align properly can make you feel self-conscious about how your smile looks. With years of experience in dentofacial orthopedics, Dr. Reginald Griggs and the team at Griggs Orthodontics have been helping children and adults in Castro Valley, California, feel confident in their smiles again. If you or your child have overcrowded teeth or other orthodontic issues, be sure to schedule your appointment with Griggs Orthodontics, either by phone or online, today.
Jaw Surgery Q & A
What is dentofacial orthopedics?
The word “orthodontist” is pretty well-known. But, you probably haven’t heard of dentofacial orthopedics. This specialty involves more than just tooth straightening; it also requires physical changes to the jaw and teeth through treatments such as jaw surgery.
How does dentofacial orthopedics work?
Dentofacial orthopedics typically involves two phases of treatments with a rest phase between them.
In the first phase, Dr. Griggs and his team focus on developing the jaw size to accommodate all your teeth as well as ensuring the lower and upper jaws fit together correctly.
If issues are detected in these two areas during phase one, dentofacial orthopedists — like Dr. Griggs and his team — take action to correct them. They may remove permanent teeth to create more space, or they may perform jaw surgery to ensure the jaws are lining up correctly.
You then have a resting period in which any permanent teeth pop up if they haven’t already. Hopefully, the work done in phase one will prepare the mouth for these teeth, so they all fit without any problems.
The last part is Phase Two. Think of this phase as the final step to having a great smile well into the future. This phase may include the use of braces — followed by retainers — to permanently keep teeth in their proper place.
Who are the best candidates for this?
Though dentofacial orthopedics can benefit both adults and children, children benefit immensely from starting this treatment early.
Since children's jaws are not yet fully formed and their permanent teeth aren’t fully grown in, your doctor has more options to help guide their development without the use of surgery.
But, that’s not to say dentofacial orthopedics is not an option for adults. Adults seeking a straight smile can also benefit from treatment.
However, since their jaw and teeth are fully developed, guiding their development is not an option. Instead, the Griggs Orthodontic team uses jaw surgery to fix issues that emerge.
What are the benefits of treatment?
There are many benefits to dentofacial orthopedics, including:
- A beautiful smile
- Improved self-esteem that comes with feeling confident in your smile
If you need dentofacial orthopedics to treat jaw and tooth development concerns, Dr. Griggs and the team can help. Be sure to schedule your appointment online or over the phone today and get started on your way to having a smile you love.