Youth Braces

As parents, we all want the best for our children. We want them to succeed, to have the best life can offer. Part of succeeding in life is feeling confident. Being able to make a good first impression helps that confidence. A great smile goes a long way.

Dr. Westman’s office offer a number of options if your children need braces to achieve that great smile and correct bite problems to prevent future TMJ, headaches, etc.

How will I know if my child needs braces?

Dr. Westman in Racine can determine if your child needs orthodontic treatment. He will go through the options that are available and which type of braces are best for your child’s needs.

Does it make sense to wait until my child is a teenager and has stopped growing?

Isn’t seven years old awfully young? Read on..If you wait untll your child is older, a lot of damage could have occurred by then. By age 12, almost 90 per cent of facial growth has been completed. By that point, most problems can be difficult to correct without surgery. An option everyone wants to avoid if possible.

Dr. Westman will work with you to determine what suits your needs and budget.

I am an adult…what are my options?

I want to avoid a mouth full of braces and a long treatment time. What are my options?

Dr. Westman offers ‘invisible’ braces and conventional (porcelain and metal brackets and wires) braces for children and adults. Our patients choose orthodontics by Dr. Westman because they provide maximum comfort and the prevention or elimination of headaches and jaw discomfort.

I don’t want to wear braces! Is there another option?

We can also use Instant Orthodontics to give you a straight smile with even, properly aligned teeth in a matter of weeks. You’ll get the same result as traditional orthodontics, but in far less time and no braces or other appliances.

To do this, Dr. Westman places a natural looking, thin ceramic shell of material which has been color-matched to your own teeth, over the front surface of your tooth. They will look natural and be just as strong as your own natural teeth.

You won’t be able to see the difference and they will be just as strong as your own teeth.

How long does this procedure take? What does it involve?

Normally, this involves four procedures over a period of about a month. On your first visit, Dr. Westman will consult with you to determine the best course of action for you. If you want to proceed, a timetable will be set up.

On your second visit, Dr. Westman will make a mold of the teeth that he will cover with the veneers. The mold will be used to create the veneers. He will also need to lightly shave down your own teeth so that when the veneer is placed, this will accommodate the additional thickness. The mold is then sent to a dental lab.

About two weeks later, the veneers will be ready and can be bonded to your teeth. As it’s important to make sure the fit is exact, this can take several hours.

A follow-up appointment is then scheduled to clean up any remaining excess cement and fine tune the bite. The result…natural looking straight teeth and a great smile! No metal in your mouth, no headgear and an almost instant results.

I know I need braces, but I can’t afford them

Our Flexible Payment Plans will ensure you get the treatments you need. Dr. Westman can help you find alternative payment options.

Invisalign braces for kids & adults
Effective, comfortable and removable

Invisalign, just what it sounds like

Almost invisible, an Invisalign treatment is a series of aligners that you switch out about every two weeks as your teeth gradually move.

Each aligner is precision fit to your exact measurements to shift your teeth.

Dr. Westman custom-fits them to your mouth, you end up with a straight smile – perfect for you!

Invisalign works for…

• Crowded teeth — not enough room within your jaw for all of your teeth to fit normally. Left untreated, this can lead to dental decay, gum disease and interfere with your bite, resulting in TMJ.
• Widely spaced teeth – missing teeth or abnormal continued growth of the jaw bone. If you have space between your teeth, this can lead to bacteria build-up and then to gum disease.
• Cross-bite — the upper and lower jaws are misaligned. This can cause wear and tear on your teeth, and the consequences can be serious — gum disease and bone loss.
• Overbite — the upper teeth bite over the lower teeth. This is caused by genetics, bad oral habits or over development of the bone supporting the teeth. Again, the consequences for you can be bad oral health – gum problems or irritation, wear on the lower teeth and pain and problems with the jaw and jaw joint
• Underbite — the lower teeth protrude past the top teeth. This is usually caused by undergrowth of the upper jaw, overgrowth of the lower jaw, or both, or by missing upper teeth. An underbite can prevent the teeth and molars from functioning normally, leading to tooth wear, jaw and joint problems.

How does the Bioliners™ Plus work?

You will receive a series of custom made Bioliners™. Each series includes two aligners. One aligner, the Bioliner™, has soft clear silicone inserts which gently pushes on the teeth causing them to move. This aligner achieves the bulk of the movement and is worn for approximatley 2 weeks.

The second aligner, the Plus, is more rigid, and completes the remaining movement. The Plus aligner is worn for another 2 weeks. After you have completed the first set of Bioliners™, if more movement is needed, the doctor will give you another series of Bioliners™.

Choose Invisalign braces Racine WI by Dr. Westman. He can help create a custom program for you to deal with your dental or orthodontic issues. He is an experienced Invisalign and Bioliners™ dentist and can determine if this procedure is the best treatment for your needs.