Treatment information
Which appliances are best for me?
Braces, expanders, Invisalign, retainers,
Aligners
a series of clear plastic trays which fit over teeth and move a few teeth a small amount with each aligner. Requires patient to be compliant with wearing the trays to achieve desired results
Braces
Metal appliances are glued to the surface of teeth. A flexible wire is held into each brace and applies a small force to move all teeth at once. Requires increased oral hygiene to clean around the metal.
Rapid Palatal expander
Creates space utilizing midline growth suture. Essential for many cross bite corrections and to prevent or fix trapped upper canine teeth
Retainers
Hold teeth in their new positions. May be removable or glued into place. Removable retainers are generally worn just at night after the first several months of frequent wear.
Why Choose us?
Many offices delegate the bulk of orthodontic adjustments to a staff member. This works well for large practices as it allows the doctor to see more patients. As a consequence of seeing more people, the doctor spends less time guiding the treatment. We keep our office small which means the bulk of your treatment will be provided by Dr Thompson himself!
- Experience: 24 years in orthodontics, 23 years with Invisalign
- Reputation: Small office focused on quality individualized treatment
What is the difference between a preferred provider and an orthodontist?
A preferred provider with Invisalign describes a business relationship based on how many lab cases are purchased. The orthodontic experience of the doctor is secondary to financial interests. An Orthodontist is a specialist in orthodontics and requires 2 to 3 years of additional training in a university residency program.
- Orthodontist- Specialist in orthodontics. Can utilize any appliance system including aligners.
- Preferred Provider- Any dentist who sends lots of business to Invisalign. It is possible to be preferred provider without having ever successfully completed orthodontic treatment on a patient.
- Aligner training for general dentists- 12 hour class on a weekend. Patients generally have longer treatment times due to inexperience.