Treatment options
Braces, clear braces, Invisalign, expanders, and early treatment. What each option does and how CDZ Ortho decides which one fits your case.
The options
Metal braces. Stainless steel brackets bonded to the front of each tooth, connected by a wire. The most versatile option and the one that handles the widest range of cases.
Clear braces. The same system with ceramic brackets that match tooth color. Less visible than metal. Slightly more fragile, and usually placed on the upper teeth where visibility matters most.
Invisalign®. A series of removable clear aligners, each one moving the teeth a small amount. Nothing is bonded to the teeth. Suitable for most cases where the patient will wear them consistently.
Palatal expander. A fixed appliance that widens the upper jaw. Used in children whose upper arch is too narrow, usually before the growth plate in the palate fuses.
Space maintainers. A small appliance that holds a gap open after a baby tooth is lost early, so the adult tooth underneath has room to come in.
Retainers. Worn after active treatment to hold teeth in their new positions.
How the option is chosen
The decision depends on what is being corrected, how much movement is needed, the patient’s age, and whether the teeth or the jaw relationship is the problem.
Some cases can be treated equally well with braces or aligners. In those cases the choice is yours. Others have a clear answer: significant rotations, large vertical movements, or cases requiring substantial jaw correction generally do better with braces.
Dr. Cen will tell you when there is a genuine choice and when there is not.
Treatment that is not offered
CDZ Ortho does not offer mail-order aligners or treatment without an in-person examination. Aligners ordered from a kit and monitored without a clinician have been associated with unwanted tooth movement, bite problems, and root damage. Every treatment plan here starts with an exam and a scan.