Orthodontics
Early Orthodontic/Orthopedic Intervention
As baby teeth come in, certain jaw discrepancies become apparent. In these cases, Dr. Rutrick uses the baby teeth as "handles" to the bony structures, which are still pliable at such a young age, to prevent or arrest a negative growth pattern from fully developing. Managing the growth of the face and jaws with early treatment can bring about dramatic and beautiful results (click to open case study in a pop-up window), at times even avoiding the need for jaw surgery later. Our staff has been trained to work with small children. Because their visits seem almost like play-time, they feel comfortable and are more cooperative. It's a win-win situation!
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Non-Extraction Orthodontics
When treating adults, Dr. Rutrick uses creative orthodontic appliances, braces, and Invisalign (where indicated) to create beautiful smiles with minimal disruption to the patient's usual activities.
Adult Orthodontics
Jaw Surgery
Dr. Rutrick has seen many patients as a second opinion regarding surgical procedures, and is often able to treat these cases successfully without surgery. On those occasions where surgery is required, pre-surgical and post-surgical orthodontic treatment is critical to an optimal outcome. When the jaw relationship is reset, the teeth must be positioned so that they fit together to maintain jaw stability and pain-free function as well as aesthetic appearance.
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What do you do when the teeth are so crowded that there doesn't seem to be enough room? The usual solution is to remove some teeth to free up space for those that remain. However, in most cases … permanent teeth do NOT need to be pulled.Instead, Dr. Rutrick makes custom appliances and custom arch wires for braces to properly fit all of the teeth, WITHOUT removing any.
This is particularly critical as facial structures develop in children and adolescents. When permanent teeth are removed, the size of the arch actually shrinks, and the resulting jaw is smaller in relation to the nose and chin. This means the lower third of the face looks disproportionate. Functionally and aesthetically, it is better to augment jaw development, permitting the patient to keep all of the natural teeth.Preserving the teeth is less traumatic for the patient and allows the development of a healthy, beautiful smile with pain-free jaw function.