Orthodontics
Non-Extraction, Non-Retraction Orthodontics for Adults and Children
We offer a wide range of orthodontic treatments in Victoria, Texas including braces, clear aligners/Invisalign, early orthodontic expansion, and minimally invasive surgical expansion to correct overbites and underbites. Dr. Rainey has over 15 years of orthodontic experience, including advanced training in clear aligners, orthodontic expansion in children, and braces. Being a general dentist for 20 years, Dr. Rainey has seen how retractive traditional orthodontics can affect a patient’s TMJ pain and crowd the airway by pushing the tongue toward the throat. Our goal is to create a beautiful, straight smile, without decreasing room in the mouth that could possibly crowd the airway.
Our Orthodontic Approach
Our orthodontic goal is always non-retractive and non-extraction treatment for adults and children. Whenever possible, early orthodontic expansion can be life-changing for a child’s overall health as they grow. With adults, we always strive to create a broad and beautiful smile that either maintains or increases the tongue space. Anything that reduces the tongue space could decrease the airway size. Dr. Rainey is a Diplomate of the Board of Dental Sleep Medicine and approaches orthodontic treatment based on his understanding of the connection between sleep-disordered breathing problems and the airway.
Braces
Non-extraction, non-retraction Braces for Adults and Children
Orthodontic braces are often preferred for our younger patients, but they are appropriate for many adults as well. Our advanced brackets are low profile and low friction, and we use super light flexible wires that deliver a sustained gentle force that makes braces more comfortable.
Our braces treatment goals focus on maintaining or improving the airway.
- We want our braces not to retract the teeth toward the airway.
- We do not extract permanent teeth or do serial extractions in order to straighten teeth. Doing so could reduce jaw size creating a smaller airway.
- We do not do traditional retractive headgear with braces. These tend to pull the midface back, and we want the face to grow forward.
Early Orthodontics/ Expansion or Arch Development
Early orthodontic treatment is done while the child is growing in order to correct jaw growth deficiencies and help jaws develop to their potential. Most treatments typically include different types of custom expanders that stimulate jaw expansion and growth. Reverse-pull face masks are sometimes utilized to promote forward jaw growth when necessary.
Early intervention is key. Children should be evaluated by the age of four to see if there is a jaw size deficiency (orthopedic) or a tooth alignment problem (orthodontic). Our goal is to guide the growth of the upper and/or lower jaw to make enough space for the eruption of all the permanent teeth, as well as room for the tongue. If you know of someone who had teeth removed for orthodontics, chances are that their jaws just did not develop wide enough to fit all the teeth. Orthodontic expansion can widen the jaws so that when the larger permanent teeth erupt they are more likely to fit.
Early orthodontic treatment can be used to correct the overcrowding of teeth, overbites, and underbites. Early corrective measures can minimize later surgeries needed to fix these issues.
Benefits of early orthodontic treatment or interceptive orthodontics include:
- Improves facial profiles
- Expanders widen the dental arches and make more room for the tongue
- Can eliminate or reduce the amount of time spent in fixed braces
- Frequently eliminates the need for the extraction of permanent teeth or serial extractions
- Decreases nasal airflow resistance
- Eliminates airway constriction
- Creates beautiful broad smiles by developing the arches
Clear Aligners, Including Invisalign®
Clear aligners are another way to say “clear braces”. Like traditional braces, clear aligners are made to move teeth, only they do so without using any metal. Clear aligners are discreet, comfortable, and preferred by many teens and adults for their almost-invisible appearance. We custom design every orthodontic aligner case in our office, which allows for better results and efficiency for our patients. Dr. Rainey has also been an Invisalign provider for over 15 years. Most clear aligner treatments are set up by a technician in another country that never meets the patient, and may or may not have much input from the treating doctor.
Actual Patient Results
Actual Patient Results
Maxillary Skeletal Expanders/ MSE
The MSE is a micro-implant-assisted rapid palatal expander. When we need extra expansion in a child or in an adult that is not growing, the MSE is able to overcome the resistance of the plates in the palate to expand the upper arch. We place the device with a local anesthetic using four temporary micro-implants in the palate. The extra anchorage with the implants allows for movement of the palatal bones that you sometimes cannot achieve with a traditional palatal expander.
