Santa Monica Orthodontist Combines Traditional Braces and Invisalign for Best Results

April 20, 2009 –LOS ANGELES AND SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA –As patients become more educated about the types of orthodontic options available to them, many ask Santa Monica Orthodontist Dr. Atoosa Nikaeen about options that aren’t as noticeable as traditional braces.

However, even though treatment such as Invisalign can correct a wide variety of orthodontic issues and technological improvements continue to broaden the spectrum of cases that are treatable with Invisalign, there remain some cases that are too complicated for Invisalign alone, said Nikaeen, a Santa Monica Invisalign provider.

In those cases, the Santa Monica braces expert often recommends combining the old with the new: traditional braces and/or appliances combined with Invisalign treatment.

Combining Old and New

There are many traditional techniques, such as the use of rubber bands and different appliances that can be used in combination with Invisalign for achieving optimum results for patients.

“We also can use partial braces on some teeth that would be more difficult to move with Invisalign,” Nikaeen said.

Even in those cases, however, patients don’t have to worry about having highly noticeable braces on their teeth. Often the braces have to be placed just on the back teeth or the bottom teeth, neither of which is highly noticeable. Nikaeen also uses clear or ceramic brackets that more closely match the color of the natural teeth, making them less visible.

Invisalign cases that may require the use of some braces include severe rotation or tipping of the teeth or the long distance root movement of the teeth.

Rotation is when a tooth has turned to the point that it faces sideways instead of aligning properly alongside the surrounding teeth, Nikaeen said.

“The roots of the teeth need to be straight, just as the crowns of the teeth need to be straight,” Nikaeen said.

Rubber bands frequently are used in conjunction with Invisalign to correct overbite, underbite or to help with bite alignment and correction, she said. In those cases, clear attachments are affixed to the teeth to provide a stable mechanics to which the rubber bands can be attached.

“With the use of some appliances and rubber bands in combination with Invisalign for more severe cases, we ensure that we get the best results,” Nikaeen said.

Invisalign and Orthognathic Surgery

Nikaeen also uses Invisalign with patients who require orthognathic surgery. Orthognathic surgery involves surgically moving facial skeletal elements to achieve an appropriate functional and anatomic appearance in patients with facial structure and growth abnormalities that cannot be treated effectively with braces only.

There have been cases in which Nikaeen has used Invisalign to get the teeth into proper alignment prior to surgery to better prepare the teeth for the surgical procedure.

Learn More

If you would like to learn more about Invisalign in Santa Monica, visit Dr. Nikaeen’s Web site: www.invisibraces.com or call her office for a free consultation: (310) 444-1113.

About Dr. Atoosa Nikaeen

Dr. Nikaeen who is a Santa Monica orthodontist provider graduated with honors from dental school in 1993 and received a doctorate in dental surgery (DDS). She gained experience practicing general dentistry for several years before attending Columbia University School of Dentistry and Oral Surgeons in New York, where she earned her post-doctoral education in orthodontics and received an orthodontic specialty certificate.

In addition to running her practice, Dr. Nikaeen is a faculty member at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA) Orthodontic Department and teaches orthodontic residents.

Dr. Nikaeen’s Los Angeles practice serves patients throughout Southern California, including Beverly Hills and Santa Monica.

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