Orthodontics
Orthodontics is available at these locations:
Straight teeth do more than look good. They are simpler to keep clean, they stand up better to decay and gum disease, and they take strain off your jaw and the bone that supports it. At Aesthetic Dentistry, our doctors provide orthodontic evaluation and treatment for patients of every age, correcting bite issues and alignment problems. With clear aligner therapy, we build a plan that fits your needs and your lifestyle.
What it is
Treatment that uses braces, aligners, or other appliances to correct how the teeth and bite (occlusion) line up, improving both function and appearance.
Who it's for
Children, teens, and adults whose crowded teeth, spacing, overbite, underbite, crossbite, or other alignment problems affect their oral health and the look of their smile.
How we help
A thorough orthodontic evaluation, a treatment plan tailored to you, and clear aligner therapy aimed at the best result at any age.
Healthier teeth start with straighter ones. Book an orthodontic evaluation for yourself or your child.
Why Orthodontic Treatment Matters
- Easier cleaning: Brushing and flossing reach more of a straight set of teeth, which lowers the risk of cavities and gum disease
- Better bite: When the bite lines up, chewing forces spread evenly and the teeth wear less
- Gum health: Plaque collects in the tight corners of misaligned teeth, leaving them more open to gum disease
- Reduced risk of injury: Teeth that stick out are easier to chip or injure
- Improved speech: Some bite problems get in the way of clear pronunciation
- Confidence: A straight, well-aligned smile leaves a positive impression in every interaction
Common Orthodontic Problems
- Crowding: Too little room in the jaw for every tooth to sit normally
- Spacing: Gaps that open up from missing teeth or a mismatch in jaw size
- Overbite: Upper front teeth that reach too far over the lower front teeth
- Underbite: Lower teeth that push out past the upper front teeth
- Crossbite: Upper teeth that close inside the lower teeth when you bite
- Open bite: Front teeth that stay apart even when the back teeth are closed
What Causes Orthodontic Problems?
- Genetics: Crowding, spacing, jaw size, and tooth position often run in families
- Childhood habits: Long-running thumb-sucking, pacifier use, or tongue thrusting can steer how teeth and jaws develop
- Early tooth loss: When baby teeth go too soon, the remaining teeth can drift and block the permanent ones
- Late tooth loss: Baby teeth that overstay their welcome can force permanent teeth into the wrong spots
- Periodontal disease: Advanced gum disease can let teeth drift and shift
- Trauma: A fall or other injury can knock teeth out of position and throw off alignment
Treatment Options
Traditional Braces
- Metal or ceramic brackets are bonded to the teeth, and an archwire applies gentle, steady pressure
- Of all the options, this is the most versatile, handling nearly any alignment or bite problem
- For a more discreet look, tooth-colored ceramic brackets are an option
- Today's braces are smaller, more comfortable, and more efficient than they have ever been
- Depending on the complexity, treatment generally runs 18 months to 3 years
- They shine on complex cases that clear aligners may not fully correct
Clear Aligners
- Custom-made, removable clear trays that straighten teeth bit by bit
- Nearly invisible, so most people will not notice them
- Out they come for eating, brushing, and flossing, with no food restrictions
- Treatment usually moves faster, around 12–18 months for most cases
- Best suited to mild to moderate crowding, spacing, and bite issues
- Find out more on our clear aligners page
Braces or clear aligners? We will help you land on the option that fits your smile and your lifestyle.
What to Expect at Your Visit
Visit Steps
- Evaluation: With digital X-rays and imaging, our doctors examine your teeth, bite, and jaw alignment
- Diagnosis: You get a plain explanation of your orthodontic issues and how they touch your oral health
- Treatment options: We lay out the approaches on the table, from braces to clear aligners to a combination, with the pros, cons, costs, and timeline of each
- Custom plan: A treatment plan is designed specifically around your case
- Ongoing care: Regular adjustment appointments keep an eye on progress and hold treatment on course
Helpful Tips
- The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a child's first orthodontic evaluation by age 7
- There is no age cap on the benefits of orthodontic treatment; it is never too late for an adult
- During treatment, good oral hygiene matters even more for keeping cavities and gum problems away
- If you have braces, steer clear of hard and sticky foods that can damage brackets and wires
- After treatment, retainers are essential for holding your results over the long term
- If your child loses a baby tooth early, ask about space maintainers
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Orthodontics has no age limit, and more adults than ever are straightening their teeth for health, appearance, or both. Teeth respond to gentle, steady pressure throughout life, not just in childhood, so the same forces that move a teenager's teeth work on an adult's too.
The main requirement is healthy teeth and gums to start with, since orthodontic treatment works best on a stable foundation; any gum disease or decay is simply treated first. Many adults are drawn to clear aligners because they are discreet and removable, which makes fitting treatment into professional and social life much easier. As long as the groundwork is healthy, orthodontics can work beautifully at any age.
How long orthodontic treatment takes hinges mostly on the complexity of your case, that is, how far the teeth and bite need to move. A simple case treated with clear aligners can run as little as 6–12 months, while a more involved one in traditional braces may take 18 months to 3 years.
A few other things influence the timeline too: your age, how your teeth respond, and, importantly, how consistently you follow the plan. With clear aligners that means wearing them the recommended number of hours each day; with braces it means keeping your adjustment appointments and protecting the brackets. At your consultation, our doctors will examine your case and give you a realistic timeline rather than a generic estimate.
Braces should not be painful, though it is normal to feel some mild soreness for a few days after they first go on, and again after each adjustment, when the teeth are beginning to shift. Most patients describe it as tenderness or pressure rather than real pain, and it fades as your mouth adjusts.
Over-the-counter pain relievers handle it easily, and soft foods help during those first few days. Today's braces are also far smaller, smoother, and more comfortable than the bulky systems many people remember. Clear aligners follow a similar pattern: a bit of pressure for a day or two each time you switch to a new tray, which most people find very manageable.
It comes down to two things: how complex your case is and what fits your lifestyle. A few points usually guide the decision:
- Clear aligners handle mild to moderate crowding, spacing, and bite issues, and they are nearly invisible and removable for eating and cleaning.
- Traditional braces take on the full range of cases, including the more complex bite and alignment problems aligners cannot fully correct.
- Clear aligners ask for discipline, since they only work while you are actually wearing them, whereas braces work around the clock on their own.
There is no single right answer, only the one that suits your teeth and your daily life, and our doctors will examine your case and help you decide which is best. Learn more about invisible braces.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first orthodontic evaluation by age 7. By then, enough permanent teeth have come in, and the jaw is still growing, so an orthodontist can spot developing problems with the bite or spacing that are not yet obvious to parents.
An early visit rarely means braces right away. In most cases it simply lets us monitor growth and time treatment well. When early treatment, sometimes called Phase 1, is warranted, it can guide jaw development, make room for incoming teeth, and head off more complex orthodontics later. For many children, catching things early makes the eventual treatment shorter and simpler.
Many dental insurance plans include orthodontic coverage, especially for children and teens, though the amount and any lifetime maximum vary, and adult coverage differs more widely from plan to plan. Orthodontic benefits often work differently from regular dental benefits, so it is worth checking the specifics of yours.
We make that easy: before treatment begins, we verify your benefits and give you a clear cost estimate at any of our Orland Park, Frankfort, and Oak Lawn offices. Because orthodontics is an investment spread over a year or more, we also offer flexible payment plans, and you can see our financing page for options that fit it into your budget.
Yes, and this part matters more than many people expect. Retainers are what hold your results in place once the braces come off or clear aligner treatment ends. Teeth have a natural tendency to drift back toward where they began, a process called relapse, and a retainer is what keeps the time and investment of orthodontics from slowly undoing itself.
The routine is straightforward. Most patients wear their retainer full-time for a few months right after treatment, then switch to nighttime-only wear for the long term. Think of it as the maintenance that protects your new smile: wear your retainer as directed and the results of your orthodontic treatment can last a lifetime.
A healthier, straighter smile is closer than you think. Book your orthodontic evaluation today.