Orthodontic treatment options in our Melbourne dental clinic
Get personalised orthodontic treatments to help you restore your beautiful smile at our Melbourne clinic. We check your progress and adjust your braces or aligners as your teeth move into place. It’s not just about getting a stunning smile but also professional support for your oral health for years to come.
Orthodontic Services
After checking your teeth and bite, your dentist will review your options and recommend what’s best for you. We can set up a payment plan to match your budget for braces. Here are the services we offer.
What is orthodontics?
Orthodontics is a specialised field of dentistry that deals with correcting jaw function and improperly aligned teeth. Orthodontic treatment can improve the appearance, function, and longevity of your teeth and gums.
Common orthodontic treatments at our Essendon dental practice include braces, aligners (clear braces), retainers and other appliances that apply gentle pressure to move teeth into their correct positions over time.
Orthodontic treatment is used to correct issues such as:
- Crowded or gapped teeth that make your smile look uneven.
- Bite problems such as overbites, underbites, or crossbites that affect chewing and jaw comfort.
- Midline misalignment, when the top and bottom teeth do not line up properly.
Why Do I Need Orthodontic Treatment?
People of all ages get orthodontic treatment to keep their teeth and jaw healthy. Crooked or crowded teeth can wear unevenly and sometimes cause jaw problems later on. If your bite isn’t correct, it can cause TMJ issues, which may bring headaches, neck pain, or shoulder discomfort.
Crowded teeth are also harder to clean, which increases the risk of cavities, gum disease, and bad breath. Straightening your teeth makes brushing and flossing easier.
We recommend good daily home care during treatment. Remove plaque from your teeth, gums, and braces every day to keep your treatment on track and protect your long-term dental health.
Orthodontic Treatment Options
We offer both discreet and traditional braces to match your needs.
- Traditional metal braces are very effective at moving teeth.
- Tooth-coloured brackets have a more discreet look, with only a small increase in cost.
- Clear aligners such as Invisalign and ClearCorrect straighten teeth without metal brackets or wires. The trays are nearly invisible and removable for eating and cleaning.
For more details, visit our Braces page.
Metal Braces or Clear Braces?
Your FirstBite Dental dentist will review your needs and recommend the option that is best for you. To see our results, visit our Orthodontic Case Studies page.
What are Gummy Smiles and Peg Laterals?
A gummy smile happens when too much gum shows above the teeth. It can be improved with gum contouring or orthodontic treatment.
Peg laterals are the small teeth next to the front ones that don’t fully develop and look smaller or pointier. They can be reshaped with bonding, veneers, or crowns for a more even smile.
When Can a Child Begin Orthodontic Treatment?
Most children are examined for orthodontic treatment between the ages of 7 and 12. At our Melbourne orthodontic clinic, kids of all ages visit the Hygiene Department for regular check-ups, where we monitor the development of their permanent teeth.In some cases, early preventative treatment can even eliminate the need for braces later on. Visit our Kids Orthodontics page for more information.
Straight Teeth Without Surgery
Sometimes surgery, such as tooth removal, is paired with braces to achieve the best results.
However, many patients are treated successfully without surgery, even if they were told it was the only option.
While surgery can help in some cases, it isn’t always necessary. Non-surgical treatments are very effective.
The patient below was told that surgery was the only way to correct their orthodontic problems. Their FirstBite orthodontic treatment was completed without orthognathic surgery.
FAQs About Orthodontics
How do I know if I need braces for my teeth?
Not surprisingly, the patients who walk through the door and say they need braces are doing so because they want a straight smile. And if that is what will make them feel happier with themselves then that’s a great choice.
From the other side of the view, your dentist is looking at your teeth and jawline and assessing if they are aligned and whether not fixing them could present more issues as you age. It’s our responsibility to let you know that treatment will benefit your in the long term.
How often do I need to visit the dentist during orthodontic treatment?
During orthodontic treatment, visits are scheduled depending what treatment you are receiving. If you have fixed metal braces you will visit every 6–8 weeks, however if you have ClearCorrect or Invisalign you will be required to visit every 2–4 weeks. It is also important to maintain your 6 monthly dental hygiene visits.
How long does orthodontic treatment take?
Orthodontic treatment at our dental clinic in Essendon can take anywhere from a few months up to 2–3 years for more complex cases. At your initial consultation, we will be able to give you an estimated timeframe of the treatment time.
What is a retainer?
Retainers are worn once orthodontic treatment is completed. The gums and bone need time to adapt to the way the teeth are aligned. Retainers can be a combination of removable or fixed, and depends on each person’s individual dental requirements.
How much do braces cost?
At your initial consultation, we will discuss the range of options that are available and the costs associated with it.
Are braces payment plans available at FirstBite Dental?
Yes of course. We require an initial deposit is required, with the balance of the price paid monthly over the course of the orthodontic treatment.
Learn more on our Dental Payment Plans page under Pricing and Payment in the menu.
Orthodontic Case Studies
Orthodontics will straighten your teeth. Whether you choose metal or clear braces, or invisible retainers, we can help you to have the smile you dream of. The biggest satisfaction for us comes from the change that this can have on a person’s life. The confidence that comes from being able to smile broadly has had a significant impact on many of our patients. Orthodontic treatment can give you much more than a straight smile.
Before & After: Orthodontics & Canine Exposure Surgery
This Essendon patient came to us with a complicated dental and orthodontic situation, which required surgery to expose an impacted canine tooth. We then needed to include the tooth in metal braces treatment.
Problem
The patient’s teeth weren’t properly aligned, and he wanted them to be straight. 3D scans showed his upper jaw had a canine tooth which hadn’t erupted. We found the canine lodged underneath the gums, impacting nearby teeth and causing movement problems and potential pain.
Treatment
Under local anaesthetic, we surgically removed the gum tissue surrounding the impacted canine tooth, so it was exposed. The next step was to apply traditional metal braces bracket to all the teeth, including the exposed canine, which moved into the same alignment as the existing teeth.
Treatment Time
3 years
Before & After: Orthodontics & Implants
This Airport West patient had misaligned teeth which were drifting backwards. She had also lost some teeth at the back of her mouth.
We provided the patient with information about all available options. We jointly decided on orthodontic braces to straighten the teeth, and two dental implants to fill the gaps caused by the lost teeth.
Problem
The patient lost teeth at the back of her mouth, and her front teeth were gradually moving backwards.
Both situations were causing misalignment issues and pain. In addition, her chewing function was also negatively affected.
Treatment
We began the orthodontic process by applying traditional metal braces to straighten the teeth. We regularly saw the patient to monitor movement and adjust the wires as needed.
We also affixed two dental implants to replace the missing teeth at the back of her mouth. Both treatments also prevented the teeth from future backwards movement
Treatment Time
12 months for the braces (the implants are permanent).
Before & After: Extraction Orthodontics with a Displaced Canine
This Niddrie patient had baby teeth that never fell out. However, retaining the baby teeth caused her teeth to become crooked, and prevented an adult canine tooth from erupting properly. She came to us to remove the baby teeth, realign the canine tooth and to straighten her adult teeth using metal braces.
Problem
As this patient had baby teeth that she never lost, they were causing problems for some other teeth needing to appear. In particular, an adult canine tooth became impacted in her palate. The adult canine tooth was not growing in the same alignment as her existing adult teeth. As a result, the patient began to experience pain and problems with chewing.
Treatment
We began treatment by extracting the baby teeth under local anaesthetic. The next phase of the treatment involved placing traditional metal braces across all teeth, including the impacted canine tooth which was residing in the palate. After a series of appointments where we monitored brackets, adjusted wires and examined the alignment, the patient had the straight teeth she needed.
Treatment Time
30 months
Before & After: Orthodontics with Premolar Extractions
Here’s a patient who came to us from Keilor East with significant overcrowding on both upper and lower jaws.
He was concerned that if action wasn’t taken soon, his teeth wouldn’t be able to function properly. He was also worried about how his teeth would look in the future.
Problem
This patient’s teeth were becoming severely misaligned due to overcrowding. Apart from the appearance factor, the patient was experiencing pain and problems with chewing. We worked out that we would need to remove four premolar teeth (responsible for helping transfer food from the chewing stage to the grinding stage of eating).
Extracting the premolars would reduce the crowding issue, making it easier to realign the teeth using traditional metal braces.
Treatment
We began the process by extracting the four premolar teeth (two from the upper jaw and two from the lower jaw) using local anaesthetic. After the gum tissue around the extracted areas had healed, we began the orthodontic process. We applied metal brackets to the teeth and connected them with wire. He visited us regularly for monitoring and adjustment.
Treatment Time
24 months
Before & After: Orthodontic Treatment for a Smile Lift
This Niddrie patient came to see us to correct her deep bite.
Problem
This patient had a deep bite, and was concerned that, without attention, her teeth would move further and make her bite more pronounced.
Treatment
We undertook pin surgery to lift the smile, and applied traditional metal braces to move the teeth to the correct bite position.
Treatment Time
24 months
Before & After: Orthodontics & Gum Surgery for a Low Upper Jaw
This Essendon patient presented with a complex orthodontic scenario, where her upper jaw was significantly low.
Problem
Her upper jaw was too low, causing misalignment problems and leading to chewing dysfunction.
The patient was also unhappy with the appearance, causing a reduction in confidence.
Treatment
We applied orthodontic pins, and over time with gradual tightening, the pins effectively lift the jawline. With the use of the pins, the upper teeth and jawline absorb back into the skeletal structure.
It sounds complex, but it’s a relatively simple and highly effective process. Just as braces shift the teeth and jawline, this case study applies the same process, but in a different way.
Treatment Time
Up to 2 years
Please Note: These before and after pictures are an example of what can be achieved. Please speak to an appropriately qualified dental health practitioner, even if it is for a second opinion, for options and what results you can expect to achieve. Your own results and the length of treatment will vary depending on your existing dental condition and other factors which can change the complexity of any procedure.
Arrange an appointment right now
Start the process of achieving a better smile today by arranging an appointment. Just call us or if out of hours use our simple request a callback from and we will call you back when we are open.
Call 9379 1893
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