smile services

Picture of Dr. Cunningham with her patient.

A Smile Built for You

Dr. Cunningham believes in a personalized approach to orthodontic care for children, teens, and adults. Every smile is unique and requires an orthodontic strategy designed to achieve the best smile possible. As an orthodontic specialist, her extensive training and experience allows her to craft beautifully straight smiles patients will love to share.

“Dr. Cunningham and team are exceptionally professional, talented and client focused. My daughter was transferred into their care and Dr. Cunningham immediately found a better solution with her braces. They take immense pride in their work and I know my daughter is in the best hands!”

Susan B.

Benefits of Orthodontics

Increased Confidence

An attractive smile increases self-esteem, confidence, and overall appearance. Helping children experience a beautifully straight smile gives them the freedom to share their smile often.

Lifelong Oral Health

Orthodontically corrected teeth lead to better lifelong oral health. They are easier to clean and less prone to chipping and decay, while also reducing the chance of gingivitis and gum disease.

Common Reasons for Orthodontic Care

Teeth crowding
Jaw misalignment (open bite, overbite, underbite)
Missing teeth
Spacing issues
Protruding front teeth

A picture showing how the brace is attached to the teeth.

Orthodontic Treatment Options

Self-Ligating Braces

Self-ligating braces are made from the same materials as traditional braces; however, self-ligating braces do not require the use of elastics, meaning fewer appointments and less friction being placed on the tooth. Self-ligating braces come with traditional metal, ceramic, or clear brackets. They are the same size as metal braces, but with more options they can provide a more aesthetic appearance, particularly for adult patients.

Invisalign®

Invisalign® creates beautifully straight teeth without braces by using a series of removable, and comfortable aligners – invisible to your friends, family and coworkers. Because the aligners are removable, you can eat and drink what you want while in treatment. Plus, brushing and flossing are much easier. Invisalign® provides a more flexible straight-teeth solution.

Invisalign® Teen

Invisalign® Teen helps teenagers experience the confidence boost of a great smile without the restrictions of traditional metal braces. As a bonus, Invisalign® Teen is covered by many major dental insurance policies.

Carriere® Distalizer™ Appliance

The Carriere Distalizer is an orthodontic device developed to correct a bite without removing permanent teeth when teeth have erupted incorrectly. With an effect similar to headgear, but without using headgear, the Carriere Distalizer pushes upper teeth back to create a corrected bite prior to the addition of braces.

Palatal Expander

The palatal expander “expands” (or widens) your upper jaw by putting gentle pressure on your upper molars each time an adjustment is made. When you achieve the desired expansion, you will wear the appliance for several months to solidify the expansion and to prevent regression.

Temporary Anchorage Device (TADS)

Temporary anchorage devices, or TADs, are small titanium anchors used in certain orthodontic cases to help achieve quicker tooth movement with more efficiency and comfort. TADs may be used in addition to braces or as an alternative to headgear.

Same-Day Braces

Cutting-edge orthodontic technology allows Dr. Cunningham to speed up the traditional braces process significantly. Instead of rearranging your schedule to make a series of orthodontic appointments, your consultation, teeth cleaning, and braces application can occur in one convenient visit.

Bollard Plates

Using elastic force to pull the upper jaw forward, bollard plates, or bone-anchored maxillary protraction (BAMP), is a treatment typically suitable for 11-14 year olds to suspend the growth of the lower jaw. Elastic bands are attached to surgically-placed hooks on the upper and lower jaws, gently pulling the lower jaw back into correct positioning for proper bite alignment.

MARPE (Miniscrew-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion)

Traditional expanders use the teeth as anchors, whereas MAPRE works by using mini-screws to apply direct pressure to the midpalatal suture. This allows for a gentle, gradual expansion of the maxillary bone (upper jaw) to allow for treatment of overcrowded teeth or airway obstruction.

Empower® 2 Metal Brackets

Designed with patients’ comfort in mind, the Empower® 2 Metal Brackets provide versatility and the ability to customize your treatment to your specific needs. The advanced design features smooth, rounded edges (meaning no sharp points cutting into your gums), high-tech wires and secure clips, and allows for quicker, more comfortable adjustments.

Two-phase orthodontic treatment

Two-phase orthodontic treatment is a specialized process combining tooth straightening and physical, facial changes. The purpose of two-phase treatment is to maximize the opportunity to accomplish the ideal healthy, functional, and aesthetic result that will remain stable throughout your life.

Phase One

The goal of Phase-One treatment is to help the jaw develop in a way that will accommodate all of the permanent teeth and improve the way the upper and lower jaws fit together.

Phase Two

The goal of the second phase is to make sure each tooth has an exact location in the mouth where it is in harmony with the lips, cheeks, tongue, and other teeth. When this equilibrium is established, the teeth will function together properly. Phase two usually involves full upper and lower braces.

Resting Period

In this phase, the remaining permanent teeth are left alone as they erupt.

What age should my child see an Orthodontist?

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a check-up with an orthodontic specialist no later than age 7. Interceptive orthodontic treatment around this time can help direct proper tooth positioning and/or jaw growth, eliminating or simplifying the need for later treatment. Early orthodontic evaluation will give your child their best opportunity for a healthy, beautiful smile.

Early treatment gives Dr. Cunningham the opportunity to:
• Guide jaw growth
• Lower the risk of trauma to protruded front teeth
• Correct harmful oral habits
• Improve the function and health of your child’s bite
• Improve appearance

Free Consultation

An orthodontic consultation with Dr. Cunningham is free and informative. As a board certified orthodontist, she is trained to spot potential concerns with future jaw issues or emerging teeth. Your child’s bite may be fully healthy, or Dr. Cunningham may need to monitor potential concerns or intervene early to help lay the foundation for a healthy smile. Early treatment may prevent more serious problems from developing and may make treatment at a later age unnecessary or less complicated.

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Enjoy a Complimentary Consultation. Call 512-858-1311 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit. We’ll be in touch soon.

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