Step 1: The New Patient Exam
Your first visit starts with records — diagnostic X-rays and photos taken by our assistant — which Dr. Lovinescu uses to determine the course of treatment. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends every child get checked by an orthodontist around age seven.
The iTero Scanner: No Goopy Impressions
Don’t like the mess and stress of traditional impressions? Our iTero scanner is fast and simple. We use scans for retainers, habit appliances, Rapid Palatal Expanders (RPE), and Invisalign. For fixed appliances, a lab fabricates the appliance from your child’s scan, and separators are placed between the teeth 1–2 weeks before delivery to minimize office visits.
Fixed Appliance Therapy
Fixed appliances are bonded to the teeth with dental adhesive. The most frequently used is the RPE — Rapid Palatal Expander — which goes on the upper arch to widen a narrow palate.
Phase 1 Braces (Interceptive Treatment)
Phase 1 patients usually need braces on the upper or lower arch — not both at once. Typically the upper arch gets braces from baby molar to baby molar, with some brackets on primary teeth. If a primary tooth with a bracket comes out, don’t worry — it’s not an emergency; the color tie can be removed, or it can wait for the next appointment.
Most Phase 1 cases run about 12 months, with visits roughly eight weeks apart.
Full Braces (Comprehensive Treatment)
For older patients who need top and bottom braces to align teeth, close spacing, and correct the bite — with elastics placed and removed by the patient. A typical case runs 18–24 months, with visits about six weeks apart.
Most comprehensive cases finish with clear Essix retainers, worn nightly 8–10 hours until age 18. Hawley retainers are seldom recommended unless a parent requests one, and permanent retainers are generally not recommended due to maintenance and cleaning issues.
Invisalign
Typically for the older candidate who’d prefer not to have traditional braces. Aligners are worn 22 hours a day, removed only for eating and brushing, with visits about 10 weeks apart. The outcome rides almost entirely on the patient’s cooperation. At completion, attachments come off and Essix retainers are made right in our office.
Retention: Keeping the Smile
We offer multiple ways to keep that amazing smile looking good and the bite aligned: clear Essix retainers, Hawley retainers with metal wires, and a lower fixed retainer where appropriate.
