Fix Teeth Misalignment in Boulder, CO
Boulder County Smiles provides a number of varied orthodontic services so that you can get the treatment that’s right for your individual needs.
One of the invisible orthodontics treatments we’re excited about is the Alternative Lightwire Functional Appliance, or ALF appliance.
What Is an ALF Appliance?
The ALF is a light wire appliance that looks something like a retainer. It will be custom-fitted to your dental arches. When it is snapped into place, it provides a continuous light force to the jawbone and teeth.
The ALF wire sits behind your teeth, not in front of them, so on top of being gentle and effective, it is also a very discrete treatment.
This force is lighter than that produced by traditional braces. It also comes from the back of the teeth, rather than the front, making it a very different type of treatment for misaligned teeth.
Treating the Underlying Issues
The purpose of this light pressure is to resolve the underlying causes of crowded or misaligned teeth by addressing imbalanced facial aesthetics. ALF does this in three ways. It works to:
- Correct any slight skull misalignments that cause dental issues.
- Correct jaw misalignments such as underbites, overbites, overjets, crossbites, or open bites.
- Correct teeth misalignments.
The inventor of the ALF approach created it because he believed that the skull and the construction of the smile were tightly linked. Things such as thumb-sucking and jaw misalignment can have orthodontic consequences, such as an overbite. The ALF appliance treats those orthodontic consequences, leading to a resolution of other symptoms, such as headaches.
What Are The Benefits of the ALF Appliance?
Because ALF appliances work differently than most traditional misaligned teeth treatments, there are a number of unique benefits to the system.
Comfort
ALF is specifically designed to be lightweight. The light wires and small level of pressure make this appliance easy to wear and even easier to not worry about.
Invisible Orthodontics
ALF Appliances are aesthetically convenient. Because the wire and pressure come from behind, there is no outwardly visible aspect to worry about. No one will even know it’s there!
Maintenance
The ALF appliances are easy to clean and maintain. No complicated process or equipment is required.
Non-Extraction Orthodontics
ALF is designed to not only move teeth but to correct the jaw and oral structure itself. This gives us a chance to resolve overcrowding without extracting any teeth.
Unhampered Speech
Due to the light structure of the ALF appliance design, it allows you to speak clearly and confidently, with no troublesome inhibitions.
ALF for Pediatric Orthodontics
Alternative Lightwire Functional Appliances are designed for adults and children. They are especially beneficial for children, as they are not permanent nor do they require brackets and tightening.
A child’s teeth are particularly receptive to ALF, as ALF works with their bodies to adjust their smile, as well as their craniofacial structure. We can use ALF for adjusting airways, resolving thumb-sucking, and fixing early-development jaw misalignment.
Why Come to Boulder County Smiles for ALF?
ALF is a unique approach used by dentists who understand and value the whole-body connection. Improving your tooth alignment and craniofacial positioning can be an essential part of your wellness or your child’s wellness. We want to improve more than your smile, we want to improve your life.
Talk To Us About Invisible Orthodontics With ALF Appliances
If you are in need of a lightweight, comfortable, and convenient misaligned teeth treatment, the ALF Appliance may just be right for you. Dr. Gordon West and Dr. Andrew Johns, along with their expert staff, provide ALF Appliances at their practice in Lafayette, CO, to patients who come to see them from all across the area, including Lafayette, Boulder, and Broomfield, CO.
Contact Boulder County Smiles with any questions about ALF or to schedule an appointment.