"Healing is a matter of time but also a matter of opportunity"
Hippocrates
ALF
Advanced Lightwire Functional
We are grateful to offer a gentle, individual child, body-centered approach to oral health that carefully expands the dental arches to support optimal jaw development.
A Whole Body Approach
Rather than dictating the position of every single tooth as with braces, ALF lightwire orthotropic therapy uses minimal force, allowing the teeth to settle in a neutral zone, leading to more stable long-term results and better facial development.
ALF Advantages
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Creates a beautiful and healthy smile
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Much less painful than braces
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Removable when necessary
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Barely visible, which makes it cosmetically pleasing
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Focused on healthy facial structure development
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Whole body approach
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Minimal force
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More stable long-term results than with braces
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Preserving & improving the airway
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Leads to well-developed faces, minimizing the risk for TMJ problems
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Addresses some of the underlying causes for misaligned teeth and bite problems
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Leading to straight teeth and a beautiful smile as a natural treatment outcome
Who can benefit from ALF?
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Lightwire Orthodontics therapy can benefit anyone, with crowding or airway issues. Ideal treatment starts at the early stage of mixed dentition.
Some early indications of need for expansion are:
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Children 5-7 years old:
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No gaps between primary teeth
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Cross-bite
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Mouth breathing
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Restricted mouth opening
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Lots of facial muscle activity during swallowing
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Children 8 years and older:
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Crooked teeth (not enough room)
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'Buck teeth' (upper front teeth sticking out)
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'Under-bite' (lower front teeth further forward than upper front teeth)
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Cross-bite
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Mouth breathing
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TMJ discomfort
ALF Philosophy
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Advaced Lightwire Functional is a whole body oriented orthodontic and orthotropic treatment. This approach is gentle and designed to support the healthy alignment of teeth and overall facial structure.
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The ALF appliance aims to develop the upper jaw and the mid-face forward to functionally accommodate all of our teeth.
Rather than possibly pulling teeth to create space, we work on creating the natural space needed to fit our inherent dentition.
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The action of the ALF system complements the intuitive power of the body to grow. This symbiosis leads to reaching a child's full potential while creating stable results.
Why start treatment at a young age?
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Children get maximum advantage from ALF treatment while they are still growing
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When a child has early signs of crowded teeth, likely poor facial development will also occur
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Maxilla (upper jaw bone) follows the growth pattern of the brain:
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by age 4 ➟ facial skeleton has reached 60% of its adult size
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by age 12 ➟ 90% of growth has occurred
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Mandible (lower jaw bone) follows growth of the rest of the skeleton
Teenagers and adults can also greatly benefit from ALF treatments when indicated. However our practice is limited in ALF treatment for children only at this time.
ALF Therapy works best in conjuction with Myofuntional Therapy and Osteopathic Care.
