Find Your Perfect Treatment
At Doleski & Wolford Orthodontics, you can choose from the latest treatments to get the beautiful, healthy smile you deserve. When you visit our Erie, Lawrence Park, or Corry office, you’ll get a personalized plan to reach your smile goals.
Treatments for Every Smile
At Doleski & Wolford Orthodontics, we offer a variety of additional treatments to address unique orthodontic needs and give you the healthiest smile.
These treatments include expanders and functional appliances that correct specific dental issues and improve your results.
Expanders
Expanders, also known as palatal or orthodontic expanders, are devices that widen the upper jaw (palate) to create more space for teeth alignment. This treatment is particularly effective for children and adolescents whose jaws are still growing but can also benefit some adults.
Expanders are custom-made to fit your mouth and are typically attached to the upper molars with bands or bonded directly to the teeth.
The device features a screw in the middle, which is gradually turned to apply gentle pressure on the palatal bones. This pressure causes the bones to gradually move apart, widening the upper jaw over time.
Dr. Doleski and Dr. Wolford may recommend expanders if you have:
- Crossbites: Where the upper teeth fit inside the lower teeth
- Crowded teeth: To create space for teeth to move into their correct positions
- Impacted teeth: To help teeth that are blocked from emerging properly
Functional Appliances
Functional appliances are orthodontic devices that correct jaw discrepancies and guide the growth of the jaws into better positions.
These appliances are particularly effective for young patients whose jaws are still developing but can also be used in adults with certain modifications.
Functional appliances influence the position and growth of the jaws. They can be removable or fixed, depending on what your smile needs. These devices encourage proper jaw alignment and improve bite function by applying gentle forces to the teeth and jaws.
Types of appliances include:
- Forsus appliance: A discreet, fixed orthodontic device that gently corrects bite issues by guiding the upper and lower teeth into perfect alignment
Dr. Doleski and Dr. Wolford may recommend functional appliances if you have:
- Overbites: Where the upper teeth excessively overlap the lower teeth
- Underbites: Where the lower teeth protrude past the upper teeth
- Jaw misalignment: To correct discrepancies in jaw positioning and improve bite function