Hillsdale Orthodontics

Only certified Orthodontists perform treatments with braces in Portland.

Ceramic braces in Portland will straighten your teeth anywhere from 6 months to 2 years for the majority of patients; however, always talk to your orthodontist as each case is different.

There are three basic steps before getting braces treatment in Portland. 1. Get a referral from your regular dentist to an Orthodontist. 2. Schedule a Consultation with your Orthodontist of choice. 3. Design your treatment with the help and suggestions of your Orthodontist, each patient is different, and treatment should be tailored made for the individual to have the best results.

Between 6-10 years of age is the earliest you can get braces. For adults, as long as your gums and jawbone structure are in good shape, it’s never too late.

Several treatments are considered oral surgery in Portland. They range from tooth removals to fully invasive orthognathic surgeries performed by oral and maxillofacial surgeons.

Orthodontic surgery can be anywhere from $20,000 to $40,000, depending on many factors. Oral and Maxillofacial surgeons perform orthognathic surgery to fix severe alignment and developmental problems. Corrective jaw surgery costs depend on various factors, including these:

Type of surgery: in-patient or out-patient
The severity of misalignment
Other issues unique to each patient

No, Orthodontists can’t perform orthodontic surgery in Portland. However, your orthodontist works in conjunction with an oral and maxillofacial surgeon to perform surgery.

Yes! Once your treatment ends, you will receive a set of retainers to wear at night to ensure that your new smile is yours to keep forever. It is crucial that you wear a retainer according to your orthodontist’s instructions to ensure your teeth don’t relapse. They are your best insurance for preserving your beautifully transformed smile!

100% YES! Even though orthodontists are technically dentists, they do not have the same tools or x-ray machines to check for cavities or gum disease. In fact, when you are in orthodontic treatment, it becomes extra important to see your regular dentist routinely, to make sure that there are no cavities or gum disease brewing around those braces!

The actual process of putting braces or attachments on for Invisalign does not hurt at all. A few hours later, as the teeth start to move, teeth will often become sore for a few days. Sore teeth are a normal part of achieving a beautiful smile, but it should never be unmanageable. Try a soft diet, and if it feels necessary, take a pain reliever that you normally take for your headaches – Advil, Tylenol, and Motrin are some examples. Just make sure that you are not allergic to these medications and take them with some food, such as a banana.

Many people dread the answer, but braces and Invisalign can be much more affordable than you think, and with flexible payment options, you do not have to wait to reap the benefits of having a beautiful smile!

Your overall investment for braces or Invisalign will depend on several factors, such as the difficulty of the case and the treatment duration among others. In Portland, the fee for a standard orthodontic treatment ranges from $3,000 for limited cases to $7,000 for extensive cases, and most cases fall somewhere in this range. For most patients, this translates to $150-200 per month during treatment.

At Hillsdale Orthodontics, we offer a host of orthodontic treatment options to best fit your lifestyle regardless of your age or hobbies. We always recommend solutions that are in your best interest with the least impact on your lifestyle. Your orthodontic treatment will not interfere with most of your daily activities. You can still exercise, play sports, sing and carry on with the things you love doing.

During your initial consultation, Dr. Leemin will go over all the different treatment options available and also determine which plan is best for you from a clinical standpoint. With the advent of clear aligners, such as Invisalign and 3M aligners, we are now able to provide a wider range of treatment plans with minimal impact on your lifestyle.

Invisalign is a great treatment option for many patients, but the only way to determine if it is right for you is through a consultation. With your best interest always at heart, Dr. Leemin will examine your overall smile and bite, and recommend Invisalign only if she believes that the results will be as high quality or better than with braces.

With her years of experience as a certified Invisalign provider, Dr. Leemin is able to treat a wide spectrum of orthodontic cases spanning from simple crowding cases to complex surgical cases. Fortunately for all of us, Invisalign treatment is now no longer limited only to those with the most minor malocclusions.

The average treatment time usually falls between 9 to 24 months. The total duration of a treatment depends on several factors such as the complexity of the case and patient cooperation.

You may have seen treatments like “Invisalign” or even braces being offered by your general dentist. While general dentists are often able to address minor alignment issues, orthodontics is much more than just straightening teeth. It also often entails addressing bite issues and guiding jaw growth, and orthodontists understand the complexity of growth development, facial form, and tooth movement that is required to properly plan and execute complex treatment goals. Many general dentists offer orthodontic treatments, but have not been trained or educated specifically in the field. Even if using the same brand appliance like Invisalign or 3M braces, the background knowledge and expertise in the field that an orthodontist has can greatly affect the actual treatment effect. Choose a board certified orthodontist to receive the best care you and your family deserves.

Credentials and accreditations can be confusing, especially because general dentists are beginning to offer some form of orthodontics in their offices. You may see signs advertising Invisalign providers, or even the American Orthodontic Society. However, this does not indicate that your general dentist is an orthodontist. For the best care possible, seek out a board certified orthodontist. In addition to completing a 2-3 year residency in orthodontics beyond dental school, a board certified orthodontist is an orthodontist who has voluntarily gone through hundreds of additional hours of preparation to demonstrate their knowledge and skills through rigorous written and clinical examinations. Board certification is a voluntary credential that represents an orthodontist’s commitment to providing the highest level of patient care. For more information on board certification, check the following page: Why Leemin

A good comparison is to think about your dentist as you would your primary care doctor. Your dentist helps you maintain your oral health, just as your primary care physician helps you maintain your overall health. But, if you have a concern about your heart, you would see a cardiologist – a doctor who specializes in heart conditions. Likewise, if you have a concern with the alignment of your smile, you want to see someone who specializes in that, and that would be an orthodontist. An orthodontist attends dental school and becomes a dentist, just like your general dentist. However, once dental school is completed, instead of beginning to practice dentistry, orthodontists attend additional years studying the specialty of orthodontics. An orthodontist is a dentist who has not only completed a graduate program in dentistry to receive their DMD (Doctor of Dental Medicine), but has also gone through a competitive residency at an accredited orthodontic program for an additional 2-3 years to be trained specifically in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics.