Chapter 2: Different Ways to Skin the Cat

“We have been to 3 orthodontic offices and they all have a different plan. We are totally confused.” I hear this in my office every week. How can the same mouth have such different plans to correct it? Well, orthodontics is as much an art as it is science. Maybe more art actually.

We are working in the field of perception. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? Well, orthodontic results and more to this point, orthodontic treatments, are in the hands of the beholder.

Spectacular Smiles, Superior Customer Service: Today’s Orthodontics 

Bill M. Dischinger, DMD

Key Takeaways

• Orthodontic treatment plans can vary because orthodontics is both a science and an art, focused on the perception of beauty.
• The best orthodontists treat the entire face, not just the teeth, considering factors like lips, chin, cheeks, and how teeth fit into the smile.
• Truly great orthodontic results create facial balance and smile harmony, ensuring the curve of the upper teeth naturally follows the lower lip.
• Advanced appliances can correct issues like an underdeveloped lower jaw, enhancing facial balance and strengthening the chin.

The Art and Science of a Perfect Smile

I grew up in a basketball family. My father played on the 1960 USA Olympic Gold Medal Winning Basketball Team with legends such as Oscar Robertson and Jerry West. He was Rookie of the Year in the 1962-63 NBA season.

I have seen a lot of basketball in my life and thus, I’ve seen many players shoot a basketball. There is no one way to shoot. Many ways work. Lots of different forms can get the ball into the hoop. Similarly, many ways of orthodontics can get teeth straight as well.

I chose a specific method that works very well in my hands, but I also feel makes a lot of sense from a health perspective as well. We’ll discuss this system in chapter 4.

Treating Faces, Not Just Teeth

Remember when I said beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Beauty, though, is not just straight teeth. In my opinion, the best orthodontists in the world treat much more than just teeth. We treat faces!

What good is it for me to straighten out teeth if I totally disregard the position, size and shape of your lips? Of your chin? Of your cheeks and nose? Where your teeth fit in your smile? Whether you show more gum tissue than normal?

When orthodontics is done properly, it takes into account all of those aspects of aesthetics. Facial balance and smile harmony drive all my decisions of how best to treat my patients. Straightening the teeth is easy. Facial aesthetics is where the beauty of our art comes into play.

Have you ever seen a person that finished braces and it looked like their lips had gotten smaller? How about a finished treatment where the upper front teeth were all flat, straight across and looked like fake denture teeth; or a person whose chin was weak or too far back? These are all examples of aesthetic orthodontic failures.

Great orthodontic treatment will result in facial balance and smile harmony, not just a set of straight teeth. The upper teeth should have a curve to them that follows the natural curve of the lower lip when smiling. Get up and go to a mirror. Smile in the mirror. Do your teeth have that natural curve to them that matches the curve of your smiling lower lip? If not, we can change that.

Advancing Treatment for Total Facial Harmony

In our office, we push ourselves to be on the cutting edge of treatments for people that have a lower jaw that didn’t grow as much as it should and for patients with a weak chin. We even developed the appliance that corrects that problem. It is called the AdvanSync, although many know it as the Herbst.

I’ve been honored to give over 200 lectures in the U.S and around the world on this and other techniques. We are able to use this appliance to move an underdeveloped lower jaw forward to give facial balance and a stronger chin.

Orthodontics in today’s world is for more than just straightening some teeth. A great orthodontist will look at every aspect of your facial aesthetics. If they’re not, it would be like passing up a new smart phone in favor of an old flip phone. You can still make phone calls, but you’re missing a whole other world.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why do different orthodontists give different treatment plans?
A: Orthodontics is considered both an art and a science. Just as there are many ways to shoot a basketball, there are multiple effective methods to straighten teeth. Each orthodontist may prefer a different technique that they believe achieves the best results based on their experience and philosophy.

Q: What should I look for in a great orthodontic treatment?
A: A great treatment goes beyond just straightening teeth. It should focus on overall facial aesthetics, creating harmony between your teeth, lips, chin, and cheeks. The result should be a balanced face and a natural-looking smile, not just a set of straight teeth.

Q: Can orthodontics change more than just my teeth?
A: Yes. Modern orthodontics can significantly impact your overall facial profile. Specialized appliances, like the AdvanSync, can be used to correct issues such as an underdeveloped lower jaw, which helps improve facial balance and create a stronger chin.