The first week was undoubtedly the toughest! It was tough getting use to my new routine which consist of taking the aligners out for each meal and cleaning them before placing them back into my mouth. Instead of my phone, wallet, keys checklist it went phone, wallet, keys, aligner case. No big deal but I certainly did forget the case a few times in the first week. The other note... Read More

Yes! The answer is yes, they are dangerous to the health and well being of your teeth. DIY aligners have grown in popularity over the past several years and today we even see them popping up in malls and our local drugstores.  The allure is that you can have straight teeth in a lot less time, without leaving the comfort of your home, and for a significantly reduced cost. I... Read More

Attachments are a critical part of successful tooth movement with aligners. It it easy to imagine how the bracket from traditional braces serve as a "handle" to move a tooth in any desired direction. With aligners, the plastic alone is not able to facilitate every type of tooth movement. It is especially difficult to move smaller teeth like incisors unless they have attachments to assist the movement. Placement of the... Read More

Lifetime Orthodontics is about community! As part of our commitment to going "beyond the smile", we are continuously trying to find ways to support our schools, our educators, and our children that are the future of our communities. This was the inspiration for 'My Teacher Rocks!' My Teacher Rocks! is a contest that we held at our office. To enter, the patient's of our office nominated their favorite teacher by... Read More

When you submit your records into an aligner company such as align, a technician will help to set the case up according to your guidelines. They are NOT orthodontists and it is very rare that we can simply hit approve and expect a good result. It takes a lot of communication between the orthodontist and technician. On average, Dr Wesley will send the clin-check back for edits at least 3-4... Read More

Orthodontic Separators Orthodontic Separators are little, thick, and circular elastic bands. They are used to “Separate” two teeth from each other. When the rubber bands are stretched, they become thinner and we can easily floss them in between two teeth. As the elastic band attempts to retake its original shape and thickness it slowly pushes the two teeth apart. The separation between he two teeth is very minimal, but it... Read More

The record taking phase is an important part of any type of orthodontic case. Imagine that you were trying to go somewhere and you typed your destination into Google Maps but you didn't have GPS or didn't know where you were beginning. It is just like that and perhaps the most important part of beginning your smile journey! Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KSEEiGBmCY Read More

  How much do braces cost? Dance, hockey, band camp, girl scouts, new eye glasses, new shoes, saving for college, saving for senior pictures, saving for saving and so on. Everyone wants to be the best possible parent to their children but raising them can be quite costly. And what about yourself!? Retirement savings, your next vacation, healthcare savings, paying off your credit card, your new glasses, or paying off... Read More

  As an orthodontic specialist, Dr Wesley is an expert in moving teeth and jaws. That is all that he focuses on all day, everyday! Like a hammer or a shovel, Invisalign is just a tool used to move the teeth. Ultimately, it is the skill and knowledge of the person using the tool that determines the success of the outcome that we are trying to achieve. Now, Dr Wesley... Read More

I took this photo on Sept 8,2017 at Plitvice Lakes, Croatia. The thing with taking photos of waterfalls is that you can never capture the sound which is a major key to it’s serenity. Orthodontist have historically been restless individuals. What I mean by this is, orthodontist seek continuous improvement. This characteristic draw has made our profession a very innovative one. There have been innovations in the way we diagnose,... Read More