Orthotropics/Orthodontics - Our Approach:

Orthodontics, like so many other fields, has changed over the last 25 years. Research has shown that for many children, age 12 or 13 is NOT the perfect time to begin orthodontics. Given the influence orthodontic techniques can have on your child's jaw development, earlier oral evaluation around the ages of 3 or 4 is recommended. At this age, the use of a pacifer, thumb sucking, or other oral habits can influence the shape of your child's jaws, teeth and face. Because most of a child's facial growth occurs before the age of 12, the earlier your child begins orthodontics, the earlier impact it can have on his or her face, jaws, teeth and cheeks in guiding them in the right direction. Why wait for a problem to worsen if you can intervene and positively guide development?

Orthotropic orthodontics evaluates the entire face. Our goal is to maximize the esthetic of an individual's cheekbones, jaw, nose, facial profile and teeth. That's where early orthodontic treatment can make a great impact on many growing children.

Dr. Boyd is a pediatric dentist that is trained and certified to provide orthodontic treatment. Unlike traditional orthodontics, Dr. Boyd will often recommend a two-phase approach to successfully treat children requiring orthodontic services. In the first phase, Dr. Boyd will recommend an expansion of the child's jaw through the use of orthodontic appliances. The results will allow room for the child's teeth to erupt without crowding. The second phase will be devoted to straightening the teeth. Because much of the preliminary work has been accomplished, the second phase is usually much shorter and less traumatic on the child.

In addition, Dr. Boyd's philosophy is to treat an abnormal growth pattern early, between the ages of 4 and 10 which is the time where most of a child's facial growth can be easily altered. Dr. Boyd's expertise in diagnosing and treating abnormal growth patterns of the teeth, jaws and face makes him a leading practitioner in the Chicago land area for non-invasive, holistic orthodontics.