Do you find yourself instinctively hiding your smile when it’s picture time? You’re not the only one. Many people struggle to feel confident in their smiles. When it comes to improving appearance and self-confidence, you’ll want to find a dental office near you that is experienced in cosmetic and restorative care.
Here at McCullough Dental, we want to help you look and feel your best. That’s why our team strives to make orthodontic services inviting and comfortable—after all, our patients are like family.
Often considered a specialty area of dentistry, orthodontics is becoming more and more widespread in the practices of general and family dentists. As a family dentistry practice, we want to provide you with the convenience of one-stop dental and orthodontic solutions for your whole family.
Dental and Orthodontic One-Stop Shop Near You
If you are located in the Bakersfield area, you don’t have to travel far to find exceptional dental care that works for your unique smile. Our patients care about quality dentistry, and that’s what we provide! From general dentistry to orthodontic treatments, McCullough Dental fosters a wholesome atmosphere that is friendly to all ages.
SureSmile® clear aligners and Six Month Smiles® tooth-colored braces are both available to patients of all ages. That’s right! You can get straight teeth at any point during your life, and with SureSmile® aligners and Six Month Smiles braces, we can even make your treatment invisible so it goes unnoticed by your friends and family.
Transform your smile with the help of an experienced and friendly dental team; call us today and schedule your appointment.
Upgrading Your Smile’s Health and Appearance
If you or a loved one struggles with issues such as crooked teeth, bite misalignment, or jaw pain, braces may be able to help. When left to their own devices, these issues can cause more serious problems in the future such as tooth loss and TMD (commonly known as TMJ disorder).
SureSmile® clear aligners and Six Month Smiles tooth-colored braces discreetly align your smile to give you natural-looking results. These methods can not only improve your appearance and self-confidence but also your overall oral health by preventing other dental issues.
SureSmile® clear aligners can quickly upgrade your smile and your quality of life through a simple, streamlined process. These aligners are also removable, allowing you to eat freely and maintain proper dental hygiene.
Efficiently Improve Your Confidence
Your smile is your signature—it’s uniquely you. If you are not comfortable with your smile, you may cover your mouth when smiling or laughing, avoid speaking in public, or prefer eating in private.
When you join the McCullough dentistry family, you’ll receive transformative orthodontic care that will improve your confidence and quality of life.
At McCullough Dental, we understand how hard it is to feel self-conscious about your smile. That’s why our team will do everything they can to help you regain your confidence and achieve a healthy, beautiful smile.
Our team stays up to date with the latest technology. The advances in equipment, x-rays, impressions, and other technologies have made dental procedures safer, faster, and more precise. This technology plays a big part in helping us give you the healthy smile you’ve always wanted.
For instance, we use many different innovative instruments to ensure your clear aligners are a perfect fit. Once we determine the precise measurements of your mouth, we’ll provide you with Six Month Smiles braces or SureSmile® aligners to straighten your teeth for a picture-perfect smile.
Who Can Benefit from Orthodontics?
Orthodontic treatment isn’t just for teens! People of all ages can benefit from orthodontic care including:
- Children: Early orthodontic intervention can address developing bite issues and prevent more severe problems later on. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children have their first orthodontic evaluation by age 7.
- Teens: This is the most common age to start braces or aligners, as their teeth and jaw are still developing, making treatment easier and more effective.
- Adults: More and more adults are seeking orthodontic treatment to improve their smiles. With options like Invisalign®, adult orthodontics is more discreet and comfortable than ever before.
How Our Orthodontic Services Will Benefit You
Wondering how orthodontic services can help you and your family? Here are some of the many advantages these treatments offer:
- Enhanced appearance and self-confidence
- Discreet teeth straightening
- Removable aligners
- Easy care and cleaning
- Fast treatment options
- Customized care plans for the whole family
Want to learn more about treatment options for your family? Call McCullough Dental today to get started.
Alignment Treatment Options
At McCullough Dental, your health is our greatest priority. That’s why we offer two main types of orthodontic services along with our general dentistry services.
SureSmile® Clear Aligners
The SureSmile® system is an innovative approach to orthodontics. This treatment uses clear aligners that slide comfortably over your teeth, making small adjustments over time. After a few weeks, you’ll switch to new aligners that will move your teeth slightly closer to where we want them to end up.
If you choose SureSmile® aligners, you can expect comfort, convenience, and discretion during your orthodontic treatment.
Six Month Smiles
This brand of braces uses clear brackets and tooth-colored wires that work together to move your teeth faster than most other orthodontic methods. Your treatment will be discreet and, like the name suggests, complete in as few as six months!
If you need straight teeth fast, Six Month Smiles is the choice for you.
What to Expect During the Orthodontic Process
We understand that a straight, beautiful smile boosts confidence and contributes to your overall oral health. Our experienced dental team provides personalized, high-quality treatments for children, teens, and adults.
At McCullough Dental, we provide a streamlined orthodontics process for our patients.
- Initial Consultation: Your journey to straighter teeth begins with a comprehensive consultation. During this visit, we will examine your teeth, take X-rays, and discuss your treatment goals. Based on this evaluation, we will recommend the best treatment plan for you.
- Personalized Plan: After reviewing your options, we’ll work together to develop a unique and personalized treatment plan. We will explain the type of braces or aligners that best suit your needs, as well as the expected duration of treatment.
- Placement: If you choose traditional braces, we will place the brackets and wires on your teeth. If you choose Invisalign, we’ll take impressions of your teeth to create custom aligners.
- Regular Checkups: Throughout your treatment, you will visit our office for periodic adjustments to ensure your teeth are moving as planned. For Invisalign patients, we’ll provide you with new aligners to continue the progression of your treatment.
- Achieving Your Perfect Smile: Once your treatment is complete, we’ll fit you with retainers to maintain your new smile. You’ll leave our office with a straight, beautiful, and functional smile!
Orthodontic Environment at McCullough Dental
At our dental office, we focus on patient-centered, customized care that provides comfortable treatment and exceptional results.
We love helping each member of our dental family achieve a beautiful smile that will look stunning and stay healthy for a lifetime. To accomplish this, our team will provide you with all the information you need to take control of oral health before, during, and after your treatment.
Orthodontic procedures can be stressful. That’s why we strive to maintain a warm, friendly, and welcoming environment in our office. With more than seven years of professional dental experience, you can trust that Dr. McCullough will give each patient the thorough, precise, and top-quality care they deserve.
What Patients Say About Us
Don’t just take our word for it—read what our real patients have to say about the orthodontic treatment they received at our office:
Every time I go there, every one makes you feel so welcome and comfortable. From the front desk, the hygienist, the assistants, to the Doctor… what a Family! I love them all!
– Frank L.
Orthodontic Treatment FAQs
Can Orthodontic Treatment Help My Oral Health?
Some worry that long-term care such as orthodontic treatment will negatively affect their oral health. With SureSmile® clear aligners in particular, it should not stop you from maintaining proper dental hygiene since they are removable.
When you receive orthodontic treatment that aligns your smile, it allows for easier cleaning and fewer spots for bacteria to hide and build. Overall, orthodontic care should improve your oral health as long as you are practicing proper dental hygiene.
What Timeline Can I Expect?
Since all of our dental treatments are customized, the length of our orthodontic care will depend on your current smile situation and what you want your smile to look like at the end of treatment.
SureSmile® clear aligners tend to be a quicker form of orthodontic care because the aligners are customized to your smile and cover the entire tooth, fully encompassing your smile. The Six Month Smiles, hence the name, usually takes six months.
To start the process, we will start with a consultation where we evaluate your smile and discuss your needs and goals. We will create a treatment plan based on the results and give you an estimate of the length of your treatment. As care continues we will reevaluate and make adjustments to keep your plan on track.
How Often Will I Need to Visit the Dentist During My Orthodontic Treatment?
For traditional braces, you will need to visit our office approximately every 4–6 weeks for adjustments. Invisalign patients typically come in every 6–8 weeks for checkups and to receive their next set of aligners. These visits are essential to ensure your treatment is progressing as planned.
Can Adults Get Orthodontic Treatment?
Yes, absolutely! Orthodontic treatment is not just for kids and teens. More adults are opting for braces or Invisalign to improve their smiles. Advances in orthodontic technology, like Invisalign, make it easier and more discreet for adults to straighten their teeth.
Can I Eat Whatever I Want While Wearing Braces?
There are some foods you should avoid while wearing braces, as they can damage the wires or brackets. Hard, sticky, or chewy foods like popcorn, gum, and candy should be avoided.
Our dental team will provide you with a list of foods to avoid during your braces treatment. With Invisalign, the aligners are removable, so you can eat whatever you want, as long as you remove your aligners beforehand and brush your teeth afterward.
Can I Play Sports While Wearing Braces?
Yes, you can continue playing sports while wearing braces, but it’s important to protect your mouth. Wearing a mouthguard can help prevent damage to your braces and protect your teeth from injury. Ask us about a custom-fitted mouthguard for added comfort and protection.
How Much Do Orthodontic Treatments Cost?
The cost of orthodontic treatment varies based on the type of braces, the complexity of your case, and the duration of treatment. During your initial consultation, we will provide an estimate and discuss payment options, including insurance coverage, flexible payment plans, and financing options to make the treatment affordable for you.
Quickly Align Your Smile with McCullough Dental
Straight teeth are closer than you’d think. Using advanced technology, we can partner with SureSmile® clear aligners or Six Month Smiles to get you the smile of your dreams! Your smile is our canvas and orthodontics is our paintbrush.
Whether you or your teen need braces, McCullough Dental has an option for the whole family! Give us a call for more information or to set an appointment with Dr. McCullough to discuss your orthodontic options today!