At Denton Family Smiles, Sleep & TMJ, we believe that a beautifully straight smile should never come at the expense of your joint health.
Serving the Denton, TX community, our highly patient-oriented practice is committed to providing honest dentistry in a warm and welcoming environment. Because our doctor holds advanced residency training in TMJ and orofacial pain, we approach orthodontics with a highly clinical, structural perspective. We do not just look at the front of your teeth; we evaluate exactly how your entire bite comes together. With the SureSmile clear aligner system, we combine advanced digital precision with our deep understanding of jaw function to give you a smile that is both stunning and structurally sound.
What Is SureSmile®?
SureSmile is a premium, highly advanced clear aligner system designed to straighten teeth comfortably and discreetly. Much like other clear aligner brands, it utilizes a series of custom-fabricated, transparent plastic trays that fit snugly over your teeth. These trays apply gentle, continuous pressure to slowly shift your teeth into their optimal anatomical positions. However, what sets SureSmile apart is its incredibly powerful, proprietary treatment planning software, which gives your doctor absolute control over every micro-movement of your teeth.
Benefits Of Digital Treatment Planning
The magic of SureSmile lies in its digital precision. Rather than just guessing how your teeth will move, the software allows us to calculate the most direct, efficient, and biologically safe path for every single tooth.
Because our doctor is deeply focused on your jaw joints, this digital planning is critical. We can evaluate your bite from every possible angle on a computer screen, ensuring that as your teeth straighten, they also lock together properly to prevent the destructive nighttime grinding and TMJ tension caused by a misaligned bite. This level of precision often leads to faster treatment times and highly predictable results.
Who Is A Candidate?
SureSmile is an excellent option for both teenagers and adults who want to correct their smile without the bulky appearance and dietary restrictions of traditional metal braces. It is highly effective for treating:
- Crowding and spacing: Closing wide gaps or untangling overlapping, crooked teeth.
- Bite misalignments: Correcting mild to moderate overbites, underbites, and crossbites.
- Orthodontic relapse: Fixing teeth that have naturally shifted back out of place years after having braces as a teenager.
The SureSmile® Process
Guided by our famously gentle approach, your journey to a healthier smile is entirely comfortable and stress-free.
1. 3D Digital Scanning
We utilize our advanced technology to capture a rapid, highly accurate 3D digital scan of your mouth. This provides the flawless blueprint needed for your custom treatment plan.
2. Custom Treatment Design
Using the SureSmile software, our doctor meticulously maps out the staged movements of your teeth. We will show you a digital simulation of your expected final smile before we even order your trays.
3. Fitting Your Aligners
Once your aligners are crafted in the specialized lab, you will return to our office. We will ensure the first set fits perfectly and may bond tiny, tooth-colored “attachments” to a few teeth to help the trays grip and rotate stubborn teeth.
Wearing Your Aligners
To achieve the results we digitally planned, your compliance is absolutely mandatory. You must wear your SureSmile aligners for 20 to 22 hours every single day.
You will only remove them to eat, drink anything other than plain water, and to complete your daily brushing and flossing. You must brush your teeth after every meal or snack before putting the trays back in; otherwise, you risk trapping acidic food particles and sugars directly against your enamel, which can quickly lead to cavities.
Achieving Predictable Results
You will typically switch to a new set of aligners every one to two weeks, as directed by our team. With every new tray, your teeth will step slightly closer to their final destination. You will visit our Denton office periodically so we can monitor your progress, ensure your teeth are tracking perfectly with the digital plan, and provide you with your next sequence of aligners. Because the initial digital planning is so precise, SureSmile patients frequently require fewer “refinement” trays at the end of their treatment compared to older systems.
Maintaining Your New Smile
The moment you take out your final aligner is incredibly exciting! However, the bone surrounding your teeth needs time to heal and solidify around the roots in their new positions. To protect your investment and prevent your teeth from shifting backward, you will be provided with a custom-fit retainer. We will give you a personalized wear schedule—usually full-time for a few months, transitioning to nighttime-only wear for life—to guarantee your beautiful new smile lasts forever.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both systems use clear, removable aligners to straighten teeth, and both are highly effective. The primary difference lies in the proprietary software used behind the scenes. SureSmile’s robust digital platform offers exceptional precision, giving your doctor unparalleled control over the final bite alignment, which is incredibly important for patients with TMJ concerns.
You will not experience any sharp pain, but it is completely normal to feel a mild, dull pressure or soreness for a day or two every time you switch to a new set of aligners. This simply means the aligners are doing their job and actively shifting your teeth. The discomfort fades quickly and is easily managed with over-the-counter pain relievers.
Treatment time varies depending on the severity of your specific case. Minor cosmetic corrections can sometimes be completed in just six months, while more comprehensive bite adjustments may take 12 to 18 months. The digital planning software allows us to give you a very clear, accurate timeline before you even begin!