Absolutely not! Orthodontic treatment for adults is becoming more and more common. In fact, the number of adults getting braces has actually climbed 24 percent since 1996! More adults than ever are realizing that orthodontic treatment is not just for kids, and can help improve the aesthetics and health of a smile of any age! In a society where appearance matters and can help make the difference between getting a job or a promotion, adults are choosing wisely to invest in orthodontic treatment.

Some of the most common reasons our adult patients come to us considering orthodontic treatment include:
• Teeth that are crowded or spaced apart, sometimes as a result of tooth decay or gum disease
• Pain or pressure from crooked teeth or a misaligned jaw
• A bad bite or malocclusion, causing teeth to fit together incorrectly

Most of all though, adult patients come to our office seeking a healthier mouth and a more confident smile! Orthodontic treatment at our office can be successful at any age, and adults especially can appreciate the benefits of a beautiful smile.

As an adult patient, we recognize that you have different needs than our younger patients, and we will work with you to ensure you receive the most appropriate treatment and that your needs are met with understanding and respect from us.

If you’ve been thinking about getting that perfect smile, we would love to have you visit for a consultation. We understand you have a busy schedule, and will work with you to find a time that is convenient for you. Please visit our website or give our office a call to schedule your appointment today!

In my practice, 23% of our patients are adults. That is, 21 years of age or older.

I have found that I get adult patients 2 ways -
1. They get interested in treatment because I am treating their children. They begin to ask questions and I suggest we simply schedule an initial examination to "look and talk".

2. I get a referral from their general dentist or they come to see me from another patient's recommendation.
Some adults delay treatment because they want to take care of their children first. That is an excuse but it is also a valid concern.

One of the most often heard things I hear is, "my teeth have gotten so crowded over the last 6 months. I can't believe they have moved so fast." I explain to them that the situation did not happen over the last 6 months. They have just begun to notice the problems.

As we all know, adults do not have the same motivation to come see me as an adolescent patient. While many adolescents want to wear braces because they have crooked crowded teeth. They also like the social, cool aspect of wearing braces.

Adults for the most part do not think it is "cool" to wear braces! Most adults listen to the facts of their particular situation and realize that they are making a wise health decision to invest in themselves. I have found that the vast majority of adults truly do enjoy their "orthodontic journey" once it is underway.

Excuses I have heard:
1. My teeth have been this way for a while. They will be OK, right?
2. I just can't see spending money on my teeth at this age.
3. I don't want my friends or co-workers to think I am vain.
4. I must take care of the kids before I do anything.

One very heart warming story: I treated an adult who was the mother of 2 boys that I had the blessing of treating. She had known me for at least 5 years as her boys went through treatment. She had talked to me for at least 2 years about going into braces. She finally did and she totally enjoyed seeing her teeth progress through treatment. On the day she got her braces off, we had a BIG party for her! When she looked in the mirror for the first time to see her new smile, she cried. She was so very happy! She is a walking advertisement for Scott Orthodontics!

I believe that my office is a very warm place to visit. Of course, I want to make an excellent first impression by how the office looks, whether it is my primary office in Longview or one of my 3 satellite offices in Marshall, Mt Pleasant or Carthage. Also, I want that excellent first impression to be felt at every visit a patient or parent has in my office.

At the initial consultation I personally spend time explaining the details of the patient's particular orthodontic needs. There are 5 very important questions that need to be answered at the first visit:
1. What is the orthodontic need?
2. What needs to be done?
3. How long will the patient be in braces?
4. Do any teeth need to be removed? (In 85% of patients, teeth do not need to be removed)
5. How much does it cost?

I and my staff make sure those questions are answered completely and all other questions and concerns are addressed at the very first visit.

Once treatment begins, I must prove to my patient or parent that they have made the right choice in me! The office atmosphere is comfortable and relaxed. In the reception room we have a coffee bar and a flat screen TV for parents comfort. There is also a game station for children. In the treatment area we have game boys and video monitors. The treatment area is always a place of high activity. My patients and parents really like how we have arranged that part of all of my offices.

Parents are always welcome to either sit "up front' in the reception room or sit with us and their child in the treatment area. I like it when a parent gets involved in their child's treatment. I tell them, "the more you know about what is going on, the better your child will progress through treatment."

I use the highest quality, "state-of-the-art" technology. But, most patients do not know the difference between "cheap" technology and "state-of-the-art". I believe it is true that, "they don't care how much you know until they know how much you care". That is one of the driving principles I have always followed.
I always stay in contact with a patients dentist as treatment progresses. In those patients who will have dental treatment needed after braces, I work very closely with their dentist to make sure that any dental treatment after braces is designed from the beginning to be beautiful when complete!

Questions are always welcome. I want patients to feel comfortable and confident that they are receiving the very best orthodontic care available in East Texas.

- Dr. Michael Scott and the team from Scott Orthodontics

Dr. Michael Scott and his team at Scott Orthodontics are proud to be a part of your community and enjoy being part of your life. Our patients know that we care about them as friends and neighbors, and not just as patients. We only perform treatments that we would give our own family members.

We often hear questions from our patients and wanted explain how can patients improve the way they approach their orthodontic treatment:

1. If patients and parents will take their treatment seriously from the very beginning, they will have a much better experience and a much better result.

2. They must understand that there are things that only Dr. Michael Scott can do, such as putting their braces on correctly and making the correct decisions about treatment as we go through the process.

3. Then, there are things that only the patients can do, such as brushing well and wearing rubber bands as directed.

Thank you for your dedication to improving your smile with Scott Orthodontics. Together we will help you achieve the smile you deserve!

I have been practicing orthodontics for more than 27 years and feel truly blessed to be in a profession that helps people achieve their goals of health, happiness and self-esteem through orthodontic treatment.

When patients enter my door I approach orthodontic care as a team effort. It's important that we work together and that I have your cooperation to get the best results from your treatment with me. That includes:

1. Brushing 3-4 times a day for 2 minutes each time. Teeth move so much better in healthy gums!

2. Be very careful not to break braces. I do NOT expect perfection in this but I do expect the patient to understand how important this issue really is. I tell patients that for every broken brace, they can expect to wear braces longer.

3. I expect a patient to cooperate well. The best example of that is wearing their rubber bands as instructed by me and my staff.

4. I explain to those patients that are not cooperating and falling behind schedule in getting their braces off on time that, "I am responsible to you, but I am not responsible for you."

5. I try hard to help my patients "enjoy the journey". Most of them do.

I truly appreciate all the effort and hard work it takes to be a part of the team with me. Together we can achieve the brilliant smile you deserve!

- Dr. Michael Scott and team

Patients and parents have many reasons to expect a lot from their orthodontist.

From my perspective, I believe patients and parents have "hired" me to create a beautiful smile. Yes, the word "beauty" does apply to guys also!

Another way to look at my relationship with a patient and parent is that we form a "team". The team goals are:
1. Create that beautiful smile.
2. Finish treatment on time.
3. Have the patient complete treatment in the fewest number of visits possible. In today's world, most of my patients are in families where both parents work. I explain to parents (and adult patients) that I understand the inconvenience that can be created by too many orthodontic appointments. So, we have put into place the ability to use technology and 28 years of orthodontic experience to progress a patient through treatment very EFFECTIVELY and also, very EFFICIENTLY.
4. Being effective is getting that great smile.
5. Being efficient is getting that great smile with the fewest number of appointments possible.

We look forward to building a team with you and getting to be a part of your lives!

- from Dr. Michael Scott and team

There are several reasons why some people's teeth grow in crooked, overlapping, or twisted. Some people's mouths are too small for their teeth, which crowds the teeth and causes them to shift. In other cases, a person's upper and lower jaws aren't the same size or are malformed. Most often, crooked teeth are inherited traits just as the color of your eyes or hair. Other causes of crooked teeth are early loss of baby or adult teeth, undue pressure on the teeth and gums, misalignment of jaw after facial injury, or common oral health problems in children such as thumb sucking, tongue thrusting, or prolonged use of a bottle or pacifier.

Having crooked teeth isn’t just a cosmetic issue; it can lead to serious health problems as well. Crooked teeth can:

• interfere with proper chewing
• make keeping teeth clean more of a challenge, increasing the risk of tooth decay, cavities, and gingivitis
• strain the teeth, jaws, and muscles, increasing the risk of breaking a tooth

There are several orthodontic procedures that can help correct crooked teeth, and at Scott Orthodontics we have many services that we can customize to meet your needs. We want you to be proud to show off your smile!

Dr. Michael Scott and his team utilizes the most efficient technologies to work with each patient in creating a personalized plan for their orthodontic treatment. It is his professional goal to do much more than just straighten teeth, he also focuses on increasing a patient's health, happiness and self-esteem.

To accomplish these goals, Dr. Scott considers all aspects of a patient which includes the teeth and facial harmony. The correct treatment plan is then determined through careful analysis of the patient and their orthodontic situation.

Orthodontic treatment with Dr. Michael Scott is not "rocket science." It is the combination of excellent training and years of experience. The result is the art and science of orthodontics which come together to reveal the one best treatment plan for each individual patient.

Take a look at these beautiful transformation videos of a patient below.

If you have questions, feel free to contact us, or find us on Facebook! To view more transformation videos, be sure to visit our YouTube channel.

From the profile view, the challenge in her particular situation was to achieve a beautiful smile and NOT change her profile.

From the frontal view, it is clear that her beautiful smile was the result of excellent diagnosis and treatment planning along with her great cooperation.

Dr. Michael Scott and his team are always available to answer your questions about your teeth and orthodontic treatment. We strive to provide our patients with quality care in a warm, family-friendly environment.

We also recognize that the most important questions are our responsibility to answer. Here are the top 5 questions Dr. Scott believes a patient/parent needs to know at the initial consultation visit:

1. What is the orthodontic problem?
2. Do any permanent teeth need to be removed?
3. What exactly will be done during braces?
4. How long will the patient wear braces?
5. How much will the treatment cost?

We then take care to answer all other questions a patient/parent might have. We try to anticipate questions for them, especially if this is their first orthodontic experience. We want your orthodontic experience to be informative and comfortable.

If you have any specific questions or need to to schedule a consultation give us a call or find us on Facebook!

Many parents assume they must wait until their child has all of his or her permanent teeth to see Dr. Michael Scott for a consultation, only to discover treatment would have been much easier if started earlier. Did you know the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child have an orthodontic check-up no later than age seven?

That’s right—seven.

Ok, so what’s so great about age seven, you ask? Enough permanent teeth have arrived for Dr. Scott to make a determination about whether any problems are present. The first molars have come in, providing an opportunity to check for malocclusion, or “bad bite.” Also, the incisors have begun to come in, and problems such as crowding, deep bites and open bites can be detected.

Orthodontic evaluation at an early age provides one of two positive outcomes: For some, early identification or problems will lead to easier or shorter orthodontic treatment in the future. For others, a healthy prognosis will provide immediate peace of mind.

Early evaluation, of course, may signal a need for early treatment. For some children, early treatment can prevent physical and emotional trauma. Aside from spurring on years of harmful teasing, misaligned teeth are also prone to injury and are detrimental to good oral hygiene. So, if your child is nearing his or her seventh birthday, give us a call at Scott Orthodontics to schedule an appointment.