Complex Orthodontics | Specialist Treatment

Treatment & Management of Complex Ortho Cases

Specialist and award-winning orthodontist Dr Neil Woodhouse works with complex cases in adults and children throughout the Sussex and Kent area.

As a registered specialist for the past decade, Dr Woodhouse has mastered the intricate aspects of orthodontic treatment, which has seen him achieve exceptional results for severe malocclusions, overcrowding, crooked teeth, significant gaps, impacted teeth and more.

Using specialist equipment and advanced technology, Dr Woodhouse can create a more precise roadmap to a straighter smile—and you’ll see the result before treatment even begins. Consultations with Dr Woodhouse cost £65.

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OR keep scrolling for complex cases we treat and how we treat them…

Teeth alignment problems

Severe crowding

Teeth that overlap from a lack of space, where palatal expanders can be used in children, or tooth extraction in severe cases, which we can follow up with orthodontic treatment like braces or clear aligners to straighten the teeth.

Gapped teeth

Gaps between teeth or diastema can be treated quickly with various orthodontic treatments, depending on the gap size. Gaps up to 6mm can be treated with clear aligners like Invisalign. Larger gaps typically require fixed braces.

Crooked teeth

In complex cases of crooked teeth, our specialists might incorporate precision attachments and spring aligners into your treatment plan, as well as a combination of braces and Invisalign, to achieve the best results in the right timeframe.

Rotated teeth

When teeth are twisted out of position, affecting the bite and symmetry of the smile, braces are typically used. However, in moderate rotation cases, Invisalign can be used with precision attachments to gently rotate them back into alignment.

Bite and jaw problems

Underbite

When the lower teeth extend past the upper teeth, severe cases often cause difficulty opening and closing the mouth or pain and discomfort when biting, chewing, and speaking. A range and even a combination of treatments can be used, including braces, functional appliances (Twin Blocks), or surgery in severe cases.

Overbite

If your upper teeth overlap the lower teeth severely, you might experience symptoms like jaw pain, difficulty chewing and speaking, earaches, neck pain, headaches and jaw stiffness. Typical overbite treatment includes braces and, in some cases, clear aligners. Surgical intervention might be recommended in the more severe cases of an overbite, where the cause is skeletal.

Crossbite

Severe cases of the upper teeth sitting underneath the lower teeth when the mouth is closed typically cause problems with speech, pain in the jaw and teeth and headaches. Dr Woodhouse has successfully treated hundreds of crossbite cases in children and adults using palatal expanders, elastics and braces.

Open bite

An open bite occurs when the upper and lower teeth do not meet when the mouth is closed and is typically caused by tongue thrusting. The bright side is that open bites can be treated successfully without surgery and typically with braces. In children, the open bite can treat itself when the jaw develops, but close dental guidance is recommended.

Structural and development concerns

Impacted teeth

Orthodontic treatment for impacted teeth often involves braces to move the tooth back into alignment. Some complex cases of impacted treatment might involve surgical exposure of the impacted tooth, which can be followed up with orthodontic traction to guide and align the tooth. Impacted canines, in particular, are the most common and can take up to two years to correct.

TMJ

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) Disorders cause significant pain and tenderness in the jaw joints and surrounding muscles. These disorders can result from misaligned teeth and bite problems. Orthodontic treatment can reduce stress on the jaw, improve its function, and alleviate TMJ pain.

Cleft lip and palate

Specialist orthodontists can treat a cleft lip and palate by aligning misaligned teeth easily using braces. However, orthognathic surgery might be required to correct the jaw alignment in more complex cases. Additionally, regular dental intervention is recommended to monitor left lip patients’ increased risk of tooth decay, where additional issues might require restorative treatments like dental crowns or fillings.

Hypodontia

Orthodontic treatment can help hypodontia in several ways. For example, orthodontists can close the space with braces or make room for future tooth replacement, like dental implants. Treatment is typically recommended to begin between 12 and 14 years of age when all permanent teeth should have erupted.