Straight teeth do more than improve your appearance—they can also support better oral health, improve bite function, and make it easier to care for your smile. At Leber Orthodontics in Tucson, braces help patients of all ages achieve lasting results that benefit both their confidence and overall dental health.

When most people think about braces, the first thing that comes to mind is a straighter smile. While that's certainly one of the biggest benefits, orthodontic treatment offers much more than cosmetic improvements.

At Leber Orthodontics, we've helped Tucson families create healthier, more confident smiles for over 50 years. Here's why straight teeth can have a positive impact on your health, comfort, and everyday life.

A More Confident Smile 😁

One of the most rewarding benefits of braces is the confidence that comes with loving your smile.

Whether you're preparing for school, work, family photos, or everyday conversations, feeling confident about your teeth can make a lasting difference.

At Leber Orthodontics, every treatment plan is customized to help patients achieve a smile they're proud to share.

Healthier Teeth and Gums 🪥

Straight teeth are generally easier to brush and floss than crowded or overlapping teeth.

When teeth are easier to clean, it's simpler to remove plaque and food particles, helping reduce the risk of:

• Tooth decay
• Gum disease
• Plaque buildup

Good oral hygiene becomes easier when your teeth are properly aligned.

Better Bite Function 🦷

Braces don't just straighten teeth—they also help improve the way your teeth fit together.

Orthodontic treatment can help correct issues such as:

• Overbites
• Underbites
• Crowded teeth
• Gaps between teeth

A properly aligned bite can improve chewing, speaking, and everyday comfort.

Reduced Wear on Teeth

When teeth don't line up properly, certain teeth may experience more pressure than others.

Over time, this uneven pressure can contribute to unnecessary wear on tooth surfaces.

By improving alignment, braces help distribute biting forces more evenly across your smile.

Benefits for Kids, Teens, and Adults

Braces aren't just for children.

Many adults choose orthodontic treatment to improve both the appearance and function of their smiles. Whether you're 12 or 52, it's never too late to invest in healthier teeth.

Our team creates personalized treatment plans for every stage of life.

Why Tucson Families Trust Leber Orthodontics 🏜️

Leber Orthodontics has proudly served Tucson since 1975, offering:

• Experienced, board-certified orthodontists
• Digital 3D scans for comfortable treatment planning
• Convenient locations in Tucson, Oro Valley, and Rita Ranch
• Personalized braces treatment for children, teens, and adults
• Flexible financing options to help make treatment affordable

Ready to Enjoy the Benefits of a Straighter Smile?

Braces are an investment in more than just your appearance—they're an investment in your long-term oral health and confidence.

👉 Schedule your free consultation today to learn how Leber Orthodontics can help you achieve a healthier, straighter smile.

Sometimes we see a patient whose upper jaw, or arch, is more narrow than his lower one. This condition causes the upper molars and premolars to fit slightly inside the lower ones. Over time, the teeth can wear into an uncomfortable bite. You're probably wondering just how that can be corrected. Well let me tell you all about it.

When the upper arch is too narrow there is a way to widen it. We use an appliance called a rapid palatal expander, or RPE for short. Our skulls are made of all sorts of 'plates' that join together like a jigsaw puzzle. These joints are called sutures. When we are young, the sutures are held together with cartilage allowing them to expand as we grow. We have one of those sutures in the palate of our mouths. If you rub your tongue on the roof of your mouth you can feel the slight ridge of it. (Go on, you know you want to!)

When we need to help the upper arch to widen a bit quicker to keep up with the lower arch we use the RPE. This device is made up of two metal bands, which have been fitted to the upper molar teeth, and are attached to a screw. The appliance is glued to the teeth and the screw is turned about a quarter millimeter once or twice a day. This opening of the screw puts pressure on the suture to stretch the cartilage open. When the upper arch is expanded a little past the optimal bite relationship we hold everything steady for about six months to allow the cartilage to fill in. Our patients are a little surprised by the rather large gap they get between their front teeth. Fortunately, teeth like to touch each other so they drift back together a little which makes the gap far less noticeable.

Widening with a palatal expander has to be done while the cartilage is still soft and pliable. It works best on children aged five to fifteen. By around age sixteen the head is finishing its growth stage and the cartilage starts to harden into bone.

You may think this sounds pretty painful but it really isn't. Most of our patients tell us they feel a little pressure and tingling in their noses and cheeks for a few minutes after the screw has been turned. This happens mostly in the first week. Once the cartilage relaxes it opens more easily. We've found that turning the screw right after dinner works well. I, personally, like to add in a cold treat like ice cream or a popsicle for extra comfort.

Now, about turning that screw... who does that? The idea of coming into the office everyday probably isn't workable. The easiest solution is for us to show you how to do it yourself. We promise to walk you through the procedure until you're comfortable. Your first turn alone might be a little scary but you'll be a pro in no time!

The other day one of our parents asked me why we don't use headgear anymore. We got into a fun conversation about how many of our junior high school friends had metal sticking out of their mouths and straps wrapped around their necks. We call that 'The Dark Ages of Orthodontics.' Braces have come a long way since then and one of our favorite innovations is the Carriere Distalizer.

In the good old days, when a patient had a large overbite, the Orthodontist would prescribe a metal bow with an adjustable neck strap which the patient would wear to move his upper molars toward the back of his mouth. This contraption, although effective, was bulky and embarrassing to be seen in! Who wanted to go to a sleep over and take their head gear with them? Imagine having to wear it to school!

Fortunately for this young generation, a brilliant Orthodontist by the name of Luis Carriere developed a system using a small bar, bonded to the upper molar and canine and powered by elastic wear, to move those molars back. Voila! The external headgear has been replaced with an internal one!

We have had great success with this new method mainly due to patient compliance. It's so much easier to put an elastic band on than to strap yourself into an uncomfortable headgear. The best part of all is how quickly it works when the patient is really conscientious about elastic wear.

Headgear isn't totally obsolete just yet. We do have a type of headgear that we use for a less common problem. Some patients have an under bite, which is a condition where the lower jaw has grown faster than the upper one. This leaves the lower teeth on the outside of the upper teeth- not a good situation! When we need to treat this condition in a younger child, Dr Eric prescribes a headgear that fits the front of the face and uses elastic bands to bring the upper jaw forward. It's not fun to wear, but it sure does a good job correcting that type of bite.