What is ALF Appliance ?

Dr. Davoudi of Woodland Dental Group is one of few San Diego cosmetic dentists trained and certified to prescribe the Alternative Lightwire Functional (ALF) Appliance. The ALF Appliance is an advanced method for fixing the alignment of lower and upper teeth while considering (and sometimes correcting) the structure of the skull and upper jaw.

The ALF Appliance System

was developed in the early 1980′s by Dr. Darick Nordstrom who wanted to bring an osteopathic approach to aesthetic dentistry. He found that correcting tooth alignment and jaw and skull distortions not only improves the look and function of teeth, but sometimes solves various other ailments: headaches, earaches, behavioral troubles, sleep apnea, hearing loss, back pain, and more. Furthermore, it makes more room for the tongue, improving speech and swallowing difficulties.

While an ALF won’t necessarily fix all of these problems, it does confirm the link between good dental health and other bodily functions.

Extra education is required in order to utilize an ALF Appliance on patients. An ALF uses very light wiring right at the gumline, which makes it mostly unnoticeable, and should not be removed except by a dentist. It is structurally held together via omega loops in the dental arches without employing additional materials (such as plastic) in order to exert the proper tooth-aligning pressure.

As opposed to a removable system like Invisalign, the ALF applies light, continual pressure, providing less tooth soreness and faster results. Moreover, an ALF Appliance is advantageous because it allows wearers to thoroughly clean their mouths during the treatment period. The wires are much thinner than braces and most often only on the interior of the bite, granting better access for flossing and brushing. On the whole, using an ALF also requires fewer adjustments.

Finally, an ALF doesn’t necessarily preclude other dental treatments, such as teeth whitening in San Diego. Go in to Woodland Dental Group for a free consultation and learn more about this life-changing osteopathic procedure. Call (760) 745-1100 or go to www.woodlanddentalgroup.net for more information