Serving Children, Teens & Adults
We believe that everyone in Huntington should have the opportunity to get quality orthodontic care and a beautiful smile, so Dr. Michael Sheinis proudly offers a full range of orthodontic care for children, teens, and adults at Shiney Smiles Orthodontics.
Orthodontics for Children
Get a Head Start on a Beautiful Smile
As a parent in Huntington or Woodbury, you want the best for your child. That includes healthy teeth and a pleasing smile.
Dr. Sheinis will treat your children like our own by giving them the best possible orthodontic care.
Kids Should Get an Orthodontic Check-Up By 7
Dr. Sheinis will be able to spot subtle problems with your growth and emerging teeth by the time your child is seven, while some baby teeth are still present.
In fact, this is the age the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children first see an orthodontist like Dr. Sheinis. This check-up may reveal that your child's bite is fine, and braces for kids aren't necessary.
Or, Dr. Sheinis may identify a developing problem but recommend monitoring your child's growth and development, and then, if indicated, begin treatment at the appropriate time for your child.
In other cases, Dr. Sheinis might find a problem that can benefit from early treatment.
What Is Early Treatment?
Early treatment may prevent or intercept more serious problems from developing and may make treatment shorter and less complicated at a later age.
In some cases, Dr. Sheinis can achieve results that may not be possible once the face and jaws have finished growing.
Before
When we first saw this child, his dentist and mother were concerned about his crossbite of the front teeth.
After
After 12 months of phase 1 treatment with a palate expander and partial braces, the crossbite is corrected and we can monitor his growth!
Choosing the Best Time for Treatment
While a child’s teeth may appear straight, Dr. Sheinis can detect if there are any hidden problems such as jaw growth and emerging teeth. Parents should be on the lookout for any potential problems that will benefit their child from an early diagnosis.
Some of these signs are difficulty in chewing/biting, speech difficulties, facial imbalance, grinding or clenching of teeth and more. If these signs are indicated, our orthodontist office can provide early treatment. With early treatment, we can help guide jaw growth, correct harmful oral habits, improve the appearance and so much more!
Just because your child may have orthodontic needs, they may not require the treatment immediately.
Dr. Sheinis takes a conservative approach to determine when orthodontic treatment is necessary, with the knowledge that some treatment is better initiated early to prevent more significant problems in the future.
If Dr. Sheinis thinks your child will need treatment, he’ll let you know when he’ll have the best chance to:
- Guide jaw growth
- Improve appearance and self-esteem in your child
- Guide permanent teeth into a more favorable position
- Lower the risk of trauma to protruded front teeth
- Correct harmful oral habits
- Create a more pleasing arrangement of teeth, lips and face
Signs the Bite's Not Right
It's not always easy to tell when your child may need braces or has an orthodontic problem. Even teeth that look straight may be hiding a problem bite.
Here are some clues that may indicate the need for orthodontic attention:
- Ask your child to open their mouth, and let you look at their teeth. If you see any signs of crooked teeth, gaps between your child’s teeth or overlapping teeth, your child may need orthodontic treatment.
- Ask your child to bite all the way down, but keeping their lips open so you can see their teeth.
- Do the front top teeth line up with the bottom?
- Do the top teeth protrude out away from the bottom teeth?
- Do the top front teeth cover more than 50% of the bottom teeth?
- Are the top teeth behind the bottom teeth?
All these are indicators for potential orthodontic treatment.
Look at the alignment of your child’s jaw. Does the jaw shift off center when your child bites down? If you see any misalignment or shifting of the jaw, your child may have a skeletal problem, which requires early orthodontic intervention.
Other signs include:
- Early or late loss of baby teeth
- Difficulty chewing or biting
- Breathing through the mouth
- Thumb-sucking
- A face that looks unbalanced
- Grinding or clenching of the teeth
- Biting the cheek or biting into the roof of the mouth
Orthodontics for Teens
Teen Braces Done Right
The teen years (between the ages of 11 and 16) are the most common time for orthodontic treatment here at Shiney Smiles Orthodontics because most permanent teeth will be in place.
Thankfully, today’s orthodontic technology has created solutions that help Dr. Sheinis make the treatment process much easier.
Teen Braces in Syosset, Plainview, Woodbury & Huntington, NY
Your kids are the most important thing to you, so we’re excited to help you give them an opportunity to achieve a beautiful Shiney Smile. An additional benefit to starting treatment at this time is it lets Dr. Sheinis to take advantage of potential jaw growth to ensure a functional and stable bite.
Orthodontic problems become harder to treat further down the line, that’s why it’s important to start orthodontic treatment in adolescent years to get ahead of the problems. The body is still growing rapidly during the adolescent years which makes it easier to treat.
At Shiney Smiles Orthodontics, your teenager has a variety of options to achieve a smile beyond their expectations. After a thorough exam to diagnose all problems, we’ll discuss all options with the goal of delivering a customized treatment that produces fantastic results.
Experienced orthodontists like Dr. Sheinis can easily recognize issues with spacing, crowding, bite, and alignment at this time, and your teen’s bone and jaw structure are formed enough to allow orthodontic treatment to begin.
Choose Your Look
While creating a customized treatment plan for your teen, Dr. Michael Sheinis might recommend an orthodontic appliance.
You have variety of options at Shiney Smiles Orthodontics so you can choose what is best for you and your child according to preference and financial ability. Here at Shiney Smiles Orthodontics, we offer:
Clear Aligners
Systems like Invisalign® and 3M® Clarity are made up of a series of fully customized, translucent trays called aligners. These aligners are nearly invisible and totally removable.
Made of soft plastic, they provide a more comfortable orthodontic experience, with no friction or abrasions inside your teen’s mouth.
Using the system is simple. Just switch your aligner for the next in the set every week, and wear them for 20-22 hours per day. If your teen follows these instructions, the teeth will gradually move in the right direction.
Clear aligners work best for mild to moderate orthodontic issues, and may not be an option if your teen needs more serious treatment.
Metal Braces
Braces have come a very long way, even within the past decade. They’re nothing like the extremely bulky and uncomfortable metal braces that may come to mind.
We don't use this type of bulky orthodontic appliance, and many of the new braces are lighter and more comfortable than ever before.
Ceramic Braces
Also known as clear braces, these work the same way metal braces do but feature brackets made of tooth-colored ceramic materials.
They blend in with your teen’s smile, making them much less obvious. Since ceramic braces are slightly more prone to breaking, and a little costlier than metal braces, they may not be best for everyone.
Make an Investment in Your Teen’s Smile Today
Orthodontic treatment is an investment in your teen’s future. During your free consultation, Dr. Sheinis will be happy to discuss the benefits of treatment and the risk of putting it off.
Although adults can successfully complete orthodontic treatment at Shiney Smiles Orthodontics, a teen’s jaws and teeth can respond quicker to braces, shortening their total treatment time. Contact our Huntington or Woodbury office to get started today!
Orthodontics for Adults
Adult Braces Can Get You the Smile You Want
At Shiney Smiles Orthodontics, age is just a number. No matter how busy you are, there is always time to improve your smile—it’s never too late to treat yourself to a beautiful smile that we’re proud to stand behind.
Get a Perfect Smile
Gone are the days of adults feeling ashamed to undergo orthodontic treatment. With the drastic improvement of technology and materials over the past several years, we’re happy to give you multiple subtle options.
With options such as clear ceramic braces, InBrace hidden braces and clear aligners (like Invisalign® and 3M® Clarity), there is no reason why your kids should be the only ones to get that perfect smile.
Today, about one in every five orthodontic patients at our office are adults from all around Syosset, Plainview, Woodbury and Huntington areas.
Are You Too Old for Braces?
Although childhood is the ideal time to make changes to the positioning of the teeth, more adults are opting for orthodontic treatment.
Many adults believe that they are too old for braces or may feel embarrassed to wear them, but with advancements in orthodontic treatments, wearing braces is no longer aesthetically unpleasant (think: Invisalign & lingual braces) and the outcomes can be just as good.
There’s only one key factor to keep in mind and that is that it might take longer to straighten the teeth. Since adults have denser bone tissue than children, the treatment may take longer, but age does not keep the teeth from moving.
Choose Your Treatment
Shiney Smiles Orthodontics offers a variety of orthodontic appliances to choose from, both fixed and removable.
Your options include:
- Traditional metal braces
- Ceramic braces
- Clear aligners (like Invisalign® and 3M® Clarity aligners)
- Clear aligners for Teens
Why You Should Consider Orthodontic Treatment
Straight Teeth Are Healthy Teeth
When Dr. Sheinis aligns your teeth correctly, it’s easier to keep them clean by flossing and brushing. This helps prevent other oral issues, including some that can affect your overall health.
A Straight Smile Builds Confidence & Self-Esteem
Successfully completed orthodontic treatment with Shiney Smiles Orthodontics can help boost your self-confidence, give you a better quality of life, and allow you to smile freely for maybe the first time ever.
Untreated Oral Issues Will Get Worse
Delaying or refusing orthodontic treatment when Dr. Sheinis recommends it can create long-term health issues that may wind up costing you more in the end.
Shiney Smiles Orthodontics understands that teens, kids, and adults will all have different dental needs, requiring different kinds of care and attention.
Dr. Sheinis and our team will work diligently with you to ensure you receive the most appropriate treatment in a positive and comfortable environment.