They can — orthodontic treatment changes how your teeth meet, and in someone with a vulnerable joint or heavy clenching habit, that change can aggravate symptoms. This is why we screen every orthodontic patient for joint and muscle issues before treatment, and why patients with existing TMJ concerns are often better served here than in a purely cosmetic aligner setting.
Orthodontics that respects your jaw, your bite, and your airway.
Moving teeth is easy. Moving them without creating new problems — that takes a different kind of attention.
Most orthodontic treatment focuses on one thing: alignment. But your teeth don’t exist in isolation. They meet in a bite. That bite loads two joints. And the position of your teeth and jaws shapes the space you breathe through. Change one, and you change all of them.
Dr. Besharati has spent 25+ years treating what happens when that gets ignored — jaw pain, headaches, clenching, disrupted sleep. So when orthodontics happens here, it starts where every case here starts: with your joints, muscles, and airway.
Who This Is For
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Adults who want straighter teeth — carefully.
Clear aligner therapy (Invisalign®) that improves your smile without ignoring your. bite and joints. Discreet, removable, and planned around how your whole system works.
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Teeth that have shifted or relapsed.
Had braces years ago and things moved? Often correctable with aligners — and worth investigating why they moved in the first place. Grinding, clenching, and airway issues are common culprits.
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Children ages 7 and up.
Functional orthodontics guides jaw growth while it’s still happening. Addressing crowding, narrow arches, and airway concerns early can reduce or simplify treatment later — and in some children, support better breathing and sleep.
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People with TMJ concerns considering orthodontics.
If you have jaw pain, clicking, or a history of TMJ problems, orthodontic treatment deserves extra caution. This is exactly the situation Dr. Besharati’s training was built for. Sometimes bite correction is part of the solution. Sometimes it should wait. We’ll tell you which, honestly.
How it works here
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Whole-system evaluation.
Before any tooth moves, we examine your joints, muscles, bite, and airway. If there’s an active TMJ or airway issue, we address or account for it first.
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A plan that fits — or an honest no.
If aligners are the right tool, you’ll see the plan, the timeline, and the cost before committing. If orthodontics isn’t the right answer for your situation, we’ll say so and explain why.
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Monitored movement.
Regular checks — not just on tooth position, but on how your bite and joints are responding as things move.
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Retention with a reason.
Teeth move for reasons. We finish by protecting the result and addressing what caused the problem, whether that’s grinding, clenching, or breathing.
Common questions
Ready to get some clarity?
Call the office or fill out a quick evaluation request. We’ll get back to you within one to two business days and make sure we set aside enough time for your visit.
Mon through Thu, 7am to 4pm. Leave a message anytime and we’ll call you back within one business day.