Orthodontic Treatments In Los Angeles, Built Around Your Whole Health
Our Treatment Options
Maybe you’ve already been to a consult or two. One office pushed clear aligners, another said your case was too complicated, and you left holding a quote instead of a plan. Sound familiar?
Look, the treatment you choose matters. But who plans it matters more. At Alpan Orthodontics, Dr. David Alpan, DDS, MSD, personally designs every treatment plan, and the team he trained carries it out at our seven offices across Los Angeles, from Downtown LA and Century City to Larchmont, Inglewood, Pasadena, Van Nuys, and Woodland Hills.
Below you’ll find every major orthodontic treatment we offer, what each one does, and who it tends to fit. Use it as a guide. Then come in, and we’ll tell you honestly which one makes sense for you.
More Than Straight Teeth: How We Think About Your Smile
Most people come in thinking about their teeth. That makes sense. Crooked teeth are the part you see in the mirror every morning.
Dr. Alpan starts somewhere else: your face. He looks at how your teeth, lips, gums, and jaw sit together, then checks your bite, your jaw joints (TMJ), and your airway. As the practice puts it, “We treat the smile, the bite, the face, the TMJ and the airway, because everything is connected.”
Why should that matter to you? Straight teeth that leave you with a sore jaw, a cramped bite, or a face that looks a little off in five years aren’t a finished result. The goal is a smile that holds up for life.
Our orthodontic treatments are for kids, teens, and adults. That includes parents wondering if their 8-year-old needs help now or later, teens who want Invisalign, adults whose childhood braces didn’t hold, and anyone dealing with jaw pain or worries about breathing and sleep.
Find the Orthodontic Treatment That Fits You
Every treatment below is a tool. The right one depends on your bite, your jaw, your goals, and your daily routine. Here’s a quick way to find your starting point:
- Want fixed braces you never have to think about? Start with braces or LightForce.
- Want something you can take out to eat? Look at Invisalign.
- Dealing with jaw clicking, soreness, or headaches? Read about TMJ and TMD treatment.
- Worried about snoring, mouth breathing, or poor sleep? See airway orthodontics.
- Asking for your child? Early orthodontics is your page.
- Had braces before, or been told you’re “too old”? Head to adult orthodontics.
Braces: Metal, Gold, and Clear
Braces are still one of the most dependable ways to move teeth, and you have real choices. Metal and gold braces are strong and efficient. Clear braces use tooth-colored brackets that blend in, which a lot of teens and working adults like.
Once Dr. Alpan presents your plan and your dentist signs off on any pending dental work, our team can place braces at the same visit, even just the front six teeth. Learn more about metal, gold, and clear braces in Los Angeles.
LightForce Custom 3D-Printed Braces
LightForce brackets are 3D-printed for your teeth, one tooth at a time, from a digital plan. Instead of fitting a standard bracket to every tooth, each bracket is shaped around where Dr. Alpan wants that tooth to finish.
The appliance is only half of it. The plan behind it is built from your face, bite, and airway, not just tooth alignment. Since the brackets are custom-made after your scan, LightForce starts at a follow-up visit rather than the same day.
Invisalign Clear Aligners
Invisalign treatment uses a series of removable clear aligners that shift your teeth a little at a time. You take them out to eat, brush, and floss. Most people around you won’t even notice them.
Dr. Alpan has treated with Invisalign since 1999, the year it launched. He’s an Invisalign Diamond+ Provider and helped found the treatment planning service Invisalign later acquired. That depth means he can treat most cases with clear aligners, including complex bites many doctors turn away.
Got a teen who’s begging for aligners? We talk openly about wear time and whether the case fits aligners before anyone commits.
Airway Orthodontics
The size of your jaw and the position of your teeth can affect how much room your tongue and airway have. If your child breathes through their mouth, or you snore and wake up tired, it’s fair to ask whether your bite plays a role.
Dr. Alpan has thousands of hours of training in airway and obstructive sleep apnea care. Depending on your case, he may use expansion, non-extraction planning, or an oral appliance. He works with your physician, since a sleep study is what diagnoses sleep apnea.
TMJ and TMD Treatment
Jaw clicking, popping, soreness, or headaches that start near your ears can wear you down. These can be signs of a TMJ problem, and they are worth a careful look.
Dr. Alpan wrote his master’s thesis on TMJ and treats facial pain patients, which is uncommon in orthodontics. He evaluates your jaw joints as part of your bite, so your TMJ helps shape the plan instead of being an afterthought.
Early Orthodontics for Kids
If you’re a parent, you probably have one big question. Does my child need treatment now, or can it wait? You should get a straight answer, not a sales pitch.
Early treatment, also called Phase I, can guide jaw growth and make room for adult teeth while kids are still growing. Sometimes the right call is to wait and watch, and we’ll tell you when that’s the case.
Adult Orthodontics
Had braces as a kid, only to watch your teeth drift back? Have you been told your case is too complicated or that you’re too old? You’re not out of options.
Dr. Alpan has personally created more than 25,000 treatment plans, and he takes re-treatment cases seriously. Adults can choose braces, LightForce, or Invisalign, depending on the bite.
Teeth Whitening
Once your teeth are where they belong, whitening can brighten the final result. Think of it as a finishing touch, not a fix for crooked teeth.
Many patients whiten after their braces or aligners come off, so the color matches the new smile.
The Extra Tools That Shape Your Result
Some cases need a little more support. Depending on your plan, Dr. Alpan may use palatal expanders, temporary anchorage devices (TADs), lingual braces that sit behind the teeth, or surgical orthodontics for larger jaw differences.
Finishing counts too. That can mean adjusting the bite, shaping the edges of your front teeth, and contouring gums with a soft-tissue laser. It’s the detail that turns a straight smile into a balanced one.
How Your Treatment Comes Together
Every treatment on this page follows the same basic path. Here’s what that looks like:
- Consultation: We look at your face, teeth, bite, jaw joints, and airway. Comprehensive consultations take time, and we book accordingly.
- Your plan: Dr. Alpan personally designs your plan, including the treatment, the order of each step, and how you’ll keep your results.
- Getting started: Braces can go on the same day once your dentist signs off. LightForce and Invisalign start after your scan is turned into custom appliances.
- Regular visits: The team Dr. Alpan trained handles your adjustments and check-ins, following his plan.
- Finishing: Your bite, tooth edges, and gums are fine-tuned before treatment ends.
- Lifetime retention: You keep coming back for check-ins, so your smile stays where it belongs.
Why Patients Across Los Angeles Choose Dr. Alpan
Here’s the thing. When you pick an orthodontist, the biggest question is simple: will they finish my case right? Dr. Alpan’s background answers that with specifics.
He’s a third-generation dental professional who earned his DDS from the University of the Pacific at 22. By 24, he had finished his orthodontic specialty certificate and a Master of Science in Dentistry. He has trained more than 12,000 doctors worldwide on Invisalign and helped found the Treatment Planning Service that became ClinCheck Assist. Put simply, a lot of doctors learned treatment planning from him.
His philosophy came from his mentor, Dr. Bob Boyd, and it still guides every plan. No extractions in about 99% of cases, because pulling permanent teeth narrows the arch and the airway. That’s the wrong trade for your face and your long-term health.
Your visits are handled by doctors with serious training of their own. Dr. Sydney Honnlee is a board-certified orthodontist, and Dr. Robert Memsic brings more than 40 years in practice and 35 years on the USC Dental School faculty. Our team also speaks English and Spanish, so you can ask real questions in the language you’re most comfortable with.
What to Expect, From First Visit to Lifetime Smile
Plan on your first visit taking a while. That’s on purpose. You’ll leave understanding your plan, not just holding a quote.
During treatment, you’ll come in regularly so the team can check progress and make adjustments. How long treatment lasts depends on your case, and Dr. Alpan will walk you through your timeline before you start.
But here’s what matters most. When your braces or aligners come off, you’re not done with us. We see you four or five times in that first year, then once a year for life. Some patients fly in from out of state just to keep those visits.
So what changes? You get a bite that fits together, a smile that suits your face, and a plan to keep it that way.
Questions LA Patients Ask About Orthodontic Treatment
How do I know which orthodontic treatment is right for me?
That’s what the consultation is for. Dr. Alpan looks at your face, bite, jaw joints, and airway, then recommends the option that fits your case and your daily life. You don’t need to pick a treatment before you come in.
Will I see Dr. Alpan at every visit?
Dr. Alpan personally designs every treatment plan. The orthodontic team he trained, including Dr. Honnlee and Dr. Memsic, carries out your visits and follows his plan. He sees patients across our locations, mostly at our Century City office.
How much does orthodontic treatment cost in Los Angeles?
Treatment at our practice usually runs between $3,000 and $8,000, depending on your case and the treatment you choose. You can customize your down payment and build a monthly payment that works for you. We’ll go over your insurance and options at your consultation.
Does your staff speak Spanish?
Yes. Sí, hablamos español. Our team speaks English and Spanish, so you can ask questions and understand your plan in the language you prefer.
Can I get braces on the same day as my consultation?
Often, yes. Once Dr. Alpan presents your plan and your dentist clears any pending dental work, our team can place braces at the same visit, even just the front six teeth. LightForce braces and Invisalign aligners are custom-made after your scan, so they start at a later visit.
Where are your Los Angeles offices?
We have seven offices: Downtown LA/Westlake, Century City, Larchmont, Inglewood, Woodland Hills, Pasadena, and Van Nuys. That puts us close to Koreatown, Mid-City, Hancock Park, and much of the San Fernando Valley. Ask which office fits your schedule best.
Ready for a Plan Built Around Your Face?
You’ve seen the options. Now the real question is which one fits you, and that’s an answer worth getting from a doctor who has planned more than 25,000 cases.
Book a consultation at the Alpan Orthodontics office closest to you. Bring every question you have, in English or Spanish. You’ll walk out knowing what your plan is and why.