orthodontist los angeles Archives

LA Orthodontist Discusses Braces and Gum Disease

July 15, 2026November 29, 2013 by seo

Person posing outdoors with blurred face

A Close Eye on Mouth Germs Everybody’s smile relies on proper daily attention to remain clean and healthy. Your toothbrush and floss are essential to controlling the buildup of sticky dental plaque, which consists of over 600 different kinds of oral bacteria. Some of these germs pose serious, specific threats to your oral health, such … Read more

Los Angeles Orthodontist Answers Questions About TMJs

July 15, 2026October 30, 2013 by seo

What to Know About TMJ Disorder

Most crooked teeth are inherently visible when patients smile, their unevenness disturbing what should be a perfectly balanced arrangement of teeth. However, not all of the effects of malocclusion (crooked teeth) involve visual appearance. When left untreated, a disproportionate bite can prove devastating by forcing the components of a patient’s mouth to absorb more pressure than they were designed to withstand. Often, it can lead to debilitating discomfort in the form of TMJ disorder, which describes damaged, inflamed, and/or misaligned jaw joints. As a dedicated orthodontist in Los Angeles, Dr. David Alpan has helped many patients find TMJ relief by correcting malocclusion, and by educating patients about the jaw dysfunction.

What does TMJ stand for?

TMJs are the temporomandibular joints that connect the lower jaw, or mandible, to the temporal bones in the skull. Located in front of each ear, TMJs move in tandem as the jaw opens and closes, and rely on proper balance to repeatedly absorb bite pressure without sustaining damage.

Los Angeles Orthodontist Offers Quality Smile Enhancement

July 15, 2026October 9, 2013 by seo

Everyone wants a beautiful smile. In fact, a recent Kelton Research study shows that people with even, bright smiles are considered more attractive and successful. Crooked or crowded teeth may cause embarrassment and prevent people from enjoying a perfect smile. Fortunately, at Alpan Orthodontics, we offer the latest in inconspicuous smile enhancement. In today’s blog, your Los Angeles orthodontist, Dr. David Alpan, discusses the advantages of our orthodontic procedures.

Los Angeles Orthodontist on Teeth Alignment & TMJ Disorder

July 15, 2026September 30, 2013 by seo

As a dedicated orthodontist in Los Angeles, Dr. David Alpan has helped patients of all ages improve their confidence by straightening crooked teeth. He also warns that straight teeth are about more than mere vanity; proper occlusion, or teeth alignment, is vital to a mouth’s comfort, health, and function, and when teeth are crooked (a condition called malocclusion), the rest of your mouth’s components can suffer. Today, we explore how crooked teeth can influence your jaw’s joints and muscles, leading to the debilitating dysfunction known as TMJ disorder.

The Effects of Improper Pressure Displacement

A healthy human mouth can exert up to 200 pounds of pressure on the back molars when biting and chewing, and is designed to preserve the integrity of its components as they absorb this pressure. Teeth alignment plays a significant role in pressure displacement, and if teeth are uneven, then the mouth is off balance and certain teeth may be subjected to excessive pressure. The jaw’s joints (TMJs) and muscles will try to keep the mouth straight while biting and chewing, but the strain can eventually lead to TMJ damage and misalignment.

L.A. Orthodontist—Healthy School Lunches for Children with Braces

November 13, 2024August 19, 2013 by seo

Planning your children’s school lunches can be challenging alone, but if one or more of your children wear braces, then the challenge can be a bit more demanding. Aside from feeding your kids the minerals and nutrients they need, you also have to take into consideration the challenges they face when eating with braces. Your dedicated Los Angeles orthodontist, Dr. David Alpan, helps take the stress out of school-lunch planning by offering a few tips on what to pack.

What to Steer Clear Of…

Foods that can stick to or damage your child’s braces should be avoided, such as;

Soft, chewy, and sticky candy that can adhere to brackets and wires
Cakes, cookies, brownies, or other sugar-loaded treats (sugar facilitates bacterial acid production and tooth decay)
Nuts, hard candy, and popcorn
Sodas, fruit juices, and similarly high-acid beverages
Read more

Los Angeles Orthodontist Explains TMJ Disorder

July 15, 2026August 12, 2013 by seo

There are a host of issues that can arise from crooked teeth, including the diminished confidence of a less-than-appealing smile, but your teeth’s alignment is about more than looks; it’s about balance, which is a necessary component of a well-functioning mouth. Your Los Angeles orthodontist, Dr. David Alpan, believes it’s important to know the intricacies of your oral health, and enjoys helping patients find their smiles’ perfect balance through customized orthodontic treatment. Today, we explore a vital dysfunction that can result from unattended crooked teeth called TMJ disorder, which can negatively affect your smile’s integrity and the components that make it move.

Why Balance is Important

Your jaw is hinged to your skull at the temporal bones in front of each ear, and the temporomandibular joints (TMJs) move in tandem as your mouth opens and closes. When healthy and perfectly aligned, your jaw displaces the pressure of your bite evenly among the joints and muscles that move it and the teeth that absorb the impact.

Los Angeles Orthodontist Explains Why Straight Teeth are Necessary

November 13, 2024July 29, 2013 by seo

Most patients with misaligned teeth (malocclusion) need little more motivation to straighten their teeth than the diminished confidence of a crooked smile. For older teens and adult patients, however, the benefits of a straighter smile are often weighed against the consideration of wearing conspicuous metal braces, which may also affect your personal and professional confidence. At Aesthetic Orthodontics, Dr. David Alpan focuses on improving your smile’s confidence as well as its health and orientation. Today, your Los Angeles orthodontist explains why straightening your teeth is more than just a mere cosmetic concern, and describes how we can help you straighten your teeth discretely with your choice of adult orthodontic treatments.

What to Know About TMJ Disorder

What does TMJ stand for?

The Effects of Improper Pressure Displacement

What to Steer Clear Of…

Why Balance is Important

Choose a Location to Call