What Sets Us Apart
The Alpan Difference
Alpan Orthodontics treats the smile, the bite, the face, the TMJ and the airway as one connected system, not as separate problems to be solved one at a time. Dr. David Alpan personally designs every treatment plan, uses a non-extraction approach in about 99% of cases, and stays connected to patients with annual check-ins for life after treatment ends. That combination of whole-health treatment planning, hands-on design by one doctor, and lifetime follow-up is what sets this practice apart for patients in Los Angeles.
You Get a Smile Balanced With Your Bite, Your TMJ, and Your Airway - Not Just Straight Teeth
Most orthodontists fix the teeth and stop. Dr. Alpan starts at the face — how your teeth, lips, gums, and jaw sit together — and treats your bite, TMJ, and airway as the same system. The result is straight teeth that don't leave you with jaw pain, sleep issues, or a face that looks subtly off in five years.
That matters because a plan that only moves teeth into a straighter line can leave the jaw joint under strain or the airway narrower than before treatment started. When your plan addresses the bite and the airway alongside the teeth, you are working toward a result that supports how you chew, breathe, and rest your jaw for years after your braces or aligners come off, not just how your smile looks in a photo.
You Keep Your Straight Smile for Life - Annual Check-Ins Forever, Not Just Two Retainer Visits
Most orthodontists hand you a retainer and dismiss you in a year. Dr. Alpan sees you four or five times in your first post-treatment year, then schedules you annually for the rest of your life. Patients fly in from out of state to keep theirs.
That ongoing relationship means small shifts get caught and corrected while they are still small, instead of turning into a second round of treatment years later. Some patients who have moved out of state still fly back for their annual visit because they would rather protect the results they worked for than risk starting over. The goal is simple: the smile you finish treatment with should be the smile you still have decades later.
You Get a Treatment Plan From the Doctor Who Taught 12,000+ Doctors How to Do Them
Dr. Alpan helped build the Treatment Planning Service that Invisalign acquired and turned into ClinCheck Assist. He is an active AON mentor. He has personally treatment-planned over 25,000 cases. That means even a complicated case is planned by the doctor many doctors turn to, not figured out on you.
For a patient, that history means a complicated bite, a case another office called too difficult, or a plan that needs to account for TMJ or airway concerns is being designed by someone other orthodontists call on for guidance, not figured out through trial and error on your teeth.
No Extractions 99% Of The Time
Pulling permanent teeth shrinks the arch and narrows the airway. Headgear pushes teeth backward and does the same. Dr. Alpan's position is straightforward: extraction-based orthodontics is the wrong trade-off for your face and your long-term health.
For you, that means a plan built around preserving your natural jaw structure and airway space, with the goal of a smile that supports your whole face rather than one that was reached by removing what was there to begin with.
Your Treatment Plan Comes From Dr. Alpan Himself - Not our Associates
In many practices, an associate doctor sees you at the consult and designs your plan. At Alpan Orthodontics, Dr. Alpan personally designs every treatment plan with a 3D virtual animation — face evaluation smile design, growth & development evaluation, TMJ & bite assessment, airway screening, need for surgery, sequencing dental plan and a lifetime retention program. The orthodontic team supports the journey through in person or virtual visits. The smile design plan is always created by Dr Alpan’s and his amazing team.
The orthodontic team he trained is always there to support your journey. A full clinical team awaits your smile revel, while your plan itself stays anchored to one doctor's judgment from your first consultation through your final retainer check. You are never left wondering whose plan you are actually following.
Can I Get My Braces Same Day As My Consultation, Not Just A Quote?
Once Dr. Alpan presents your plan & your dentist signs off on any pending dental work, the team can place braces — even just the front six teeth — at the same visit. Real same-day starts, not just hype.
That means your first appointment does not have to end with a folder of paperwork & a call back date weeks later. If braces are the right fit for your case, treatment can begin the same day you decide to move forward, so the time between deciding & starting is as short as your case allows. For Invisalign & light Force braces there is a longer turn around time to start treatment, based on the 3D virtual design & construction time.
You Leave With a Smile That's Been Designed, Not Just Unbracketed
It starts with the right treatment plan & ends with the finishing most orthodontists skip: 3D virtual plan, meticulous in person or virtual care, Dr Alpan’s smile design, bite aligned & adjusted, incisal edges shaped & contoured, while balancing the gum contours with a soft-tissue laser. When the teeth are off in size, shape, color, or contour, cosmetic and restorative dental work completes the look. The difference between a straight smile & a smile designed for balance is the detail from start to finish.
If teeth need cosmetic or restorative dental work Dr Alpan plans with your dentist how to complete the smile design picture. The difference between teeth that are simply straight & a smile that looks designed & finished comes down to this level of detail from start to finish.
Finish Your Treatment 35% Faster – With OrthoPulse & Propel
Dr. Alpan was an early KOL for Acceledent, Propel & OrthoPulse red-light therapy. The use of Red-light therapy provides 30% shorter treatment time on average, with less sensitivity, and a more predictable outcome — reducing treatment time & sensitivity while improving treatment outcomes is a no brainer. Ask Dr Alpan & his team about ways to speed up your orthodontic treatment, reduce discomfort & improve the outcome results in less time.
Accelerated orthodontics comes from technology layered onto a sound treatment plan, not from cutting steps out of your care, so a shorter timeline does not come at the cost of a less thorough result. Our goal is to create the best result possible tailored to your needs. If time is a concern ask about accelerated orthodontic options.
You Can Ask Real Questions About Your Treatment - In English or Spanish or Russian
Most Los Angeles orthodontic practices operate in English only. Alpan's team is fluently bilingual. For Spanish-speaking parents & adults, that means your questions get real answers, not nodded-through translations. We also provide forms in Spanish & our website converts to Spanish.
Communication is what matters most at the moments when the details count, like understanding what a treatment plan actually involves or knowing what to expect at your next visit. Our friendly bilingual team is always available to help explain your orthodontic journey.
Trained & Credentialed Beyond General Orthodontics – We don’t just straighten teeth
Dr. Alpan's is a licensed orthodontist but wrote his master's thesis focused specifically on the treatment of TMJ, airway & bite. After treating thousands of patients since 1998, with just straight teeth, he has created a comprehensive approach with smile design, TMJ, airway, and surgical approaches to comprehensive airway orthodontics. After completing thousands of hours of additional training in TMJ, airway & sleep-related breathing treatments Dr Alpan has also been awarded Invisalign Blue Diamond Provider status, one of the highest recognition tiers Invisalign offers. Dr Alpan is also an Invisalign Orthodontic Network Mentor assisting other orthodontist worldwide with treatment planning their patients.
For patients dealing with jaw pain, clicking, or sleep concerns alongside crowded or misaligned teeth, that combination means those issues can be evaluated as part of your orthodontic smile design plan, rather than needing a separate referral to an airway or TMJ specialist.
Common Questions About the Alpan Orthodontics Difference
What makes Alpan Orthodontics' approach different?
Treatment is built around the bite, the TMJ, and the airway together, not the teeth alone. Every plan is personally designed by Dr. Alpan, treatment avoids extractions in about 99% of cases, and patients return for lifetime annual check-ins after treatment ends.
Does Dr. Alpan see every patient at every visit?
Dr. Alpan personally designs every treatment plan, including the face, bite, airway, and sequencing decisions. The orthodontic team he trained carries out day-to-day appointments, so your plan stays anchored to one doctor’s judgment throughout treatment.
Will I need teeth extracted for treatment?
In about 99% of cases, no. Dr. Alpan’s approach expands and aligns the arch to work with the space already available, since removing teeth or pulling the jaw back can narrow the arch and the airway.
Is the office able to help Spanish-speaking patients?
Yes. The team is fluently bilingual in English and Spanish, so patients and parents can ask questions and get answers directly, without relying on a translated summary.
How long does treatment typically take?
Timelines depend on the case. Patients using acceleration options like light-based, micro-osteoperforation, or vibration-based technology have finished up to 35% faster on average. Your consultation is where Dr. Alpan lays out a timeline specific to your bite and goals.
Start With a Plan Designed by Dr. Alpan
If you want a treatment plan built around your bite, your TMJ, and your airway, not just your teeth, schedule a consultation with Alpan Orthodontics. You will meet with the doctor who designs every plan himself and leave understanding exactly what your treatment involves.