Orthodontic Excellence in Santa Monica

Orthodontic Excellence in Santa Monica

Get a straighter, brighter smile at Westside Pediatric Dental and Orthodontic Group.

Meet Dr. Gary Saltz, DDS, our Santa Monica orthodontist. Dr. Saltz earned his dental degree at Northwestern University and completed his orthodontic residency at USC. His background includes an Associate Clinical Professor appointment at USC and work with hospital teams focused on temporomandibular joint care and pediatric cleft palate treatment.

 
  
 EXCELLENT5.0
Close-up of a person inserting a clear aligner onto their teeth for orthodontic treatment.

Orthodontic Excellence in Santa Monica

Straighten and brighten your smile with Westside Pediatric Dental and Orthodontic Group.

Boost Confidence

We make beautiful smiles that enhance your overall look, helping them smile more confidently.

Picture Perfect

Feel great about flaunting your straight, shiny teeth in every photo.

Healthier Smile

Straight teeth are often healthier, reducing the risk of tooth decay and gum issues.

Young man sitting at a desk, appearing contemplative, with his hand on his head and a laptop nearby.

Don’t Hide Your Smile Because of Crooked Teeth!

Do gaps or crooked teeth make you self-conscious about smiling? Is it tough to chew because your teeth don’t line up right? Worried about the hassle of big, noticeable braces? When smiling feels awkward or uncomfortable, it’s hard to fully enjoy laughing or having a good time.

If this sounds like you, orthodontic treatment could really help!

Personalized Treatment for You and Your Child!

Straight teeth don’t just look good—they boost confidence too. That’s why we offer orthodontic treatments right here in Santa Monica. While most people think braces are just for a nicer smile, they also improve oral health and how your teeth work.

We love treating parents too! You might have had braces as a child, but your teeth have begun to shift again. Over the years, the misalignment might have started to bother you. You can still get the perfect, straight teeth you used to have! Invisalign is extremely easy and could be perfect for you! Call us today to request an appointment.

Get a Perfect Smile in Three Simple Steps

Orthodontics focuses on fixing teeth and jaw misalignments to improve how they fit together. We offer a variety of treatment options, and we’ll make sure you get the one that fits your needs. Whether your teeth are crooked, crowded, or have gaps, or if your bite is off, we can help. Today’s orthodontic treatments are quicker, more comfortable, and better than ever, making it a great time to get the smile you want.

Step 1: Consultation

Book a visit with us to figure out the best way to straighten your teeth.

Step 2: Take it Easy

Our dental team will tailor a plan just for you to achieve the perfect smile you desire.

Step 3: Show Off Your Smile

You’re on your way to getting the brilliant smile you’ve always wanted.

Meet Our Doctors

Our staff is compassionate, well trained, and experienced – many have been with Westside Pediatric Dental and Orthodontic Group for over ten years! We are confident that our staff is the best in LA and Santa Monica at making your children feel comfortable, educated and empowered.

Dr. Bernard Gross wearing geen scrubs holding up a dental light while a child lies in the dental chair.

Dr. Bernard Gross

Diplomate, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry

Dr. Kleinman posing with an oversized toothbrush, smiling at the camera in a dental clinic.

Dr. Michael Kleinman

Diplomate, American Board of Pediatric Dentistry

Portrait of Dr. Saltz wearing gray scrubs looking and smiling at the camera.

Dr. Gary Saltz

Orthodontist

Close up portrait of Dr. Delshad wearing black coat with checkered necktie smiling.

Dr. Eddie Delshad

General & Cosmetic Dentist

Prepare For Your First Visit With Us

At Westside Pediatric Dental and Orthodontic Group, we want to make sure our patients feel at ease while visiting. We have provided a few resources for our patients to browse through to become more familiar with the way things work around our office.

We have provided a few resources for our patients to browse through to become more familiar with the way things work around our office.

More Information

Learn more about our orthodontics services.

From Invisalign and Braces to Nightguards and Expanders, we provide complete orthodontic care in Santa Monica and the surrounding areas. Learn more about our orthodontic services.

Young woman in a yellow top, holding a clear dental aligner and pointing to her straight teeth.

Invisalign®

Your treatment plan will take you through a series of aligners to help you gradually achieve a straight smile you feel confident in.

Teen girl with braces and glasses taking a selfie while lying on the floor surrounded by school supplies.

Braces

Braces are orthodontic appliances that help correct teeth misalignment and improve a person’s bite and smile.

Person placing a clear dental aligner on their teeth, shown in a close-up view.

Nightguards

Nightguards are custom-made devices worn during sleep to protect teeth and braces from the effects of grinding or clenching.

Orthodontist using a blue tool to tighten a palatal expander inside a patient's mouth.

Expanders

Dental expanders are used to widen the upper jaw and create space for proper alignment of teeth and a healthier bite.

Frequently Asked Orthodontic Questions

Orthodontic treatment helps straighten or adjust teeth to make them look better and work better. It also helps keep your teeth, gums, and jaw joints healthy by spreading the biting pressure evenly.

The main goal of orthodontics is to make sure your teeth and jaws are lined up right, improving how your face looks. Modern orthodontics combines old methods with new technology to make treatments faster, less painful, and nicer to look at.

Dentists and orthodontists both care for your mouth and teeth, but they do different things.

A dentist is a doctor who works on teeth, gums, nerves, and jaws. Orthodontists are also dentists, but they focus on fixing bites, how your teeth align, and straightening your teeth.

Orthodontic problems usually don’t go away on their own. That’s why the American Association of Orthodontists says all kids should see an AAO orthodontist at age 7.

By age 7, kids have enough adult teeth for an orthodontist to spot problems early. It might seem young, but catching issues like jaw alignment and crowded teeth early can stop bigger problems later.

  • Use a soft-bristle toothbrush. Clean the top part of your teeth between your brackets and gums. Brush at an angle toward the gums to avoid irritation.
  • Brush your teeth after every meal. Brace wires catch food, so brushing often helps prevent plaque. Carry a travel toothbrush. If you don’t have one, rinse with water for 30 seconds. After eating acidic foods like oranges or drinking sports drinks, wait 30 minutes to an hour before brushing to protect your enamel.
  • Avoid using too much toothpaste. Too much foam can make it hard to see plaque and debris. Start with a wet toothbrush to clean around brackets and wires using a picking motion. Then add a pea-sized amount of toothpaste and keep brushing.
  • Make sure to brush for 2 minutes. Spend 30 seconds on each part of your mouth: upper right, lower right, upper left, and lower left. Clean both the outer and inner sides of your teeth. Set a timer to brush for the full two minutes.
  • Use a floss threader or waterpik. Flossing with braces is hard. A threader helps guide the floss through the wire. Use a sawing motion to remove plaque. A waterpik water flosser can also make flossing easier with a stream of water.
  • Use mouthwash at night. Choose an anti-cavity, fluoride mouthwash to reduce tooth decay and protect enamel. Rinse for one minute to remove any leftover debris. Check in the mirror for missed spots.
  • Avoid certain foods when wearing braces. Foods and drinks with high acid content are not good for your teeth. For example, bananas are better than oranges, and water and milk are better than soft drinks. We can give you a list of foods to eat and avoid while you have braces.

There’s no single answer for how long orthodontic treatment takes. The time it takes depends on many things, both about the patient and the treatment needed.

If only a few teeth need a little straightening, it might take about 6-12 months. For more complex cases with many issues, it can take up to two years. Most treatments usually last around 12-18 months.

If you don’t like the look of metal braces, that’s okay, especially for adults who want to straighten their teeth discreetly.

Invisalign is a popular choice for adults in the Santa Monica area. You’ve probably heard about it from family or friends. These clear trays help you get a great smile without the hassle of metal braces.

Since the aligners are removable, you can take them out before eating or drinking. You can also switch to the next set of aligners yourself, without needing to visit the dentist for adjustments each time.

How often you visit the orthodontist depends on your treatment plan and progress. Usually, most patients need to visit every 4 to 8 weeks. However, this might change based on your specific needs and how complex your treatment is.

Yes, your child can play sports and musical instruments during orthodontic treatment. We recommend wearing a mouth guard while playing sports. Playing musical instruments may feel a bit different with braces at first, but after a week or so, most kids forget they have them.

You might think your orthodontic journey ends when your braces come off, but it doesn’t. After braces, there’s a phase called retention. Everyone who has braces needs to wear a retainer to help teeth, bones, and gums get used to their new position.

Teeth naturally want to move back to their original spots, especially in the first few months after braces are removed. Teeth also shift with age, but retainers help keep them in place and reduce movement.

Originally, children got braces around ages 12-13, usually in middle school. Nowadays, with better technology, we can start as early as six or seven, which has many benefits.

Early orthodontic treatment is important. It’s not just about straightening teeth but also setting up a healthy and confident smile for life.

One key reason for early intervention is that orthodontists can find and fix problems before they get worse. By watching your child’s dental development early on, orthodontists can spot issues like overcrowding, misalignment, or bite problems. This helps prevent bigger problems later and reduces the need for more intense treatments.

Another benefit is using your child’s growth spurt. During this time, their bones are still growing, making it easier to guide their teeth into the right position. Starting treatment during this period can lead to better results in less time.

Invisalign® treatment uses a series of virtually invisible, removable, and comfortable aligners that allow you to smile more during treatment as well as after. Every 2-3 weeks, patients move to a new set of aligners that help to gradually move teeth into their proper position. Invisalign clear aligners are made with 3D computer imaging technology and have been proven effective.

It’s important to remember that orthodontic treatment is a service and not a product. When you purchase orthodontic kits that allow you to perform orthodontic treatment at home, you’re taking on risks that your mouth and bone structure may not respond as anticipated. At home treatment does not begin with a comprehensive evaluation of your orthodontic condition. No x-rays are taken, overlying issues aren’t addressed, and a professional assessment isn’t made that may include more than one type of solution. Additionally, should problems arise during orthodontic treatment, it’s best to have a trained professional who can evaluate your progress and adjust the treatment plan as needed.

A palatal expander, often simply called an “expander” is an orthodontic appliance that fits over several of the top teeth and in the back of the mouth. Using a specialized key, the device is gradually widened to gently encourage more space in the jaw. After the proper placement is made, bones naturally gill the gap and solidify the expansion. Expanders can help with a number of childhood orthopedic problems including crowding, crossbite and impacted teeth (described in greater detail above). They are often required to begin correcting these problems before braces can be used.

We provide many different orthodontic treatment options which are personalized to the specific situation of each patient. There are times when several options may be available while some treatments may have only one. Each plan is based on the patient’s age, their activities, the underlying orthodontic issue being treated and other factors such as cost.

Metal Braces are the most common form of traditional orthodontic treatment, however today’s metal braces are smaller and more comfortable than they were in the past. Metal braces are made of high-grade stainless steel and bonded to the teeth. Wires slowly move teeth into alignment over time and frequent evaluations are made to determine proper movement. Patients can personalize their metal braces by choosing the color of their elastics (small rubber bands).

Ceramic Braces are similar in style and function to metal braces but use clear and translucent materials to make them less noticeable. Older teens and adults for whom Invisalign® isn’t an option, may want a less noticeable option and will often choose ceramic braces. It’s important to understand that ceramic braces are more fragile than traditional metal braces and require more care.

If you have a wire poking your gums, you can take a small amount of your dental wax and place it on the piece of wire that is poking you.

Flossing with braces will require a little more time than your normal flossing. Flossing is very important to make sure you get all food particles from around your brackets and in between your teeth. You may want to use a floss threader to help slide the floss between the wire and your teeth. We recommend you floss every night before bed.

If a wire, bracket, or band breaks or becomes loose, you will need to take care of it as soon as possible. If the bracket is still attached to your wire, leave it in place and try not to touch it until your repair appointment. If a piece of your braces falls out, bring it with you to your repair appointment. If any part of your braces is causing you discomfort, you can cover them with a piece of dental wax until your appointment.

There are several foods you will need to avoid during your orthodontic treatment. You will want to avoid hard foods such as candies, popcorn, nuts, ice, chips, corn on the cob, etc. Hard foods can break your brackets and wires as you bite down on their hard surfaces. You will also want to stay away from sticky foods such as gum, taffy, gummies. Sticky foods can pull your brackets away from your teeth.