A board-certified orthodontist has voluntarily completed a rigorous process to demonstrate advanced knowledge, clinical skill, and professional judgement to their peers. This includes comprehensive written examinations and the presentation of completed patient cases for detailed evaluation. Board certification reflects a commitment to excellence and the highest standards of patient care. Dr. Seely is Board Certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. This distinction recognized her dedication to achieving exceptional results, continual learning, and providing the highest level of orthodontic care to every patient.

An experienced orthodontist should be proud to share before-and-after photos of their actual patients. If they don't, it may be worth asking why. Just like any artist, we take pride in the transformations we create. Dr. Seely is  happy to show you a variety of real cases she has completed so you can see the quality of her work for yourself.

Orthodontists must evaluate and treat based on proper occlusal relationships, not just aesthetics or straight teeth. Straight teeth alone don't guarantee functional health or comfort. Improper orthodontic treatment can lead to chronic pain, TMJ dysfunction, bite instability, and the need for retreatment. Asking thoughtful, in-depth questions ensures your orthodontist:
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-Understands biomechanics, not just bracket placement
-Has a plan to establish and maintain functional occlusion
-Screens for and protects against TMJ dysfunction
-Takes a comprehensive, personalized approach to your oral health.

A truly comprehensive orthodontic approach should go beyond simply straightening the visible front teeth. Proper bite alignment involves evaluating and positioning all teeth—including the second molars—to ensure a stable, functional, and lasting result, not just a cosmetic improvement. Dr. Seely takes a personalized approach to every case, customizing your treatment plan to address your unique bite, jaw alignment, and overall facial balance. This includes carefully managing the movement of posterior teeth, especially the second molars, which requires advanced understanding of orthodontic mechanics and anchorage control. Without this full correction, patients risk long-term bite problems, uneven tooth wear, or relapse after treatment. Dr. Seely’s comprehensive method helps prevent these issues and promotes long-term oral health and stability.

Properly aligning the second molars is essential for balanced bite (occlusion), even function, and long-term stability. When the teeth are left out of treatment, it can create bite imbalances, uneven wear, and potential relapse. Many orthodontists skip aligning the second molars because it can be more time-consuming, requires additional precision, and sometimes involves extending treatment. Dr. Seely makes it a priority to align the second molars whenever appropriate. Many orthodontists skip them, but properly aligning the second molars is essential for a balanced bite (occlusion) and long-term stability. Leaving them out can compromise the function and overall outcome of your treatment.

That's a crucial part of treatment. Dr. Seely always checks and adjust your bite throughout the process — not just the front teeth. Proper contact between the back teeth is essential for chewing, jaw support, and long-term stability. She uses digital bite analysis and physical checks to make sure your molars and premolars are in the right position by the end of treatment.

Centric relation is the jaw’s most stable position—when the condyles (rounded ends of the lower jaw) are properly seated in the glenoid fossae of the temporomandibular joints (TMJs). Treating to CR ensures the bite is aligned with the jaw’s natural position, with even contact on the back teeth and no premature contacts or gaps. The front teeth may be slightly out of contact, which is normal in this position. Treating to centric relation helps ensure a more stable, functional and long-lasting bite. It can also reduce the risk of TMJ issues, muscle strain, and uneven tooth wear over time. Dr. Seely treats to centric relation when clinically appropriate, ensuring the bite is guided by the natural and most stable position of the jaw joint. This approach creates a more stable, balanced bite and supports long-term joint and dental health.

Canine guidance, or canine rise, is when only the canine teeth make contact as the lower jaw moves side to side. This protects the back teeth from excessive wear and helps guide smooth jaw movements, reducing strain on the jaw joints and muscles. Dr. Seely incorporates canine guidance into treatment when appropriate. This helps protect the bite, improves function, and promotes long-term joint and dental health.

Orthodontists should screen for TMJ issues before starting treatment and monitor changes during and after treatment. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is intricately connected to the bite and tooth position. A misaligned bite can strain the TMJ, causing, clicking or popping sounds, pain in the jaw, neck or head, and limited range of motion. Conversely, an existing TMJ disorder can influence how the teeth fit together, creating a cycle of dysfunction. What makes Dr. Seely different is her comprehensive approach to TMJ health. Before starting any orthodontic treatment, she thoroughly evaluates the TMJ to identify any existing issues or risk factors. Throughout your treatment, she carefully monitors joint function and makes individualized adjustments.

Deep bite correction requires precise control of tooth movement, often through the intrusion of the front (anterior) teeth and/or the extrusion of the back (posterior) teeth. These adjustments rely on advanced biomechanical techniques. In many cases, aligners alone cannot fully correct a deep bite because they may not provide the vertical forces needed for true bite opening. A skilled orthodontist will determine when aligners are appropriate, when fixed appliances are necessary, and how to achieve not just cosmetic improvement, but a stable, functional bite.Dr. Seely takes a comprehensive approach to deep bite correction by using customized biteplates—specialized appliances designed to help open the bite, reduce pressure on the front teeth, and guide the jaw into a healthier position. By combining biteplates with precise orthodontic mechanics, she ensures effective correction, long-term stability, and optimal function.

Controlling the height of the upper front teeth (maxillary incisors) is key to creating a natural, youthful smile. Ideally, you should show most or all of your upper teeth when you smile. If the upper teeth are intruded too much and the lower teeth show excessively, it can create an aged or unnatural appearance. Dr. Seely uses bite plates frequently to help correct overbites while maintaining proper height of the upper front teeth. She carefully controls their position to ensure a balanced, attractive smile that looks natural and confident.

Upright lower canines are essential for a broad, stable arch. If the canines are left tipped inwards, the arch narrower and less stable, meaning it is more likely to tip further inwards. Tipped-in teeth are more likely to relapse, while upright canines maintain long -term alignment. Dr. Seely routinely uprights the lower canines and uses a broad arch form. This approach not only improves the appearance of the smile but also enhances long-term stability and function.

For a natural, attractive smile, the edges of the upper front teeth should follow the gentle curve of the lower lip when smiling. A flat or straight line across the upper teeth can look unnatural or less expressive. A curved smile line enhances facial aesthetics and creates a more youthful, showy smile. Dr. Seely designs smiles with a natural curve that follows the lower lip, creating a more dynamic beautiful and confident appearance.

Not all jaw shapes are the same. A steep lower jaw requires a different treatment approach than a flatter one. If treated the same, patients with a steep lower jaw may end up with bite problems or be told they need jaw surgery later-often blamed on your “joint issue” that could have been avoided with the right plan. Dr. Seely carefully evaluates each patient’s jaw shape and customizes treatment accordingly. She takes special care with steep lower jaws to avoid unnecessary surgery and joint complications.

When teeth are crowded, some orthodontists recommend removing permanent teeth to create space for alignment. It’s important to understand your orthodontist’s approach to extractions, as it can significantly impact both your smile’s appearance and facial aesthetics. Tooth extractions can permanently change the shape of your smile and profile. In many cases, removing teeth can make the smile narrower and the face appear slightly sunken or aged over time. While extractions are sometimes necessary, they should only be used when absolutely unavoidable. An experienced orthodontist understands how to create space and correct crowding through advanced techniques—without automatically resorting to removing healthy teeth. Dr. Seely believes in preserving your natural teeth whenever possible. She only recommends extractions in rare and specific cases where it’s truly the best option for long-term health and stability. By using advanced, individualized treatment planning and modern orthodontic techniques, Dr. Seely can often correct crowding while keeping all your natural teeth. This approach helps create a full, wide, and youthful smile that is both healthy and aesthetically pleasing.

Smile design goes far beyond just straightening the teeth. Gingival (gum) height discrepancies and tooth wear can have a big impact on how youthful, balanced, and harmonious the smile looks. If one tooth appears shorter due to wear or a higher gumline, it throws off the entire smile. As part of your treatment plan, Dr. Seely evaluates gum symmetry, tooth proportions, and smile arc. In cases like yours, she may coordinate with a restorative dentist or periodontist if needed — for example, foresthetic crown lengtheningorbonding. Think of it as smile architecture — it takes both science and artistry to get it right, and Dr. Seely will design your treatment with those details in mind.

When teeth are severely worn down, it’s important to restore or build them up during treatment planning- so the orthodontist can accurately design the bite and final tooth position. If this step is skipped and the doctor simply “wings it,” the result can be unpredictable. Minor wear can usually be addressed after treatment, but sever wear needs to be factored in from the beginning.  Dr. Seely carefully evaluates severe wear and, when necessary, works with skilled restorative dentists to build up worn teeth early in the treatment. This ensures a precise, functional and aesthetic final result. She does not guess and plans every detail.

A healthy smile is more than just straight teeth—it depends on TMJ function, airway space, gum and bone health, and sleep quality. Ignoring these can lead to pain, breathing problems, or unstable results. Many orthodontists focus mainly on tooth alignment and cosmetic outcomes, sometimes overlooking these important factors. Dr. Seely takes a comprehensive approach, evaluating TMJ, airway, and periodontal health before treatment. She coordinates with specialists when needed to ensure your Invisalign plan supports both a beautiful smile and long-term health.

Digital treatment simulations allow patients and doctors to visualize the expected outcome before treatment begins. These tools are especially valuable for complex or surgical cases, as they help plan tooth movement and facial balance with precision. Orthodontists who do not offer simulations may lack the necessary technology or training to use if effectively. Dr. Seely uses advanced digital simulation software for both orthodontic and surgical treatments. This technology allows her to plan every detail, predict results with accuracy, and ensure that patients understand and are confident in their treatment plan.

Finishing active treatment, whether with braces or Invisalign, is an exciting milestone, but it’s only the beginning of the next critical phase: retention. Retention is what keeps your smile looking beautiful and your bite stable for years to come. Without proper follow-up and consistent retainer use, teeth can shift back toward their original positions — undoing much of the progress you’ve made. Unfortunately, many orthodontic offices consider your treatment “finished” once the braces or aligners come off. But your smile deserves more than that. At Dr. Seely Orthodontics, your care continues well beyond your active treatment. Dr. Seely personally monitors every patient for a minimum of one year after treatment. During this retention phase, we schedule periodic checkups to ensure: Your retainers fit properly and comfortably, your bite remains correct and stable and any small issues are addressed early before they become big problems. Choosing an orthodontist isn’t just about getting straight teeth — it’s about finding a doctor who’s committed to keeping your smile healthy and stable for life.

A fixed lingual retainer helps keep the lower front teeth from shifting after treatment. Many orthodontists use a thin, flexible wire that can lose shape over time. A heavy wire with bonding pads provides much stronger, longer-lasting stability-but it requires advanced skill to bend and fit properly. Dr. Seely custom-bends each fixed lower retainer with high-quality stainless-steel wire for maximum strength and precision. Her heavy wire system offers durability and retention compared to flexible wires-reflecting her advanced skill and attention to detail.

After orthodontic treatment, teeth naturally try to shift back toward their original positions, a process called relapse. Wearing a well-made retainer is essential to keep your teeth in their new alignment. The best removable retainers are full-coverage, thin plastic retainers (Essix /omni-vac) that fit precisely over your teeth. Achieving this level of accuracy requires detailed lab work-marking how the teeth come together and make small adjustments to the models before fabrication. Many orthodontists skip this step and make retainers directly from the impression taken when braces or Invisalign attachments are removed, which can lead to less stable fit and subtle tooth movement over time. Dr. Seely uses top-quality, ultra-transparent, and stain-resistant materials for all removable retainers. She takes the process a step further by personally studying each patient’s dental models in the lab and making precise, customized adjustments. This hands-on approach ensures your teeth and bite are perfectly aligned.

Timing is critical once braces or Invisalign® are removed the teeth can begin to shift within days. If an orthodontist sends retainers orders to an outside lab, it can take up to a week or more to receive them, allowing unwanted movement to occur. Dr. Seely has a fully equipped in-house lab, allowing her to deliver retainers the same day or next day after braces or Invisalign® are completed. This quick turnaround ensures your teeth stay perfectly aligned and your smile remains stable the moment you have completed your orthodontic treatment.

When considering clear aligners to straighten your teeth, it’s important to ask your orthodontist what specific brand they use. Not all clear aligners are created equal—somelack the advanced technology and precision that ensure the best results. Invisalign® is widely regarded as the gold standard in clear aligner therapy, offering superior comfort, predictable tooth movement, and advanced 3D digital treatment planning. Dr. Seely uses only Invisalign® aligners, trusted for their unmatched quality, accuracy, and innovative software that delivers beautiful, confident smiles.

In many offices, much of the Invisalign process is delegated to assistants — from reviewing aligner setups to managing progress checks. While this can save time, it often means the orthodontist isn’t closely involved in the details that determine your result. Dr. Seely personally oversees every stage of treatment, from the initial planning and 3D simulation to monitoring your progress at each visit. Her team assists with scanning and fitting, but all clinical decisions, aligner staging, and adjustments are made by Dr. Seely herself. Your treatment — and your smile — are too important to delegate.

Many orthodontists do not share the full Invisalign treatment plan with their patients, which can leave you unsure about what to expect during your treatment or how your final smile will look. Being able to review your plan beforehand is essential—it allows you to understand the process, ask informed questions, and feel confident in your treatment decisions.Dr. Seely believes you should be fully informed and involved in your smile transformation. She provides a 3D digital simulation using Invisalign’s ClinCheck software, so you can preview how your teeth will move throughout treatment and see your projected final results before you even begin. By sharing this plan openly, Dr. Seely ensures complete transparency, realistic expectations, and peace of mind as you start your journey toward your new smile.

Many orthodontists rely solely on Invisalign technicians to create tooth movements, without personally refining the digital plan. As a result, important details such as root angles, gum levels, and facial balance are often overlooked. Dr. Seely personally design every case. While Invisalign provides the software, she doesn’t rely on technicians to determine your tooth movements. She customizes the treatment to enhance your rootfacial balance, lip support, and smile aesthetics — not just straighten the teeth. That level of artistic planning is what ensures your results are not only straight but also functional, esthetic, and stable long-term.

Most orthodontists focus only on aligning teeth and do not consider how treatment may affect the facial profile or overall aesthetics. Many also lack the advanced software or expertise needed to evaluate these changes. However, understanding how tooth movement impacts facial balance is essential for creating a natural, harmonious result—not just a straight smile. Dr. Seely uses cutting-edge software that simulates both tooth movement and potential changes to your facial profile. This advanced technology allows her to plan treatment with your entire face in mind, ensuring that your final results enhance both function and appearance. By combining precise digital tools with her extensive knowledge of facial aesthetics, Dr. Seely designs treatment plans that create beautiful, balanced, and lasting smiles.

One of the common challenges with clear aligners-especially in more complex cases-is controlling root torque, which mean moving the root of the tooth, not just the crown. Simply tipping the teeth can create a narrow arch form and unstable results. To properly torque the teeth, we use special staging, optimized attachments, and sometimes auxiliaries like elastics or attachments that increase aligner grip and control root movement. Dr. Seely plans your treatment to achieve full root movement- not just tipping-using these advanced mechanics, and she monitors progress closely to make sure we’re getting the proper tooth angulation throughout the process.

Your maxillary incisors play a big role in smile aesthetics. It’s common for them to be rotatedor positioned too high, which makes the smile look uneven or less full. With aligners, rotating and extruding lateral incisors can be challenging because they’re small and have short roots, which makes them harder to control. Dr. Seely usesspecialized mechanics, such as optimized rotation and extrusion attachments, and sometimes elastics or staging tricks to create space and ensure effective movement. When done right, these movements make a huge difference—bringing those lateral incisors into proper position helps create a broader, more symmetric, and ‘wow’ smile. I customize each plan carefully to ensure that result.

Invisalign can absolutely be used in surgical orthodontic cases when planned correctly. I work with surgeons using integrated software systems to coordinate the orthodontic movements with the surgical plan. It’s a complex process that requires precise staging and communication, but when done right, it can offer excellent esthetic and functional outcomes—often with less visible appliances than traditional braces.

Most orthodontists use stainless steel brackets, which are rigid and can cause discomfort or even root resorption (shortening of tooth roots). The type of metal used in braces affects comfort, control and long-term tooth health. Dr. Seely uses Titanium Orthos®, a more advanced system that offers superior comfort, flexibility, and precision. Titanium absorbs some of the wire pressure after adjustments, making treatment more comfortable and reducing the risk of root resorption. With a flexible brace, the root is not ‘slammed’ into the wall of the socket when the wire is engaged. Consequently, you don’t get root resorption, and the patient doesn’t feel pain. These brackets are smaller, smoother, and more aesthetic, offering better overall experience.

The orthodontist should be the one placing the brackets and braces. This is a precise and critical step in your treatment, and it requires the expertise and judgment of a trained specialist. Dr. Seely personally and precisely bonds all brackets to ensure accuracy and the best possible outcome for your smile.

Some orthodontists rely only on pre-formed straight wires, which may not allow for the fine-tuning needed for precise tooth positioning. Detailed bends in the archwire help achieve ideal alignment, bite, and tooth angulation. It’s important to know who makes these adjustments—an orthodontist or an assistant. Dr. Seely personally makes precise bends in the archwires when needed. She doesn’t rely solely on straight wires or delegate this detail work to assistants. This hands-on approach ensures each patient receives highly customized and accurate tooth movement.

Brackets with “doors”, also known as self-ligating brackets, are designed for convenience and are often used in systems that allow assistants to do more of the work. However, these systems can sacrifice precision and control. Traditional brackets with open slots allow the orthodontist to have greater control over tooth movement, wire bending, and growth guidance-leading to more customized and accurate treatment. Dr. Seely uses traditional brackets with open slots to maintain full control over every aspect of tooth movement. This allows for detailed wire bending, precise adjustments, and truly personalized treatment plan-something not possible with one-size-fits-all systems.

The slot size in braces affects how much control the orthodontist has over tooth movement. A.022 slot allows for greater precision and the use of stronger, more effective wires. In contrast, a .018 slot may limit control and is often chosen by an orthodontist who does not bend wire or customize tooth movement as precisely.  Dr. Seely uses a .022 slot system, which gives her full control over tooth positioning. She personally bends wires and fine-tunes each case to ensure accurate, stable, and high-quality results.