Dr Gullotta doesn’t just focus on making teeth straight, treating overcrowding issues, and fixing bad bites. He believes in the importance of managing and enhancing a person’s facial appearance and profile. Our aim is to help patients to achieve the most attractive smile and facial profile possible after treatment, taking into account the growth and ageing changes that occur over a person’s lifetime.
Soon after completing his undergraduate dentistry degree at the University of Queensland in Brisbane in 1979, Dr Gullotta began working as a dentist at Brisbane Children’s Dental Hospital. During his four years at the Children’s dental hospital he was involved in the dental and orthodontic treatment of many children with cleft palate and other cranio-facial problems.
It was this experience that led to his passion for orthodontics and in 1984 he moved to Melbourne to commence his Masters in Orthodontics at Melbourne University, Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne.
After his Masters training, Dr Gullotta entered private practice as an orthodontist in Southport, on the Gold Coast. That’s where he has remained and loved creating awesome smiles over the past 30 years.
A highly skilled orthodontist, like Dr Gullotta, can correct crooked teeth, gappy teeth, overbites, underbites, crossbites and other orthodontic issues very subtly and the result can actually improve facial appearance.
In many cases, these facial enhancements are simply one of the side benefits of having the teeth and the bite realigned. However, in some cases, facial profile enhancements are actually part of the treatment objectives and can often be predicted by Dr Gullotta during your initial consultation.
Early treatment for children
It is important to identify orthodontic issues early and, if indicated, treat early – especially if there is a jaw growth problem. We recommend assessment by an orthodontist at the age 8-10 years old. Early orthodontic treatment happens while a child’s jaw bones are still soft. The jaw bones harden in their late teens. Soft bones in a young child are still easily moved, so corrective procedures will generally work quicker and more effectively than it will for teens and adults. Appropriate early treatment can be an effective interception measure that lays the foundation for a healthy and well-functioning mouth in adulthood.
Habit elimination to stop thumb sucking is very important at this age, as thumb and finger sucking can push the teeth forward and drastically change the shape of the developing jaw. Chronic mouth breathing and snoring/sleep apnoea can also impact on developing teeth and jaws, and are often signs that the child would benefit from an early orthodontic assessment.
While Dr Gullotta will always do his best to enhance a child’s face and jaw growth, he will also ensure parents are given realistic expectations as to what can be achieved in this early stage of treatment.
Adolescent treatment
Once teenagers have most of their adult teeth, treatment options such as braces (clear, Lightforce or metal) and Invisalign can be considered when necessary. Dr Gullotta will recommend the type of orthodontic treatment required to achieve ideal dental alignment and facial balance.
Adolescents who have protruding, crooked, crowded or gappy teeth are great candidates for Invisalign, which can bring about very subtle changes in the facial profile and restore symmetry whilst simultaneously creating a beautiful smile, without anyone noticing.
Adult treatment
Orthodontic treatment is an option for most adults with crooked teeth or uneven bites, just as it is for children and teenagers.
Most adults have work commitments and can find it difficult to fit orthodontic appointments into their busy schedules. To reduce the number of appointments, Dr Gullotta utilises new technologies like Dental Monitoring (DM), The patient simply uses the Dental Monitoring app on his smart phone to take weekly photos on his/ her smart phone which are automatically send to Dr Gullotta and his team so that they can keep a close eye on treatment progress – this means fewer visits to our office are required. DM is a huge time saver especially for Invisalign treatments.
For severe jaw and facial imbalances, some form of jaw surgery may be required to achieve ideal facial profile balance. In these cases Dr Gullotta will work with other specialists (such as oral and maxillofacial surgeons) and develop a customized combined orthodontics and surgery plan to achieve the best cosmetic anfd functional improvements
In all cases, Dr Gullotta will always try to recommend treatments that will enhance a patient’s smile and face appearance. The need for any dental extractions or jaw surgery are always carefully considered.
If you are considering treatment for yourself to improve your facial shape, please contact us at (07) 5532 3433, email us, [email protected] or book a free consultant directly. Dr Gullotta and his team will be looking forward to changing your facial shape and smile.