Orthodontist in Los Cristianos: Dr. Lissett Rodríguez

Orthodontist or general dentist? What's the difference

In Spain, any dentist can legally provide orthodontics. That's why the right question before starting months of treatment is not "where?", but "Who is going to handle this for me and what qualifications do they have?".

What makes the difference in practice: a female doctor with specific training in orthodontics and exclusive dedication to her, which plans on 3D scanner and X-ray, which explains the complete plan to you before charging you anything, and which reviews your revisions personally instead of delegating them.

That is the model for this consultation. And if your case requires something we don't do here—orthognathic surgery, for example—we will tell you and guide you, because we prefer a well-referred patient over a poorly indicated treatment.

How long does orthodontic treatment last?

It depends on what needs to be moved. As an honest guideline: the minor corrections —a relapse, a front that has gone awry— can be resolved in few months. The majority of cases is located between 6 and 18 months. Complex cases can go further, and you'll know it before you start, not halfway through.

During treatment, monitoring does not depend on you coming in every month. In aligner treatments, we use remote monitoring with an intraoral camerayou register your teeth when changing your aligner, the images are sent to the team and the fit of the aligner, the progress of the movement, and hygiene are reviewed — at each change, not every six weeks. If everything progresses according to plan, you move on to the next phase without traveling; if something deviates, we call you. For anyone who spends time off the island — half consultation here — this is not an extra: it is the difference between being able to do the treatment or not.

Upon finishing, the retention maintains the result. Teeth tend to move throughout life, whether braces were worn or not; retainers are not optional if you want to maintain the result, and they are quoted separately from the orthodontic treatment.

Aligners or braces?

Both tools work; the question is which one suits your case and your life. The brackets they work alone and provide great control in complex movements. The aligners They are very discreet and withdraw to eat, but they demand consistency: 20–22 hours a day.

In this clinic, Dr. Lissett works with Invisalign, with 3D-Printed Shape-Memory Aligners (Graphy) —in many cases without ligatures— and with brackets. That variety matters: it means that the recommendation is made according to your diagnosis, not according to the only thing that is offered. And thanks to our in-house 3D printing lab, in many cases using Graphy The first aligners are delivered on the same day as the diagnosis..

Children's Orthodontics: The First Check-up, Around Age 7

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends a first orthodontic check-up around age 7. Not because braces are necessary at that age —which is almost never the case—, but because detecting a crossbite or space issue early allows for shorter and simpler treatments later.

In most cases, that first check-up ends with an "everything is fine, we'll see you again in a year". When something does need early attention, there are options tailored to each age, including children's and teenagers' versions of aligners.