Meet Your Orthodontist in Gallatin TN
Dr. Mike Seelig, affectionately known as "Dr. Mike," brings a personal touch to his role as an orthodontist, drawing from his own transformative experience with braces during his youth. Born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, Dr. Mike ventured to Nashville for his undergraduate studies at Vanderbilt University, where he fell in love with Middle Tennessee, envisioning it as his permanent home despite his professional training taking him away for nearly a decade. His journey into orthodontics was fueled by his own challenges—a significant gap between his front teeth and a lisp that made him shy and hesitant to speak in school. The impact of orthodontic treatment on his confidence and personality was profound, driving him to pursue a career where he could offer the same life-changing experience to others.
Dr. Mike's educational path led him from Vanderbilt University to the University of Louisville for his dental training and Doctor of Dental Medicine degree, and finally to the University of Illinois, Chicago, for his orthodontic training and Master’s Degree. It was at the University of Louisville where he met his future wife, Dr. Lauren, on the first day of dental school. The couple, now married, share two beautiful children, Lincoln and Lennon, and have settled in Middle Tennessee, embracing the community as their home. Outside of his professional life, Dr. Mike enjoys family time, following his favorite sports teams, and exploring new restaurants, always with a preference for kid-friendly options. His journey from a self-conscious child to a passionate orthodontist exemplifies the transformative power of orthodontics, not just in creating beautiful smiles, but in changing lives.
Orthodontic care for patients of all ages
Age shouldn't matter when it comes to orthodontic treatment. Everyone deserves to have a beautiful, straight smile that they can feel proud of, and everyone deserves to receive quality care from our team of orthodontics specialists. That's precisely why we offer a number of orthodontic treatments including braces and Invisalign, for children, teens, and adults at our orthodontic office in Gallatin.
Orthodontics for children
It surprises many parents to learn that the American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children get a check up by an orthodontist no later than age 7. This is because we want to make sure that your children are as healthy as they can be, and it's important that their teeth and jaws are aligned properly so that they will have a healthy bite.
Your child's teeth will have developed enough at that point that we will be able to identify any small problems that may exist within their growing teeth and their jaw. Getting a check-up with the team of experts at Shine Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics doesn't mean that your child necessarily needs braces right away. It could be determined that your child's bite looks great or we may also recommend that we continue to monitor it, in which case we could begin treating your child at the appropriate age. Still, each smile is different and in some cases, early treatment might be necessary.
Early treatment allows our team to monitor the growth and development of your child's jaw, meaning we can catch and begin treating problems while they're still in the early stages. This can cut down the length of treatment considerably.
Orthodontic care for teens
The most common question teens have for us is how long they'll have to be in braces. The truth is, each person's smile is unique, meaning each case is unique, so there's not one set answer to the question. Your teen can take comfort knowing that our team will do everything possible to make sure that they will have their most beautiful smile. More good news? Today's braces are vastly superior to those that their parents or grandparent may have worn. Not only do today's braces come in several different styles, materials and colors, they are also smaller, more sleek, and much more comfortable than previous generations.
Teen treatment doesn't end with traditional metal braces, either. They also have the option to choose our clear, ceramic braces which are designed to blend in discreetly with their teeth but work the same way as their metal counterparts. If your teen wants to avoid wires altogether, they can also opt for treatment using clear aligners such as Invisalign to straighten their teeth gradually using a series of clear, removable trays designed to fit over their teeth.
Adult orthodontics
You may be surprised to learn that adults make up roughly 20 percent of all orthodontic patients these days. With more adults than ever looking to achieve their beautiful, forever smiles, orthodontic treatment is clearly not just for children and teens.
Adults often choose to pursue orthodontics later in life because they realize how important maintaining their oral health is or they want to feel better about the way their smile looks. Other times we see adults who received orthodontic treatment when they were younger, but need a "touch up" to restore their former smiles.
At Shine Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, we recognize that children, teens, and adults will all have different dental needs and need different levels of attention and care. We're committed to working diligently with each patient to ensure that they receive the most appropriate treatment and in the most inviting environment.
Schedule a free consultation with us today to get started.