If you have crooked teeth and you live somewhere in Davis County, odds are you have already gone back and forth on it more than once. Is it worth doing something about now? What would it actually involve? And is it really only about how your smile looks, or is there more to it? Those are the right questions to be asking, and they are exactly the ones we sit down and answer at Bailey-Welling Orthodontics.
We treat crooked and crowded teeth for families all over Bountiful, Farmington, and the surrounding Davis County communities, with braces and Invisalign aimed at both a better-looking smile and a bite that works the way it should.
We have been doing it here since 1971, and Dr. Andrew Welling and Dr. Rett start every plan the same way: by looking at how your teeth, your bite, and your jaw fit together, not just the few front teeth that bother you in photos.
Thinking about it for a while? You are in good company.
Almost nobody has perfectly aligned teeth, and plenty of adults have quietly lived with some crowding for years. You probably recognize yourself in one of these:
- You wore braces as a kid, but things drifted back over time.
- You never had treatment, and your teeth slowly crowded as the years went on.
- You have wanted to fix it forever, and you have finally decided this is the year.
Whichever one fits, you have not missed your shot. We see adults from Bountiful, Farmington, Centerville, and Kaysville every single week who decided it was finally their turn, and the thing they say most often afterward is that they wish they had stopped putting it off. If you are weighing whether it makes sense to start later in life, our page on orthodontics for adults is a good first read.
From crammed and crowded to a broad, even smile
This teen came to us with crowded teeth and upper canines that never had room to come in. We created the space his mouth needed, cleared the crowding, and widened the arch so every tooth had a place to land. The result is a fuller, evenly aligned smile.
Why teeth end up crooked in the first place
Teeth do not crowd at random. A big piece of it is genetics, but a lot of it comes down to how much room the jaws gave your teeth to come in as they grew. Childhood habits play a role too, and teeth keep shifting throughout adulthood, so crowding can appear or come back long after you figured your smile had settled for good. The usual culprits:
- Not enough room. A narrow jaw or a smaller arch leaves teeth nowhere to go, so they overlap and twist to fit. When crowding is the main issue, our page on crowded teeth treatment in Bountiful goes further into it.
- A bite that does not line up. When the top and bottom jaws meet unevenly, as happens with an overbite, underbite, or crossbite, teeth tend to tip and slide to compensate.
- Early habits. Long-term mouth breathing, thumb sucking, or low resting tongue posture can shape how the jaw develops and shrink the space teeth have.
- Plain old time. Teeth migrate for your whole life. Even a great result from childhood braces can crowd again, especially once the retainer stops getting worn.
The reason behind the crowding matters, because it shapes the fix. Two people whose smiles look almost identical can end up needing very different plans.
What Davis County families say about us
Hundreds of five-star reviews from real patients, pulled live from our Google listing.
Crooked teeth can be about more than looks
Most people do not hear this part until they are sitting in the chair. Straightening crooked teeth often does more than tidy up how it looks.
Crowded, overlapping teeth are simply harder to keep clean, and over the years that raises the odds of cavities and gum trouble in the spots your brush and floss cannot reach. A bite that meets unevenly can wear certain teeth down faster than others and leave your jaw working harder than it should. There is also the everyday function side that nobody thinks about until it gets better, like finally being able to bite straight through something without your teeth sliding past each other. Good orthodontic care looks at all of that, which is why our doctors check how your teeth come together and how your jaw is functioning before recommending anything, instead of only chasing the cosmetic result.
That does not mean every crooked tooth is hiding a bigger problem. It just means it is worth having a trained set of eyes take a real look, which is the whole point of a free consultation here. You can also see what treatment looks like in practice on our before and after page.
A lot of people come in thinking crooked teeth are purely a cosmetic thing. Sometimes they are. But crowding and a bite that does not fit can quietly affect your dental health for years, and that is the part I want patients to understand before they decide.
What we hear from Davis County patients
A lot of people come in assuming their case is either too small to bother with or too far gone to fix without surgery. Usually it is neither. Adults especially tell us they were a little nervous to start, and then afterward they mention how nice the orthodontists and assistants were and how easy it was to get an appointment. That is the part we work hardest on, because deciding to do this takes some nerve, and the visit itself should not.
I loved my results! My teeth weren’t super crooked, but my smile was unaligned. I didn’t think my smile could be fixed without surgery, but when I found out it was possible, I was very excited to start my journey. After just a little over a year, my teeth are completely straight and my smile is aligned. The orthodontists and assistants are very nice and it is very easy to make an appointment.
Google review, Bountiful office
Amber’s story is one we hear constantly. You do not need dramatically crooked teeth for treatment to be worth it, and you do not have to resign yourself to surgery for a smile that just is not lining up. Plenty of cases that feel stuck have a simpler answer than people expect. You can read more of what Davis County families have to say on our patient reviews page.
When crowding is worth a closer look
Lots of folks have crooked teeth and never notice anything beyond appearance, and that is completely fine. But a few signs are worth paying attention to, because they can mean your bite or alignment deserves a real evaluation:
- Floss catches or will not slide between tight, overlapping teeth
- Cavities that keep turning up in the same crowded spots
- Teeth that are wearing down unevenly
- Jaw soreness, clicking, or a tired, tense feeling
- Grinding or clenching, especially overnight
- A bite that just never seems to come together quite right
If a couple of those sound like you, it is worth booking a look. An orthodontic exam can tell you whether your crooked or crowded teeth are part of what is going on and what your choices are if they are.
How crooked teeth actually get fixed
It starts with figuring out why they got crooked and how much movement your case really needs. Lighter crowding can often be handled with clear aligners. More involved crowding or bite issues usually call for braces, which give the doctor more precise control over each tooth. The right tool comes down to the cause, not just the look, so Dr. Welling or Dr. Rett will check the position of your teeth and how your bite fits before building anything. We map it all out using a fast, precise 3D digital scan with our iTero system, so you can see what we see.
Your options at Bailey-Welling
For most crooked-teeth cases it comes down to clear aligners or braces, and we offer a few versions of each. The right one depends on your case more than the label.
Invisalign and clear aligners
Invisalign is a favorite for adults who want something low-profile. The aligners are removable, easy to clean around, and there are no brackets or wires to work around at meals. They handle a wide range of crowding and spacing, and we treat plenty of grown-ups who never wanted anyone to know they were in treatment at all. Our Invisalign for adults page goes deeper if you want to know whether it could work for your case.
Braces
Braces are still one of the most dependable ways to correct crooked teeth, and they really shine on tougher crowding and bite problems. Today’s options are smaller and more comfortable than what you may remember. Our self-ligating P21 brackets use a slide mechanism instead of elastics, which keeps pressure gentle and cuts down on adjustment visits. And if you like the idea of braces but want them to disappear a little, our champagne-colored Iconix esthetic braces blend in nicely.
Now the part everyone actually wants to know: cost. At Bailey-Welling, treatment starts around $2,800, and most cases land well under $7,000. And the price is the same whether you choose braces, Invisalign, or Iconix, which catches a lot of people off guard. You pick based on what fits your life, not on which one is cheaper. We also offer flexible, interest-free payment plans, and we walk through the exact numbers for your case at the consultation so nothing comes out of left field. You can preview the options on our financing page.
The real answer on which treatment is right for you comes from having a doctor look at your actual teeth and bite. At your visit you will get a recommendation built for your case, a realistic timeline, and clear numbers before you commit to a thing.
Look at the price row. Braces, Invisalign, and Iconix all start at the same $2,800, and most cases stay under $7,000. You choose by what fits your life, not by what costs less.
Why a real orthodontist beats a mail-order aligner kit
Order-from-home aligner kits look tempting because they are cheap and you never have to leave the house. The catch is what they skip. Those kits move teeth based on a mold you take yourself, with no doctor checking your bite, your gum health, or your jaw along the way. They can nudge the teeth that show when you smile, but they are not built to fix how your top and bottom teeth come together, and a tooth pushed the wrong way without supervision can end up loose, sore, or worse off than where it started. We lay out the real risks of DIY orthodontics in more detail if you are weighing one of these kits.
When you straighten your teeth with an orthodontist, a trained doctor checks how everything fits first, plans the movement with a 3D scan, and watches your progress so things stay on track and stay put afterward. With crooked teeth, the bite is usually part of the story, and that is the piece a mail-order kit cannot see. Boxed kits guess. An orthodontist builds the plan around your actual mouth.
Why Davis County families have trusted us since 1971
We have been on Pages Lane in Bountiful for over fifty years, and that kind of staying power is hard to fake. Across those decades we have helped Davis County families of every age straighten crooked and crowded teeth, and a lot of today’s adult patients are the grown-up kids we saw years ago. A few things set us apart for crooked-teeth treatment specifically:
- We treat the whole bite, not just the front teeth. Straightening is the goal, but the doctors also watch how your teeth meet and how your jaw is working, because that is usually why teeth got crooked in the first place.
- Dr. Welling has literally been in your kid’s chair. Dr. Andrew Welling grew up in Bountiful and got his own braces right here at this practice as a child, so he understands what the experience feels like from the patient side, not just the textbook.
- Two doctors, one consistent standard. Dr. Welling and Dr. Rett both bring specialty orthodontic training, and you get the same careful approach at either office.
- Real digital tools. We plan with iTero 3D scanning so you can actually see your teeth and your plan on screen.
- 530-plus five-star reviews and counting. Davis County families have left us hundreds of five-star reviews across both offices, and we would rather earn your trust than ask you to take our word for it.
Visiting our Bountiful office
Our main office sits on Pages Lane in Bountiful, right off I-15, which makes it an easy trip whether you are coming from Centerville, Woods Cross, North Salt Lake, or West Bountiful. If an orthodontist near Kaysville or Layton is closer to home, we also treat crooked teeth at our Farmington office a few exits up the freeway, so you can pick whichever office is the shorter drive.
Bailey-Welling Orthodontics, Bountiful
Common questions about crooked teeth Treatment
Can crooked teeth be fixed as an adult?
Yes, and it works just as well later in life. Adults make up a huge share of orthodontic patients now, and whether you go with clear aligners or braces, crooked teeth can be straightened at almost any age. The main difference for adults is that we pay a little extra attention to gum health and bite before getting started.
Are crooked teeth only a cosmetic problem?
Not always. Crowded teeth are harder to clean and can raise your risk of cavities and gum disease, and a bite that does not line up can wear teeth unevenly or strain your jaw. Straightening often improves both how your smile looks and how it works day to day.
Are crooked teeth genetic?
Often, yes. A lot of what determines whether teeth come in straight is inherited, including the size of your jaw, the size of your teeth, and how your bite develops. If your teeth are too big for your jaw, they crowd. That said, genetics is not the whole story. Childhood habits and natural shifting over time play a part too, which is why two people in the same family can have very different smiles.
How much does it cost to fix crooked teeth in Davis County?
Treatment at Bailey-Welling starts around $2,800, and most cases stay under $7,000. The price is the same whether you choose braces, Invisalign, or Iconix, so you decide based on fit rather than cost. We go over your exact numbers at the consultation and offer interest-free payment plans.
Should I get braces or Invisalign for crooked teeth?
Both do the job. Clear aligners are removable and discreet, which a lot of adults prefer, while braces give the doctor more control on heavier crowding or bite issues. The best pick depends on your teeth, your bite, and your routine, and your doctor will help you sort it out at your visit.
Can Invisalign fix severely crooked teeth?
In a lot of cases, yes. Invisalign has come a long way and now handles plenty of significant crowding that used to require braces. But not every severe case is a good aligner candidate, especially when the bite needs major correction or teeth have to rotate or move long distances. The honest answer comes from an exam, where the doctor can tell you whether Invisalign will get you all the way there or whether braces will be the more reliable route for your case.
Can I straighten just my top teeth or just my bottom teeth?
It is a common request, and once in a while single-arch treatment works for very minor spacing. More often, moving only the top or bottom throws the bite off, since the two arches have to meet correctly. Your doctor checks how your upper and lower teeth come together before recommending anything, so you do not trade a nicer look now for jaw strain or uneven wear down the road.
How long does it take to straighten crooked teeth?
Most cases run somewhere between a few months and roughly two years, depending on how much movement is needed. Mild crowding can move quickly, while bigger corrections take longer. You will get a realistic timeline for your specific case once a doctor has looked things over.
Does treatment hurt the way it did when I was a kid?
It is gentler than it used to be. Modern wires apply steady, lighter pressure, so most people feel a little soreness for a few days after an adjustment rather than sharp pain, and our self-ligating brackets keep that to a minimum. There is more on what daily life is actually like in our guide to life with braces.
I had braces as a kid and my teeth shifted. Is that normal?
Completely normal. Teeth keep moving for life, and crowding often returns when retainers are not worn consistently. The good news is that a second round of treatment is usually shorter and simpler than the first, and a lot of the adults we treat are in exactly this boat.
Can crooked teeth get worse with age?
They can. Teeth naturally drift over the years, so crowding tends to get more noticeable as you get older. It shows up most in the lower front teeth and is especially common in people who had treatment as kids but stopped wearing a retainer.
Will I really have to wear a retainer forever?
At night, yes. Teeth have memory and keep trying to creep back, so a retainer is what protects your results for the long haul. We talk through your retainer options before treatment even begins so it is not a surprise at the finish line. You can read more about how our retainer program works.
Ready when you are
You have lived with crooked teeth long enough to know it bugs you. The next step is easy. Come in, sit down with one of our doctors, and walk out knowing what is actually going on and what your options are. You will get an honest answer either way, and the consultation is free.
See what is actually going on with your smile
One free visit, an honest look from one of our doctors, and clear options before you decide anything. No cost to find out.