Reviewed by Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS — South Florida Smile Spa, Pompano Beach, FL
Orthodontics in Pompano Beach at South Florida Smile Spa means two things done well: Invisalign clear aligners, including Invisalign Teen and Invisalign First, and the retainers that keep any orthodontic result where it was put. Dr. Nicole M. Berger plans every aligner case herself from an iTero digital scan, supervises it at every visit, and makes and replaces retainers for our own patients and for anyone whose treatment finished elsewhere. Cases that need fixed braces, jaw expanders or growth appliances are referred to an orthodontist we work with, and this page says so plainly rather than promising treatments we do not provide. Below is what we offer, who it suits, how a case runs, and where each of the detailed pages fits.
Quick answer
South Florida Smile Spa provides Invisalign clear aligners for adults, teens and children with suitable cases, and custom retainers, removable or fixed, for anyone who has had orthodontic treatment here or elsewhere. Aligners handle crowding, spacing, drifted teeth and mild to moderate bite problems in six to eighteen months, planned from a digital scan with a preview of the result. Severe rotations, large skeletal bite problems, impacted teeth and children who need palate expansion or habit appliances are referred to an orthodontist, because fixed braces and growth appliances are more predictable for those. Dr. Berger tells you which group your case belongs to at the consultation, and a written all-in fee is quoted before you decide.
What We Offer
Orthodontics in Pompano Beach: what South Florida Smile Spa provides
We chose depth over breadth. One aligner system used daily and planned by the dentist who examined you, plus retainers for everyone, with honest referral for the rest.
- Invisalign. Clear, removable aligners for crowding, gaps, drifted teeth and mild to moderate overbite, crossbite and open bite in adults; the core of our Invisalign page.
- Invisalign Teen. The same system with wear indicators, eruption tabs for teeth still coming in and replacement aligners, for teens with most of their adult teeth.
- Invisalign First. Aligners for children of about six to ten with suitable early problems; cases that need expansion or habit correction are referred.
- Clear retainers. Thin, nearly invisible retainers made here from a digital scan at the end of treatment, and replaced when lost, cracked or outgrown.
- Fixed retainers. A slim wire bonded behind the lower or upper front teeth for patients likely to relapse; checked at every cleaning.
- Alignment before cosmetic work. Straightening first so veneers, bonding or whitening need less and look better, planned from the same scans.
- Referred, not provided. Metal or ceramic braces, palate expanders, habit appliances, growth appliances, surgical orthodontics and complex or impacted-tooth cases go to an orthodontist, with your records.
The American Dental Association’s overview of braces and aligners describes the options; which one suits a case is decided at an examination, not by preference alone.
Orthodontic options and where to get them
| Option | Best for | Typical time | At South Florida Smile Spa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Invisalign | Crowding, spacing, drifted teeth, mild to moderate bite problems; adults | 6 to 18 months | Yes, by Dr. Berger |
| Invisalign Teen | The same problems in teens with most adult teeth | 6 to 18 months | Yes |
| Invisalign First | Early mild crowding or spacing in children six to ten | 6 to 18 months | Yes, for suitable cases |
| Clear retainers | Holding any finished result; replacing lost retainers | Nightly for life | Yes, made here |
| Fixed (bonded) retainers | Lower front teeth prone to relapse | Years; checked at cleanings | Yes |
| Metal or ceramic braces | Severe rotations, large vertical moves, complex bites | 12 to 30 months | Referred to an orthodontist |
| Palate expanders and habit appliances | Narrow upper jaw, crossbite, thumb or tongue habits in children | 3 to 12 months | Referred |
| Growth appliances and surgical orthodontics | Skeletal jaw discrepancies | Varies | Referred |
| Mail-order aligners | Marketed for mild crowding | Varies | Not recommended; no exam, no supervision |
The Process
How an orthodontic case at South Florida Smile Spa runs
- Consultation and scan. Bite exam, X-rays, photographs and an iTero digital scan with a simulation of the likely result. Dr. Berger tells you whether aligners will do the job or the case belongs with an orthodontist.
- Plan and fee. Every tooth movement is mapped in 3D, reviewed by Dr. Berger and shown to you, with one written fee covering the aligners, visits, refinements and first retainers.
- Fitting. Small tooth-colored attachments are bonded where needed and the first aligners are seated; you learn insertion, removal and cleaning.
- Wear and visits. Twenty to twenty-two hours a day, a new aligner every one to two weeks, and a check every six to ten weeks to confirm the teeth are tracking.
- Finish. Attachments are polished off, final photographs taken, and clear or fixed retainers made the same week.
- Retention for life. Nightly retainer wear, retainer checks at cleanings, and replacements made here whenever one is lost or worn.
Why we provide Invisalign and retainers, and refer the rest
Orthodontists train for years beyond dental school in moving teeth and guiding jaw growth, and some problems, severe rotations, impacted teeth, jaw-growth discrepancies, children who need expansion, are simply more predictable in an orthodontist’s hands with fixed appliances. Aligners, on the other hand, are something a general and cosmetic dentist can do exceptionally well when they are used every day, planned carefully and supervised closely, which is how Dr. Berger does them. Choosing one system and doing it thoroughly means better results for the patients who are candidates and an honest referral for those who are not. Patients who come to us with a case we refer leave with their records, a written summary and an introduction to an orthodontist we trust.
Orthodontics as part of a cosmetic plan
Many of our aligner patients are adults planning a smile makeover. Moving teeth into the right position first means veneers can be thinner and fewer, bonding can be smaller, and whitening is done on an even smile. Because Dr. Berger plans both the orthodontic and the cosmetic phases from the same iTero scans, the sequence is designed from the start: align, then whiten, then restore only what still needs it. Our smile makeover page shows how the stages fit together.
Teens and children
Teens with most of their adult teeth are treated with Invisalign Teen, which adds wear indicators, room for erupting teeth and free replacement aligners, and which most teens prefer to brackets. Younger children are checked for crowding, bite and habit concerns around age seven, as the American Association of Orthodontists recommends; mild early problems can be treated with Invisalign First, and children who need a palate expander, a habit appliance or a growth appliance are referred to an orthodontist at the right age. Our early intervention page explains what we look for and when.
Retainers for patients treated anywhere
Every straightened smile relapses without retention, and retainers are the part of orthodontics that lasts the longest. Dr. Berger makes clear retainers from a digital scan and bonds fixed wires for our own patients and for anyone whose braces or aligners finished elsewhere and whose retainer is lost, cracked, no longer fits or was never replaced. A new retainer made while the teeth are still straight is far cheaper than retreatment later. Our retainers page covers the types, care and replacement.
Comparing aligner brands and mail-order kits
Patients often arrive comparing Invisalign with ClearCorrect, other dentist-provided brands or a mail-order kit. The honest summary is that for easy cases any dentist-supervised brand works, for harder cases Invisalign’s planning and attachment tools lead, and mail-order aligners with no examination are not something we recommend. Our clear aligners, clear braces and ClearCorrect pages make the comparisons in detail.
Cost and insurance
Invisalign at South Florida Smile Spa is one written fee covering the scan, the plan, all aligners including refinements, every visit and the first retainers, with shorter Express and Lite tiers for minor cases. Replacement retainers are a separate, modest fee. Dental plans with orthodontic benefits pay toward aligners as they would toward braces, usually a lifetime maximum, and our team verifies your plan and files the claim. Financing is available for orthodontic treatment.
Care in Pompano Beach
Why patients choose South Florida Smile Spa for orthodontics
- Planned by the dentist who examined you. Dr. Berger reviews every movement in the 3D plan herself and sees you at every visit.
- One system, done daily. Invisalign is used every day here, not one of several brands tried occasionally.
- iTero scanning. No impression putty, a simulation of your result at the first visit, rescans in minutes.
- Honest candidacy. Cases that belong with an orthodontist are referred at the consultation, with your records.
- Retainers for everyone. Made and replaced here whatever office or system your treatment started in.
Orthodontic patients come to us from Pompano Beach, Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Coconut Creek, with visits only every six to ten weeks.
Find out whether aligners are right for you
Book an orthodontic consultation with Dr. Berger. A digital scan, a simulation of your result and a written all-in fee, plus a plain answer on whether your case is an aligner case or one for an orthodontist.
South Florida Smile Spa · Dr. Nicole M. Berger, DDS · 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach, FL 33060 · (954) 785-1100
Frequently Asked Questions
What orthodontic treatments does South Florida Smile Spa provide?
Invisalign, including Invisalign Teen and Invisalign First, and retainers, removable and fixed. Braces, palate expanders, habit appliances, growth appliances and surgical orthodontics are referred to an orthodontist.
Is a dentist allowed to do orthodontics?
Yes. General dentists with training in aligner treatment provide much of the orthodontics done in the United States, and Dr. Berger plans and supervises every Invisalign case herself. What matters is an honest assessment of which cases suit aligners, and referral of those that do not.
How do I know if I need braces instead of Invisalign?
Severely rotated teeth, teeth that must move a long way vertically, large skeletal bite problems, impacted teeth and children who need jaw expansion are more predictably treated with fixed appliances. Dr. Berger tells you at the consultation, with the scan in front of you.
At what age should a child be seen?
Around age seven, when the first adult molars and front teeth are in. Most children need nothing yet; those with early crowding, crossbite or habits are either started on Invisalign First or referred to an orthodontist at the right time.
How long does Invisalign take?
Six to eighteen months for most cases; minor crowding can finish in a few months with Invisalign Express. The number of aligners in your plan is the timeline, and visits are every six to ten weeks.
Can you replace a retainer from treatment I had somewhere else?
Yes. A digital scan is taken and a new clear retainer made here, usually within a week, as long as the teeth have not moved much. If they have, a short Invisalign series can bring them back before the new retainer.
Do you treat adults?
Most of our aligner patients are adults, many straightening teeth that have drifted since braces years ago or aligning before veneers or a smile makeover.
Does dental insurance cover orthodontics?
Plans with an orthodontic benefit usually pay a lifetime maximum toward aligners or braces, for children and often for adults. Our team verifies your plan and files the claim; financing covers the rest.
Do you see patients from outside Pompano Beach?
Yes. Orthodontic patients come from Lighthouse Point, Deerfield Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Coconut Creek and across Broward County. The office is at 572 E McNab Rd, Suite 102, Pompano Beach. Call (954) 785-1100 or request an appointment.