Smile Ranch Orthodontics

This office sits at 1377 East 3900 South, on the medical corridor that has grown up around St. Mark's Hospital a few hundred yards to the west. The location does two useful things. First, 3900 South is a direct east-west run between Highland Drive and Wasatch Boulevard, so Millcreek, Holladay, and the Canyon Rim neighborhoods are all inside ten minutes. Second, the address is a multi-suite medical building shared with other dental specialists, which simplifies life if an oral surgery consult becomes part of your treatment. From the west side, take I-215 to the 3900 South exit and head east. Check the schedule before booking: Monday and Tuesday run 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Wednesday and Thursday start early at 7:30 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m., and the office is closed Friday.

Dr. Alan C. Jensen earned his dental degree at the University of Oklahoma and a master's in orthodontics at Baylor, and has been practicing since 1988, long enough to have treated the parents of some current patients. The practice offers traditional metal braces, ceramic brackets, Damon and other self-ligating systems, Invisalign and other clear aligners, early interceptive treatment for children, and adult cases. Self-ligating brackets are worth understanding properly. A conventional bracket holds the archwire with a small elastic tie that must be replaced at every visit; a self-ligating bracket uses a built-in sliding clip instead. Less friction and fewer parts mean shorter appointments, less to break, and no elastic ring collecting plaque at the gumline. The honest caveat is that evidence for dramatically faster overall treatment is thin, so the reliable gains are comfort, hygiene, and chair time rather than months saved.

Bonded permanent retainers feature in the finishing routine here. A thin wire cemented behind the lower front teeth holds the correction without depending on you remembering a tray, though it needs a floss threader and periodic checks, since a debonded end can go unnoticed for months while teeth quietly shift back. Consultations are free. A second Smile Ranch office operates in Lehi for patients further south.