Advanced Orthodontic Technology in Merrimack and New Boston, NH

Before Dr. Hernandez plans a single bracket or aligner, the team at River Orthodontics builds a complete, three-dimensional picture of your child's teeth, roots, jaw, and bite. That means a digital scan instead of goopy impression trays, and 3D imaging instead of one flat X-ray. A plan built on complete information has far fewer places to go wrong halfway through.

That same imaging guides every treatment we offer, from braces to Invisalign. Whether you come to us in New Boston or Merrimack, we work the same way at both offices. Call (603) 424-1199 to set up your first visit.

Quick Takeaways

• Everything is digital: a quick scan replaces the goopy impression trays, and 3D imaging shows root position, bone, and jaw structure that a flat X-ray can miss.
• When you're evaluating any orthodontist, it's worth asking what imaging they take before planning starts and whether you can see it. A practice working from complete information will always say yes, and we're happy to walk you through everything at your first visit in New Boston or Merrimack.
• Getting a full picture up front is the best way to avoid mid-treatment surprises that stretch timelines and add cost.
• The same digital information guides planning for traditional braces, Invisalign, and Invisalign Teen, so the recommendation Dr. Hernandez makes is based on your actual anatomy rather than a one-size-fits-all default.
• We order additional imaging when it answers a real question about your case, not as a routine step for every patient.

How the Diagnostic Process Works

1. A gunk-free digital scan

A small handheld wand glides gently around the teeth and gums, and a 3D model builds on a screen in real time. Because there are no impression trays or goopy material involved, kids have nothing to gag on and usually love watching their own teeth appear on screen. Parents get to see exactly what we see, and it's something we do every single day.

2. 3D imaging when the case calls for it

Cone beam imaging captures teeth, roots, bone, and airway in three dimensions in one quick pass that patients don't feel at all. It answers questions a flat X-ray simply can't, like where a tooth that hasn't come in yet is heading, or how much space surrounds a crowded root.

3. Dr. Hernandez reviews the full picture

The scan and images are looked at together rather than separately. Tooth position, how roots are angled, jaw development, and bite are all considered as one connected system, because shifting a tooth affects everything around it.

4. We go through the findings with you

You see the images on screen while we explain what they mean in plain language. If we're recommending braces over aligners, or suggesting you wait six months before starting, you'll hear the reason and see the evidence behind it.

What Better Diagnostics Actually Do for You

• Because a digital scan doesn't distort or degrade the way a physical mold can, when we plan your child's aligners or brackets we're working from their real anatomy, not an approximation.
• Roots sitting too close together, teeth growing in at an odd angle, or bone concerns get spotted at the start of treatment instead of turning into a surprise at month nine.
• Treatment plans usually change because of something nobody could see at the start, like a root closer than expected, a tooth coming in off course, or jaw growth that went a different direction. Complete records make those surprises much less likely, which protects your timeline and your budget.
• Seeing jaw development in three dimensions helps us say with real confidence whether to start now or check back in six months, and getting that call right can mean a shorter, simpler course of treatment overall.
• For a nervous nine-year-old, skipping the goopy impression trays makes a genuine difference in how comfortable that first appointment feels, and it sets the tone for every visit that follows.
• We review everything together on screen and can share the files with your general dentist, so feel free to jot down your questions before your first visit and we'll walk through them together.

Who Benefits Most from a Full Digital Workup

Kids whose dentist has flagged something

A general dentist spots crowding at a cleaning, or wonders whether the jaw is growing the way it should, and suddenly you're booking an orthodontic consultation. Kids' mouths change fast, so the question isn't only what's happening right now, it's when to act. Seeing the jaw and teeth that haven't come in yet in three dimensions is what lets Dr. Hernandez say "start now" or "check back in six months" and actually mean it.

Teens heading into braces or Invisalign Teen

Most of our patients are between nine and fifteen, juggling school, sports, and a social life with no room for surprise appointments. Getting the plan right from the start keeps the visit schedule predictable, which makes treatment far easier for a teenager to stick with.

Adults weighing clear aligners

If you have crowns, bridges, a past extraction, or some gum recession, those details matter more than most people realize. A crown doesn't shift the way a natural tooth does, and old extraction sites affect how much space there is to work with. Detailed records let us factor all of that in before aligners are ever built around your teeth.

When a simpler evaluation may be enough

Not every visit needs every image. If a young child comes in for a first look and everything is on track, we may take limited records and schedule a growth check. If we do recommend a scan, we'll explain exactly what question it helps us answer.

Preparing for Your Visit, and What Happens After

Brushing before you come is really the only thing to do ahead of time, since clean teeth give the scanner a clearer picture. Bring any recent X-rays or notes from your general dentist, and jot down your questions ahead of time. If your child is nervous, just let us know when you arrive. We'd rather slow down and walk through each step than rush past anything.

Afterward, your digital records stay on file as the guide for your entire treatment. We check back against them regularly to make sure teeth are moving the way we planned, whether you're in traditional braces or Invisalign, and they help us design retainers that keep your smile right where you want it.

Why Families Choose River Orthodontics

Dr. Emilio  Hernandez earned his doctorate at the University of Kentucky, where he received the Clinical Achievement Award for Excellence in Restorative Dentistry. He spent four years as a general dentist in Hawaii, taught full-time in the NYU dental residency program, and then completed a three-year orthodontic specialty program at Nova Southeastern University, earning his Master of Science in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics.

That background means he looks at your child's scan with a broader lens, not just where the teeth sit today, but how the whole bite needs to work for years to come.

A few other things families tend to notice:

• Because everything runs through a fully digital workflow, including iTero scanning, your child's treatment plan is built on real anatomical imaging.
• Nobody here will comment on how long you waited to come in or how the brushing has been going, because consultations are genuinely judgment-free.
• The team makes a point of keeping things light, because a relaxed patient tends to have a much better experience, and that goes for parents sitting in the waiting room too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still use the goopy impression molds?

We switched to a small digital wand instead of the trays most parents remember from their own orthodontic days. It is faster, far more comfortable, and gives us a more accurate picture of your child's teeth.

What is a cone beam scan, and is it safe for kids?

Think of it as a 3D photo of the teeth, jaw, and surrounding bone, all captured in one quick pass with low-dose radiation. Dr. Hernandez recommends it when a standard X-ray cannot answer a specific question, like where an unerupted tooth is headed or how the jaw is developing. We only use it when the result will actually change how we plan treatment.

Will we get to see the images at the appointment?

Yes, and we encourage it. Plan on fifteen to twenty minutes at the screen together, and please bring your questions because we want to walk through all of them. If you would like a copy to take home or share with your general dentist, just let us know.

Does the imaging change which treatment options we have?

It can go either way. A detailed 3D scan can reveal something that rules an option out, and it can just as easily confirm that a straightforward approach will work great. It also helps us get the timing right for kids who are still growing.

Is this the same process for adults?

The process is the same, and adults often get the most out of it since more dental history means more details to factor in before aligners or braces are designed around your teeth.

Does more technology mean a longer first appointment?

The scan takes just a few minutes, and the 3D imaging is one quick pass, so the technology itself does not add much time. Most families are in and out in about an hour, and most of that time is spent talking rather than sitting in front of equipment.

Your Stunning Smile Awaits

When you're ready to stop researching and start getting real answers, the consultation is where that happens. Dr. Hernandez will walk you through what he sees, what he'd recommend, how long treatment would take, and what it would cost, all in plain language.

Pick whichever office works best for you. We're at 52 High Street in New Boston and 27 Loop Rd in Merrimack.

Call (603) 424-1199 or request an appointment online to set up your first visit.