Lusk Orthodontics

08/08/2026

A crossbite in a young child… should we treat it, monitor it, or simply accept it? 🦷

Parents often receive conflicting advice about early orthodontic treatment, and that’s understandable—different clinicians can have different philosophies.

There’s a saying: “Nobody dies from a crossbite.”

That’s true if our focus is simply on surviving. But in orthodontics, we want our young patients to thrive—supporting healthy jaw and facial development, good function, healthy teeth and a confident smile.

This young patient appeared to have a crossbite on just one side. But when we guided the lower jaw into its true position, we discovered that the crossbite was actually on both sides. The lower jaw was shifting sideways to find a more comfortable bite.

Why does this matter?

A functional shift like this may contribute to asymmetric jaw growth, excessive tooth wear, TMJ problems and smile asymmetry. In carefully selected children, correcting the problem early can therefore be important.

We treated this patient with a fixed palatal expander and 2×4 fixed braces, successfully correcting the crossbite over 12 months.

For now, treatment is complete. We’re monitoring the patient as the permanent teeth erupt and will decide later whether a second phase of orthodontic treatment is needed to optimise the final result.

Early orthodontics isn’t about putting every child in braces as early as possible.

It’s about identifying the children who can genuinely benefit from early intervention, and treating the right child, for the right reason, at the right time.

At Lusk Orthodontics, we provide specialist orthodontic assessment and treatment for children and teenagers from across North Dublin and beyond.

05/08/2026

A CBCT cannot diagnose an airway disorder, but that doesn’t mean it has no role in airway assessment.

A CBCT helps us understand the anatomy: the nasal cavity, septum, turbinates, adenoids, maxillary width, and skeletal discrepancies that may influence breathing. It also allows safe, accurate planning for mini-screw assisted palatal expansion.

The key is knowing its limitations, and using it for what it was designed to do.

01/08/2026

🎉 Happy Birthday to our wonderful Camila🎂🥳

Today we’re celebrating a very special member of the Lusk Orthodontics family! 💙

Your positivity, kindness, and dedication brighten our practice every single day. Thank you for the care you show our patients and for always bringing a smile to the team. We are so grateful to have you with us.

Wishing you a fantastic birthday filled with happiness, laughter, and everything you love. Here’s to another amazing year ahead! 🎈🎁🎉

Happy Birthday from all of us at Lusk Orthodontics! 🦷

22/07/2026

19/07/2026

Traditional hybrid MARPE appliances transmit part of the expansion forces through the teeth. In contrast, this case demonstrates a completely bone-borne expander, where expansion forces are delivered directly to the maxilla via bicortically engaged miniscrews. This approach aims to minimise dentoalveolar side effects while maximising the skeletal component of expansion.

Technique matters just as much as appliance design.

While many protocols advocate rapid expansion. We favour a slow expansion protocol (MASPE), applying lighter, more controlled forces over time to encourage biological adaptation, minimise complications, and, where possible, improve the likelihood of achieving a successful non-surgical mid-palatal split.

The discussion should no longer be whether skeletal expansion is possible in adults — it clearly is.The more important questions are: Which patients are suitable? When surgical facilitation is needed? Which appliance should be used? And which expansion protocol delivers the greatest skeletal benefit with the lowest biological cost?

11/07/2026

“The environment you create shapes the outcomes you achieve.” 🌿

Orthodontic treatment is a long journey, not a quick fix. That’s why creating the right environment, for our staff and our patients, is a priority for us.

We focus on treatment comfort as much as treatment precision and excellence.

We’re also proud to use technology you won’t find anywhere else. It elevates our diagnosis and treatment planning, the cornerstone of any successful outcome.

Because our focus isn’t managing symptoms. It’s treating root causes.

09/07/2026

Every orthodontic treatment plan is unique.

In adults, planning treatment goes far beyond simply straightening teeth. Every decision must balance scientific evidence, the patient’s wishes, facial aesthetics, long-term stability, and whether surgical treatment is acceptable to the individual.

This case is a perfect example.

Our patient presented with:
✔️ Congenitally missing upper lateral incisors
✔️ A constricted upper arch
✔️ Upper spacing
✔️ Lower crowding
✔️ A mild Class III bite tendency

Importantly, there were no breathing or airway concerns, so our treatment decisions focused solely on achieving the best orthodontic outcome.

The ideal treatment from a purely biological perspective would have been Mini-implant Assisted Slow Palatal Expansion (MASPE) with minimally invasive surgical facilitation to achieve true skeletal expansion.

However, after discussing all the options, the patient decided that surgery wasn’t the right choice for him.

That left us with two options:
➡️ Do nothing.
➡️ Design the best possible non-surgical solution.

Using fully customised WIN lingual braces together with precision CAD/CAM archwires, we carefully expanded the dentoalveolar envelope, corrected the crowding, and created a functional, stable and aesthetic result—without skeletal expansion.

Is it the textbook “perfect” result?

No.

Is it the right result for this patient?

Absolutely.

Orthodontics isn’t about delivering the same treatment for everyone. It’s about understanding each patient’s goals, respecting their choices, and using the best available evidence to achieve the most appropriate outcome.

Twelve months after treatment, the result remains stable.

At Lusk Orthodontics, we believe excellent orthodontics isn’t about chasing perfection—it’s about delivering the right treatment for the person sitting in front of us.

07/07/2026

World-class orthodontics starts long before braces go on.

Every case begins with meticulous diagnosis, careful planning, and attention to detail.

At Lusk Orthodontics, we invest in technology that genuinely improves patient care—not technology that’s simply fashionable.

✔️ Comprehensive diagnosis
✔️ Digital treatment planning
✔️ Customised appliances
✔️ Evidence-based care

No gimmicks. No shortcuts. Just thoughtful orthodontics designed to deliver predictable, stable, and beautiful results.

28/06/2026

Our commitment to providing the highest standard of orthodontic care extends beyond the clinic. It includes continuous education, independent assessment and an unwavering commitment to clinical excellence.

We are proud to celebrate another important milestone for our Founder & Clinical Director, Dr Erfan Salloum, who has successfully achieved Titular Membership of the European Society of Lingual Orthodontics (ESLO) following a rigorous assessment of complex treated cases, clinical decision-making and treatment outcomes. All cases submitted for this assessment were treated exclusively with customised lingual braces.

Lingual orthodontics is one of the most technically demanding fields in orthodontics and is often regarded as a speciality within the speciality. While many orthodontists offer lingual braces, mastering customised lingual treatment requires advanced training, experience and meticulous attention to detail.

At Lusk Orthodontics, we are proud to be Ireland’s leading centre for customised lingual orthodontics and remain the largest WIN customised lingual provider in Ireland. Dr Salloum is currently the only orthodontist in Ireland to hold both Titular Membership of ESLO, as well as Active Membership of the World Society of Lingual Orthodontics (WSLO).

For our patients, this means treatment delivered with internationally recognised expertise, advanced digital planning and a commitment to achieving exceptional functional and aesthetic outcomes. Our focus has never been on the number of cases, but on the quality of treatment outcomes, something clearly reflected in this achievement.

Because excellence isn’t just about offering invisible braces, it’s about delivering them at the very highest standard.

27/06/2026

✨ Early orthodontic treatment isn’t about treating every child early—it’s about treating the right child at the right time.

For carefully selected patients, early intervention can create space for developing teeth, improve jaw development, reduce the risk of dental trauma, and support healthier function during growth.

Every child deserves an individual assessment to determine the best timing for treatment.

📍Lusk Orthodontics | Specialist Orthodontic Care