Hamer & Hamer Orthodontics was founded in 1960 by Dr. Frederick C. Hamer, Jr.; the first university trained orthodontist in Charlottesville. Now, almost 50 years later, his son Dr. David B. Hamer is continuing the tradition of excellence.
Entering his 21st year in practice, Dr. Hamer is more excited about orthodontics than ever. The changes in technology and the advance in the materials and techniques have made getting your teeth and your bite corrected easier and quicker than ever.
Dr. Hamer says: “We have a new bracket system which has eliminated most of the friction where the wire passes through the braces. As a result teeth are moving faster and more effectively. We have also learned that light forces move the teeth better than heavy forces. So the exciting end result is we are finishing cases quicker with less discomfort to the patients. Twenty years ago I was quoting treatment times of 2-2½ years. Now most of my patients are finishing in 1-1½ years. That’s a WIN/WIN!”
Dr. Hamer has become the most experienced Invisalign® practitioner in the area. Recognized by the company as the only “Premier Provider” in the area, Dr. Hamer is ranked nationally in the top 5% based on the number of cases he has treated.
He says: “To be honest, I was very skeptical in the beginning. Early on I had patients begging me to try it and overtime I have learned what can be done with the system. Now with a combination of Invisalign® and clear attachments and brackets we’re getting results that surprise even me.”
Dr. Hamer and his team have made a great effort to make it fun for the kids with monthly theme days, contests and other activities. They do offer private rooms for adults or families who request it.
He says: “As my children have gotten older, it’s become easier for me to answer the question What would you do if this was your child? And to some extent, it’s made me rethink the goals and objectives of early interceptive orthodontic treatment. I see now that it’s not a cookbook recipe and that you treat every child a little differently based on their total unique needs. Yes, of course we expect them all to end up in the same place with beautiful smiles and healthy bites, but for some kids, not all, but some, it makes sense to start earlier; do half the treatment now to enhance their self-esteem during early middle school or even late elementary school. So sometimes our treatment plan varies after spending time with the family.”