About Us
Close to Home:
When Traditional Orthodontics
Wasn't Enough
Close to Home: When Traditional Orthodontics Wasn't Enough
Dr. Allison Hamada has always been passionate about changing someone’s smile into one that they absolutely love.
As both a mother and an orthodontist, she initially followed all the conventional steps with her own daughter, Sophia – correcting a crossbite and aligning her teeth just as she was trained to do.
She thought she had done everything right. But as Sophia grew, troubling signs became far too frequent. No matter how much sleep she got, she wasn’t ever waking up well-rested, and her mood was affected (and so was the family). She was constantly congested in the morning, and showed minor but bothersome reading/concentration struggles. It seemed like no matter how much sleep she got it was never enough.
At first, Dr. Hamada brushed these off as normal childhood phases as any parent would. Deep down, however, her intuition told her something else was going on.
This nagging intuition led Dr. Hamada to look beyond traditional orthodontics. She began learning about airway health – an aspect of care that wasn’t emphasized in her training.
It quickly became clear: straightening teeth wasn’t enough if a child couldn’t breathe well at night.
A Mother’s Turning Point
Delving into airway-focused research completely shifted Dr. Hamada’s perspective. She discovered that poor breathing and tongue function can profoundly affect a child’s sleep, behavior, as well as both cognitive and skeletal development.
Looking at Sophia again – this time considering her whole face, her breathing, and her habits, and her own struggles with breastfeeding – Dr. Hamada saw the root cause she and her daughter’s pediatricians had missed. It was the invisible 800 pound gorilla in the room. The true problem had been less than ideal jaw growth and a subsequent deficient airway that traditional orthodontic treatment alone hadn’t addressed.
It was a heartbreaking revelation. Sophia’s ongoing challenges – restless sleep, a deviated nasal septum, chronic digestive issues, and anxiety – might have been prevented had the warning signs been identified and handled early. She discovered a new purpose for her life’s work: orthodontics isn’t just about straightening teeth; it’s about helping children breathe better, sleep better, and truly thrive.
“As a mother, that’s very hard to accept. As an orthodontist, it has lit a fire in me. I absolutely know that I was put on this Earth to help these kids who are silently suffering and whose pediatricians might not be aware.”
Embracing an Airway-Focused Approach
Armed with this realization, Dr. Hamada transformed her practice philosophy.
She began integrating airway-focused orthodontics into her treatment plans, and the results have been life-changing for her patients. In one of her first cases using this new approach, she referred a young patient to a myofunctional therapist (a specialist in tongue and breathing function) before even starting braces.
Just nine months later, that child’s bite had improved dramatically without any orthodontic intervention yet. It was as if a light had been turned on, revealing how treating the root cause could spur natural improvements, and that form really does follow function!
From that point on, she began actively looking for hidden signs and symptoms in kids that doctors can tend to brush off: congestion, allergies, anxiety, fidgety behaviors, poor posture, wear on teeth, gagging during dental appointments, speech therapy, even frequent interrupting, and mom complaints of “loud eating.” All these very subtle but very telling signs can indicate a very real airway struggle.
Guiding Parents & Changing Lives
She’s determined to unlock your child’s FULL potential through a beautiful smile and a healthy airway.
She emphasizes that the sooner kids are evaluated, the healthier and happier a child’s future will be (and the better life will be for the whole family). This is because the longer a child goes without nasal breathing, the more significant the skeletal (and perhaps cognitive) implications are.
Educating families has become central to Dr. Hamada’s approach. Every consultation is not just about discussing braces or aligners, but also about teaching parents how breathing, sleep, and jaw development are all connected. Once they understand this, they have a much better understanding of their child’s behaviors and tendencies.
Dr. Hamada’s experience with her daughter has reshaped the mission of Hamada Orthodontics. Today, everything the practice does ties back to one goal: to treat more than just smiles and make a lasting difference in patients’ lives. Her mission and vision are clear and heartfelt:
Our Mission
Our Vision
Our Core Values
Every aspect of Hamada Orthodontics is guided by core values that stem from Dr. Hamada’s personal journey and conviction:
Whole-Health Focus
Treat the root causes of airway, sleep, and jaw growth issues – not just the visible symptoms like crooked teeth.
Compassionate Care
Listen to each patient’s unique needs, educate families, and tailor solutions for long-term health and success.
Collaboration
Partner with myofunctional therapists, ENT doctors, pediatricians and other specialists to provide truly comprehensive care for long lasting results.
Prevention First
Emphasize early interventions to guide healthy jaw growth and help children avoid more serious problems down the road.
Innovation
Stay at the forefront of progressive, airway-centered orthodontic techniques and technology to deliver life-changing results.
Our Team
Our team doesn’t just work here—we’re passionate about what we do. We’re always learning, improving, and staying ahead of the latest research to give you the best care possible.
Every member of our team is committed to making your journey smooth, stress-free, engaging, and even fun. Our boutique-style practice design allows for Dr. Hamada to personally lead your care at every single visit. As a result, you’ll never feel like a number.
Taylor
Our Front Office Coordinator keeps your appointments on schedule and our practice running on time.
Gina
Our Treatment Coordinator, personally guides you through every step of your unique plan.
Chelsey
Skylar
Skilled Orthodontic Assistant who provides expert, gentle care with fairy-like fingers.
