Interdisciplinary Orthodontic Treatment
Coordinated orthodontic care for complex cases — jaw surgery, sleep apnea, gum disease, dental implants, and restorative treatment. Serving Bellevue, Sammamish, and the greater Eastside.
Some orthodontic cases go beyond straightening teeth. When a patient's treatment involves jaw surgery, gum disease, missing teeth, restorative work, or a sleep breathing disorder, the orthodontist's role shifts from moving teeth to coordinating an entire treatment team.
PORTH offers interdisciplinary orthodontic treatment at its clinics in Bellevue and Sammamish, serving patients across the Eastside of Seattle — including Redmond, Kirkland, Issaquah, Mercer Island, Newcastle, and Renton. These are complex cases that require close collaboration between orthodontists, oral surgeons, periodontists, prosthodontists, and other specialists. The goal is always the same: a functional bite, a healthy foundation, and a result that lasts.
PORTH's board-certified orthodontist, Dr. Rooz Khosravi, serves as Director of the Interdisciplinary Clinic at the University of Washington, bringing that same level of coordinated, specialist-level care to patients throughout the Eastside.
What Is Interdisciplinary Orthodontic Treatment?
Interdisciplinary orthodontic treatment is an approach where orthodontic care is planned and delivered in coordination with other dental or medical specialists. It is typically recommended when a patient's oral health needs cannot be fully addressed by orthodontics alone.
Rather than treating teeth in isolation, the interdisciplinary model considers the whole picture: bone structure, gum health, missing teeth, airway function, and planned restorative work. Each specialist contributes to a unified treatment plan, and the orthodontist plays a central role in sequencing and coordinating that plan.
Who Refers Patients to PORTH?
PORTH works closely with a wide network of dental and medical providers who refer patients for interdisciplinary orthodontic treatment. Referrals come from:
General dentists
Dentists who have identified complex bite, alignment, or skeletal issues in their patients that go beyond what routine care can address. PORTH serves as the specialist partner for cases that need coordinated orthodontic involvement.
Prosthodontists and restorative dentists
Implants, crowns, veneers, and full-mouth rehabilitation all benefit from proper tooth positioning first. PORTH works with restorative teams to create the ideal foundation before final restorations are placed.
Periodontists
Patients with gum disease often need carefully coordinated tooth movement as part of their periodontal recovery. PORTH works directly with periodontists to ensure treatment is sequenced safely and effectively.
Oral and maxillofacial surgeons
Corrective jaw surgery requires orthodontic treatment both before and after the procedure. PORTH coordinates pre-surgical alignment and post-surgical bite refinement with oral surgeons throughout the greater Seattle area.
Sleep physicians and ENTs
Patients with obstructive sleep apnea who need oral appliance therapy or surgical airway advancement require an orthodontist experienced in dental sleep medicine. PORTH collaborates with sleep medicine physicians and ENTs to deliver coordinated airway-focused care.
Pediatric dentists
Early skeletal or airway concerns in children are best addressed with coordinated intervention. Pediatric dentists refer to PORTH when a child's development suggests orthodontic involvement will improve long-term outcomes.
Many patients also come to PORTH directly — having researched their condition and sought a specialist with the specific interdisciplinary experience their case requires. We work with a group of fantastic local providers collaborating in interdisciplinary care with our practice.
No referral is needed to book a consultation.
Conditions We Treat
PORTH provides orthodontic treatment for patients with a wide range of complex dental and medical conditions. Each treatment plan is developed in collaboration with the patient's broader care team.
Orthodontics and Gum Disease (Periodontal Treatment)
Patients with a history of gum disease require careful orthodontic planning. Moving teeth in a periodontally compromised mouth without proper coordination can accelerate bone loss and worsen outcomes. PORTH works directly with periodontists to ensure gum health is stabilized before and maintained throughout orthodontic treatment.
In some cases, orthodontic tooth movement is a necessary part of periodontal therapy, creating better spacing for cleaning, reducing pocketing, or repositioning teeth to distribute bite forces more evenly.
Corrective Jaw Surgery (Orthognathic Surgery)
When jaw misalignment cannot be corrected with orthodontics alone, corrective jaw surgery is often the most effective solution. PORTH works closely with oral and maxillofacial surgeons throughout the greater Seattle area to coordinate pre-surgical and post-surgical orthodontic treatment. Braces or clear aligners are used before surgery to align the teeth to the anticipated new jaw position, and after surgery to refine the final bite.
PORTH is one of the few practices in the Eastside region with extensive experience in jaw surgery combined with clear aligner therapy, including Invisalign-based surgical orthodontics.
Orthodontics and Restorative Dentistry
Patients planning crowns, veneers, bridges, or full-mouth rehabilitation often benefit from orthodontic treatment first. Repositioning teeth before restorative work reduces the amount of tooth structure that needs to be altered and produces more predictable, durable results.
PORTH collaborates with restorative dentists to sequence treatment so that orthodontics and restorations work together, not against each other.
Orthodontics Before Dental Implants
Dental implants require adequate space and proper alignment to function correctly and look natural. When teeth have drifted, tipped, or shifted into the space of a missing tooth, orthodontic treatment is needed first to create the ideal site for implant placement.
PORTH coordinates with prosthodontists and implant surgeons to plan tooth movement that sets the stage for successful, long-term implant outcomes. Clear aligners are frequently used in these cases, offering a discreet option for adult patients.
Sleep Apnea and Airway-Focused Orthodontic Treatment
Orthodontic treatment plays an important role in managing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and other sleep breathing disorders. PORTH offers orthodontic solutions for airway issues, including oral appliance therapy and orthodontic preparation for jaw surgery aimed at advancing the airway.
Dr. Khosravi is a qualified dentist with the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine (AADSM) and collaborates with sleep medicine physicians, ENTs, and oral surgeons to deliver evidence-based treatment for patients with OSA. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, roughly 1 billion adults worldwide have some form of OSA — the majority undiagnosed. Dr. Khosravi is a co-author of the American Association of Orthodontists white paper on sleep-disordered breathing and orthodontics, published in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics (2026) — the definitive clinical guidance document for orthodontists managing OSA. This multidisciplinary approach ensures airway considerations are integrated into the overall orthodontic plan from the start. Learn more about how orthodontic treatment can help with obstructive sleep apnea.
Clear Aligners for Complex Cases
Clear aligners, including Invisalign, are not limited to simple cosmetic cases. PORTH has extensive experience using clear aligner therapy for complex interdisciplinary cases, including patients undergoing jaw surgery, those with periodontal considerations, and adults planning restorative work.
Dr. Khosravi is a recognized contributor to clear aligner therapy and speaks nationally and internationally on advanced aligner techniques. Patients who assumed they needed traditional braces for their complex case are often candidates for clear aligner treatment at PORTH. See the full range of adult orthodontic treatment options available at the Bellevue and Sammamish clinics.
Why Coordination Matters in Complex Cases
In interdisciplinary cases, the sequence of treatment matters as much as the treatment itself. Moving teeth at the wrong time, or without accounting for planned surgical or restorative work, can compromise the final outcome and require costly corrections.
PORTH's approach is built around communication with the patient's full care team from the start. That means shared records, coordinated timing, and a clear understanding of each specialist's role before treatment begins.
This level of coordination is standard at university-based interdisciplinary clinics. Dr. Rooz Khosravi brings it to private practice on the Eastside.
Schedule a Consultation in Bellevue or Sammamish
PORTH offers complimentary consultations for patients with complex or interdisciplinary treatment needs. Consultations are available at both the Bellevue and Sammamish clinics, as well as virtually for patients who prefer to start with a remote evaluation.
During the consultation, the care team will review your dental history, discuss your specific condition, and outline what an interdisciplinary treatment plan might look like for your situation, including which specialists may need to be involved and in what sequence.
Patients from Bellevue, Sammamish, Redmond, Kirkland, Issaquah, and the greater Seattle Eastside are welcome.
Book a Free Consultation!
Start a virtual complimentary consultation today or schedule an in-person appointment at our orthodontic offices in Sammamish or Bellevue. Your first free appointment includes recommendations for orthodontic treatment.