WHEELING — Dr. Brett Nanners grew up the daughter of a medical doctor with aspirations of becoming a physician herself.

Along the way, she discovered orthodontics was the best way to establish relationships, watch children become young adults and help them smile. The West Virginia University dental school graduate joined the orthodontic office of Dr. Dan Joseph last fall after a two-year residency at the University of Pittsburgh.

“I’m from Wheeling, and I grew up here my whole life,” Nanners said. “My dad (Dr. Ken Nanners) is a doctor at Wheeling Hospital, and every time I met someone they would tell me how great he is.

“That’s what inspired me to go into the health care world. It’s what started my journey.”

But Nanners didn’t know in college which medical discipline she would pursue.

“Then I went on a medical-dental mission trip to Peru, and I saw both sides — both mental and dental. I was more drawn to the dental,” she recalled. “As I explored the dental field more, I learned it was more about the relationships and seeing people through their whole lives.”

An orthodontist often starts seeing a patient when they are about age 7, and they see them every six months until they are ready for braces, Nanners said.

“We take a look at teeth when they are coming in and try to catch things early. It makes things easier for them later,” she continued

Once braces are applied, treatment lasts for another two to four years.

A current trend is that people aren’t always opting for traditional braces, but for liner treatments, according to Nanners.

“In the past, people had to get braces, and now we have clear liners that can be taken in and out,” she said. “You can’t see them as much.”

Which type of treatment is best depends on what the patient needs, she continued.

“Both types of treatments are tools,” Nanners said. “It just depends on what they are hoping to achieve, and just picking what tool is right for the situation.”

She said liners have drawn in more of the adult population.

“A lot of times people (adults) don’t want braces,” Nanners said. “Sometimes they bring their kids in, and they get liners at the same time.”

She termed orthodontics “a special profession” — and one in which the orthodontist sees a patient through different phases of their lives.

“You start seeing people when they are pretty young and follow them through several years,” Nanners said. “You form relationships and get to know people. That’s the biggest advantage of orthodontics.”