The Orthodontic Gallery in Riverview treats patients with autism, sensory processing differences, and intellectual and developmental disabilities. We offer private treatment rooms, nitrous oxide, appointment times outside the busy part of the day, and aligner-based treatment for patients who cannot tolerate fixed braces. Dr. Wakas Abdulrazzaq, the orthodontist here, trained in this work during a hospital residency. We see families from across the greater Tampa Bay area, and consultations are free.
Most families in this situation have already had a hard appointment somewhere. Often several. What they usually want to know first is not whether treatment is possible, but whether the visit itself will be survivable. So we will start there.
What We Change About the Visit
- A private room. No open bay, no other patients within sight or earshot, no chair-side conversation happening two feet away. The overwhelming majority of difficult orthodontic appointments are difficult because of the room, not the treatment.
- Quiet times of day. We schedule these appointments when the office is at its calmest, usually first thing or at the end of a session. Our current hours are published in full, so you can see which days those are. Waiting-room time is the hardest part for many patients, so we aim to get you straight through.
- A visit before the visit. You can bring your child in simply to see the room, meet the person who will be working with them, sit in the chair, and leave. Nothing clinical happens. For many patients, this single step changes everything about the real appointment. The first visit itself is set out step by step.
- Slow, predictable, narrated. Everything is shown before it is used. Nothing touches a patient without warning. If we need to stop, we stop, and the appointment is not a failure because it ended early.
- Nitrous oxide. Available when it helps, discussed with you beforehand, and never used as a substitute for going at the right pace.
- You tell us, we listen. You know your child. If noise is the problem, if the light is the problem, if a particular word sets things off, tell us before the appointment, and we will build around it. Bring headphones, a weighted blanket, a preferred object, whatever works at home.
Treatment Choices That Fit the Patient
Adapting the appointment is only half of it. The treatment plan itself should suit the person.
- Aligners instead of braces. For patients who cannot tolerate brackets and wires, or for whom the oral hygiene demands of fixed appliances are unrealistic, clear aligners are often the better route. They are removable, there is nothing sharp, and a caregiver can help. This is a genuine alternative, not a compromise. See clear aligners.
- Simpler goals, deliberately. Not every case needs comprehensive correction. Sometimes the right plan addresses the problems that actually affect function, hygiene, or comfort, and leaves the rest. We would rather achieve a limited goal well than start a two-year plan that cannot be completed.
- Fewer, longer appointments. Where a patient copes better with less frequent visits, we plan mechanics that need fewer adjustments. LightForce custom brackets are useful here for exactly that reason.
- Caregiver-manageable hygiene. We choose appliances and give instructions with a realistic view of who is actually doing the brushing.
Where This Training Comes From
Dr. Abdulrazzaq completed his orthodontic residency at MedStar Washington Hospital Center in affiliation with Georgetown University, which included a weekly rotation at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, DC. That rotation covered craniofacial cases and patients with severe autism and behavioral needs, treated in a hospital setting.
That hospital-based training shapes how we care for every patient with special needs. See Dr. Abdulrazzaq’s bio and craniofacial and cleft care.
What We Cannot Do
We do not provide treatment under general anesthesia, and we do not have hospital operating privileges. Some patients need that, and for those cases a hospital-based dental program is the correct referral, not us. We will tell you honestly if that is where you are, and help you find it.
We also do not provide general dental care. Cleanings, fillings, and extractions belong with your dentist, and we will coordinate with them.
Frequently Asked Questions From Families
How do children with autism have orthodontic work done?
Slowly, predictably, and in an environment adapted to the individual. In practice that means a private room, a familiarization visit first, everything shown before it is used, nitrous oxide where it helps, and treatment choices that reduce the number and length of appointments. Most patients who have struggled elsewhere do considerably better with those changes in place.
Do you offer nitrous oxide or sedation?
We offer nitrous oxide, sometimes called laughing gas, which is inhaled, mild, and wears off within minutes of stopping. We do not offer oral sedation or general anesthesia. If a patient needs that level of support, a hospital-based program is the right referral and we will say so.
What if my child cannot tolerate braces at all?
Then we look at whether clear aligners can achieve the goal, because there is nothing bonded to the teeth and nothing sharp. If neither is realistic right now, we will say that too, and set a plan to revisit rather than starting something that will not be completed. A well-timed no is better than a failed two-year attempt.
Can we come and look at the office before booking treatment?
Yes, and we encourage it. Call 813-867-0414 and ask for a familiarization visit. There is no charge, nothing clinical happens, and you can leave whenever you like.
Talk to Us First
Call 813-867-0414 and tell us about your child or your family member before you book anything, or send us a note through the appointment request form. We would much rather plan the appointment properly than discover the problem in the chair. We are at 10061 Beach Verbena Drive in Riverview, Tell us what your family needs when you call and we will plan the visit around it.