The American Association of Orthodontists recommends an orthodontic screening at age 7. By this age, several permanent teeth in most children have erupted, allowing us to effectively evaluate your orthodontic condition.

No, they will not.  The space available for the front teeth does not increase as you grow.  Most cases, after the permanent molars erupt, the space available for the front teeth decreases with age.

If you or your child can potentially benefit from orthodontic treatment, simply call our office, send us an e-mail or fill out our appointment request form online. We will be happy to schedule an appointment for you. When you call to schedule your appointment, our front office staff will request some basic information from you.

Removing teeth is sometimes required to achieve the best orthodontic result.  Straight teeth and a balanced facial profile are the goals.  However, because new technology has provided advanced orthodontic procedures, removing teeth is not always necessary for orthodontic treatment.

Treatment time obviously depends on each patient’s specific orthodontic problem and is often difficult to predict.  In general, treatment times range from 6 to 30 months.  The “average” time frame a person is in braces is approximately 24 months. Our office average treatment time is 18 months.

It is impossible to give an exact cost for treatment until after your first exam.  We will cover the exact cost and financial options during the initial examination.  We have several financing options available to accommodate your needs, and we will review these with you.  We will also review your insurance policy and help to maximize your benefit and file your claims.

Appointments are scheduled according to each patient’s needs.  Most patients in braces will be seen every 6 to 8 weeks.  If there are specific situations that require more frequent monitoring, we will schedule appointments accordingly.

Unfortunately, we cannot schedule all appointments for students before or after-school hours.  However, because most appointments are scheduled 6 to 8 weeks apart, most patients will miss minimal school due to their orthodontic treatments.  We will, however, make a sincere effort to meet your scheduling needs.

Yes.  We understand your busy schedule, and we are happy to help you make the most of your time.  On some occasions, we may request to speak with a parent when they return, so we ask that parents check in with their child before dropping off.

Generally, braces do not “hurt.”  After certain visits, teeth may be sore for a few days.  In these situations, pain medications such as ibuprofen or Tylenol will ease the discomfort.  However, after most visits, patients do not feel any soreness at all!

Yes.  There is no reason to miss school because of an orthodontic appointment.

No.  Shots are not necessary in routine orthodontic treatment.

Absolutely not!  It is our belief that each patient should be provided with their own braces to achieve the best orthodontic result possible.

Yes.  We recommend a mouth guard for all sports.

Yes!  Regular checkups with your family dentist are important while in braces.  Your family dentist will determine the intervals between cleaning appointments while you are in braces.

Yes.  Visit our Life with Braces page to see a list of food to avoid.  Some of those foods include ice, hard candy, raw vegetables and all sticky foods (i.e. caramel and taffy).  You can avoid most emergency appointments to repair broken or damaged braces by carefully following our instructions.

Patients should brush their teeth at least FOUR times each day – after each meal and before going to bed.  We recommend a Waterpik to brush and may also provide a prescription for a special fluoride, if necessary.

If your braces are causing extreme pain or if something breaks, you should call our office.  In most cases, we can address these issues over the telephone.  If you require an emergency appointment, we will set aside time for you.

To read more about emergency information, see our Emergency Info page.

Yes.  Some orthodontic problems are significant enough to require early intervention. However, if a patient is not yet ready for treatment, we will follow that patient’s growth and development until the time is right for treatment to begin.

Phase One treatment, if necessary, is usually initiated on children between the ages of 7 and 10.  Phase One treatment usually lasts about 6-12 months.  The primary objective for Phase One treatment is to address significant problems to prevent them from becoming more severe and to improve self-esteem and self-image.

It is best to assume that your child will need full braces even after Phase One treatment.  The period following Phase One treatment is called the “resting period,” during which growth and tooth eruption are closely monitored.  Throughout this period, parents and patients will be kept informed of future treatment recommendations.

At the completion of the first examination, we will determine whether a patient will need an expander.

A surprising percentage of our patients are adults.  In fact, 25 percent of all orthodontic patients are adults.  Health, happiness, and self-esteem are vitally important to adults.  No patient is “too old” to wear braces!

Yes.  A tooth with a crown will move just like a tooth with a simple filling.  When teeth are missing, orthodontic treatment will aid in the alignment of the remaining teeth.