True orthodontic emergencies are rare but you should always contact our office anytime something seems wrong with your braces. Most often we can instruct you over the phone on how to resolve the problem temporarily so you do not feel any discomfort.

During the first week after your braces are in place and when routine adjustments are completed, you will likely feel some soreness and discomfort. We recommend that you stick to enjoying softer foods until your teeth and mouth feel normal. Swollen or irritated gums along with other sore spots can be relieved by rinsing your mouth with a warm saltwater wash. A dab of Oral Gel can also help heal the irritated gum. Placing wax on the brace or wire that is rubbing can help cushion things and speed up the healing process. If the tenderness is more sever, Acetaminophen, Aspirin, Ibuprofen can be used as directed by a parent.

Discomfort caused by wire often occurs as your teeth move and change positions during your treatment. Using a pair of tweezers you can try to put the wire back into place. If you cant put the wire into a comfortable position, and covering the end with wax doesnt help, as a last resort use a small clean fingernail clipper to clip the wire behind the last tooth to which it is securely fastened. If the end of the wire is till sharp, using a pencil eraser, push the poking wire down and place wax on it so that it is no longer poking.

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.

Treatment time depends on each patient 's specific orthodontic problem. In general, treatment times range from 12 to 30 months. The 'average' time frame a person is in braces is approximately 18 to 24 months.

Are financing options available? How does my insurance work? We will cover the exact cost and financial options during the initial examination. We have many 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. If your insurance covers Invisalign or braces, you will receive the benefit of reduced personal costs. Many insurance policies have a lifetime orthodontic benefit that is distinct from regular dental insurance. Since insurance policies differ we will review yours to determine coverage and the appropriate course of action. Once treatment has started, we will file your claims. Please remember that orthodontic insurance is a benefit for you and your child. If, during the course of treatment, your benefits change, the financially responsible party is accountable for all charges.

Generally, braces do not 'hurt.' After certain visits, teeth may be sore for a few days. In these situations, pain medications such as Advil or Tylenol will ease the discomfort. However, after most visits, patients do not feel any soreness at all! We often remind our patients, 'It does not have to hurt to work!'

A surprising percentage of our patients are adults. In fact, 25 percent of all orthodontic patients are adults. There have been many studies demonstrating a strong correlation between periodontal health, TMJ, and a functional bite. Health, happiness and self esteem are vitally important to adults. No patient is 'too old' to wear braces! Advances in technology has given patients the option of braces and appliances that can not been seen while you are in treatment, such as Invisalign, and different kinds of Ligual (hidden) braces.

Teeth, and sometimes entire facial structures, are changed by orthodontic treatment. It is important that the treatment be appropriate and properly completed. Orthodontic specialists have extensive and specialized training that enables them to provide their patients with professional, personalized treatments. This specialized training involves 2-3 years of full-time, orthodontic specialty training after dental school.

Two-Phase orthodontic treatment is a very specialized process that encompasses tooth straightening and physical facial changes by encouraging natural positive growth changes in the jaw positions. It is limited to growing children ages 7-10 before the age when all their permanent teeth have fully erupted in their mouth.

The goal of Phase-One treatment is to help the jaw develop in a way that will accommodate all of the permanent teeth and improve the way the upper and lower jaws fit together. Children often exhibit early signs of jaw problems as they grow and develop. An upper jaw that is growing too much or is too narrow can be recognized by an orthodontist at an early age. For this reason, we recommend that children be seen by an orthodontist at age 7. If children age seven or older are found to have this jaw discrepancy, they are candidates for early orthodontic treatment. Also, if children around the age of eight have crowded front teeth, early treatment can prevent the need to extract permanent teeth later.

Young patients whose jaws are still growing and developing, and whose permanent teeth have not yet fully come in are typical candidates for Phase 1 orthodontic treatment, if the orthodontist detects issues with tooth and jaw development that could get worse if left untreated. This is why the American Association of Orthodontics recommends, that children should be seen by an orthodontist at age 7. When teeth and jaws are still in growth stage, orthodontic treatment is much more easily accomplished and can often be less invasive than if left until all permanent teeth have erupted.

Two-phase orthodontic treatment is a specialized process combining tooth straightening and physical, facial changes. The purpose of two-phase treatment is to maximize the opportunity to accomplish the ideal healthy, functional and aesthetic result that will remain stable throughout your life. Historically, oral surgery was much more common, and often orthodontic treatment lasted longer and was more aggressive. By approaching treatment in multiple phases and by starting younger, we can typically avoid surgery and be more effective achieving the ideal orthodontic result.

No, Two-phase orthodontic treatment is only beneficial in children when their natural jaw structures are contributing to the overall orthodontic problem. This is why an evaluation by an orthodontist is recommended at age 7. Typically only 10% of children need two-phase orthodontics.

Putting off orthodontic treatment can result in a need for more invasive orthodontic treatment later in life that may not completely fix your smile. Early orthodontic treatment is most effective for achieving predictable, lasting results.

Though many orthodontic problems can wait to be corrected when all the baby teeth have fallen out, there are some orthodontic problems that are better corrected when the patient is younger. Delaying treatment for some orthodontic problems can lead to increased difficulty in correcting the problem, less stable results, abnormal jaw growth, abnormal tooth wear, or increased risk of chipping a tooth. Some orthodontic problems that are better corrected early are: severecrowding,eruption problems,open bite,deep bite,crossbite, large, underbite, narrow jaws,harmful habits, and severely protruded front teeth.

Most of the time, additional treatment will be needed to align the newly erupted teeth and finish correcting any bite problems not fully corrected in Phase 1. This additional treatment using a full set of braces is called Phase 2.

The goal of the second phase is to make sure each tooth has an exact location in the mouth where it is in harmony with the lips, cheeks, tongue, and other teeth. When this equilibrium is established, the teeth will function together properly. Phase two usually begins when all permanent teeth have erupted and it involves full upper and lower braces. Phase 2 usually requires braces on all the teeth for an average of 18 months. Retainers are worn after this phase to ensure you maintain your beautiful smile.

Depending on your childs orthodontist, your child may need to wear retainers or a space maintainer to hold his/her treatment progress. Your child will see the orthodontist for periodic checks to evaluate his/her jaw development and eruption progress and decide on the optimal time to start Phase 2 treatment.

Just as children mature at different ages, their teeth and jaws mature at different ages. Early developers may have all of their permanent teeth erupted (except wisdom teeth) by age 9 while late bloomers may not until age 14 or later. Your orthodontist will be able to determine what stage of development your child is in, and can determine the optimal time to begin treatment.

No. Unlike braces, you may eat whatever you like as long as you remove the aligners before eating. Prior to placing the aligners back on, it is important to brush your teeth and the aligners after you eat.

Treatment time varies depending on the severity of the misaligned teeth. As with all orthodontic treatments, patient compliance can affect treatment time dramatically. With invisalign treatment can be as short as six to 12 months. However if patients dont wear the aligners as recommended by the orthodontist or loose the aligners, treatment time can get prolonged.

Yes, if their teeth, including second molars, have grown in completely, and your child does not have severe orthodontic problem, Teen invisalign is an option for your child. Teen invisalign has aligners which help the orthodontist track how long your child has worn the aligners during the day.