- Is
it required that I be referred by my family dentist to schedule an
appointment?
- At
what age should I schedule an appointment for an orthodontic screening?
- Will
my child's teeth straighten out on their own as they grow?
- How
do I schedule an appointment for an initial exam?
- Is
there a cost for the initial examination?
- What
will happen at the initial examination appointment?
- What
will I learn from the initial examination?
- Will
I have to have any teeth removed for braces?
- How
long will it take to complete treatment?
- How
much will braces cost? Are financing options available? How does my
insurance work?
- How
often will I have appointments?
- Can
I have all of my appointments after school?
- Can
I drop my child off for an appointment?
- Do
braces hurt?
- Can
I return to school the day I receive my braces?
- Do
you give shots?
- Do
you use recycled braces?
- Can
I still play sports?
- Do
I need to see my family dentist while in braces?
- Are
there foods I cannot eat while I have braces?
- How
often should I brush my teeth while in braces?
- What
is an emergency appointment? How are those handled?
- Can
orthodontic correction occur while a child still has some baby teeth?
- What
is Phase One (early) Treatment?
- Will
my child need full braces if he/she has Phase One treatment?
- Will
my child need an expander?
- Is
it too late to have braces if I am already an adult?
- Can
I wear braces even though I have crowns and missing teeth?
- Why
should you choose an orthodontic specialist?
1.
Is it required that I be referred by my family dentist to schedule an
appointment?
No, it is not. Most of our patients are referred by their family dentist,
however many patients are concerned about their health and appearance,
and take the initiative to schedule themselves for an examination to have
their need for orthodontic care evaluated.
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2. At what age should I schedule an appointment for
an orthodontic screening?
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends an orthodontic screening
at age seven. By this age, the six-year molars and several permanent teeth
in most children have erupted allowing the doctors to effectively evaluate
most developing orthodontic problems.
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3. Will my child's teeth straighten out on their own
as they grow?
No, they will not. The space available for the front teeth does not increase
as a child grows. In most people, after the permanent 6-year molars erupt,
the space available for the front teeth actually decreases with age.
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4. How do I schedule an appointment for an initial
exam?
If you think you or your child would benefit from orthodontic treatment,
simply call our office and we will be happy to schedule an appointment
for you. When you call to schedule your appointment, our front office
staff will request some very basic information concerning you and your
child.
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5. Is there a cost for the initial examination?
No, there is no cost for the initial examination. We believe that the
relationship established during a patient's first visit is much more important
than an "office visit" charge.
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6. What will happen at the initial examination appointment?
Upon arriving each patient and parent will be seen by one of our Treatment
Coordinators who will acclamate you to our clinic and prepare for the
initial exam. Necessary photographs and x-rays will be taken to allow
the orthodontist to make a proper diagnosis.
A brief but thorough exam will then be completed by the orthodontist.
Building a comfortable and trusting relationship with the orthodontist
and staff is a significant goal of our initial exam.
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7. What will I learn from the initial examination?
There are five important questions that will be answered during the initial
examination:
- Is
there an orthodontic problem and if so, what is it?
- What
must be done to correct the problem?
- Will
any teeth need to be removed?
- How
long will the treatment take to complete?
- How
much will the treatment cost?
In addition to these, Drs. Stone, Hixson and Bumgarner will take the
time to answer any other questions a patient or parent may have.
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8. Will I have to have any teeth removed for braces?
Removing teeth is sometimes needed to get the best orthodontic result.
Straight teeth and a balanced facial profile are always the goal. However,
because today's technology has resulted in advanced orthodontic procedures,
the need for removing teeth has been greatly reduced.
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9. How long will it take to complete treatment?
Treatment time obviously depends on each patient's specific orthodontic
problem. In general, treatment times range from 12 to 30 months. An
"average" time a person is in braces is approximately 22 months.
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10. How much will braces cost? Are financing options
available? How does my insurance work?
It is impossible to give an exact cost for treatment until the doctor
has actually examined you or your child. The exact cost and financial
options will be discussed at the initial examination. We have many financing
options available to meet most needs and we will be happy to review
them with you.We file insurance on the patient's behalf, and also offer
a discount for fees paid in full at the beginning of treatment. We will
help fill out the forms but NOT all. Proper orthodontic treatment to
correct a problem is often less costly than the additional dental care
required to treat the more serious problems that can develop in later
years.
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11. How often will I have appointments?
Appointments are scheduled according to each individual patient's needs.
Most patients in braces will be seen every 8 weeks. If there are specific
situations that require more frequent monitoring, appointments will
be scheduled accordingly.
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12. Can I have all of my appointments after school?
Unfortunately, we cannot schedule all appointments for student patients
during after school hours. However, because most appointments are scheduled
8 weeks apart, most patients miss very little school due to their orthodontic
treatments. We reference all area school calendars, and try very hard
to meet the scheduling needs of our patients.
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13. Can I drop my child off for an appointment?
We are very understanding of busy schedules and working parents' desires
to run errands while their child is at our office. On some occasions
the doctor may want to speak with parents when they return, so we request
that parents check in with their patient manager before dropping off
their child.
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14. Do braces hurt?
Generally, braces do not "hurt." After some visits, teeth may be sore
for a few days. In these situations, pain medications such as Advil
or Tylenol can be used to 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!
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15. Can I return to school the day I receive my
braces?
Yes. There is no reason not to return to school after an orthodontic
appointment.
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16. Do you give shots?
No. No shots are necessary in orthodontic treatment.
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17. Do you use recycled braces?
Absolutely not! It is our belief that each patient be provided with
their own braces to achieve the very best orthodontic result possible.
Our doctors have never and will never use worn, used or recycled braces.
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18. Can I still play sports?
Yes. We recommend a mouth guard for all sports. Custom made mouthguards
are available upon request.
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19. Do I need to see my family dentist while in
braces?
Yes! Regular checkups with your family dentist are very important while
in braces. Your family dentist will determine how often you should be
seen for cleaning appointments while you are in braces.
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20. Are there foods I cannot eat while I have braces?
Yes. Once treatment begins, very complete instructions and a comprehensive
list will be provided regarding foods to avoid. Some of those foods
include: ice, hard candy, raw vegetables and all sticky foods (i.e.
caramel and taffy). Many emergency appointments to repair broken or
damaged braces can be avoided by carefully following instructions regarding
what foods to avoid.
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21. How often should I brush my teeth while in braces?
Patients should brush their teeth at least four times each day: after
breakfast, lunch (or as soon as they get home from school), supper,
and before going to bed. We will show each patient how to floss their
teeth with braces on, and will also provide a prescription for a special
fluoride gel to help protect teeth.
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22. What is an emergency appointment? How are those
handled?
If something happens and your braces are causing pain or if something
is broken, you should call our office. In most cases we can address
these issues over the telephone. If an emergency appointment is needed,
daily time is avaiable for timely attention.
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23. Can orthodontic correction occur while a child
still has some baby teeth?
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.
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24. What is Phase One (early) Treatment?
Phase One treatment, when needed, is usually initiated on children between
the ages of seven and 10. Phase One treatment usually takes about 12
months. There are several primary objectives for Phase One treatment.
- To address significant problems early to prevent them from becoming
severe corrections later.
- To develop jaws for crowding concerns and modify jaw growth for an
improved jaw relationship.
- Finally, to improve self-esteem and self-image, both very important
during their formative years.
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25. Will my child need full braces if he/she has
Phase One treatment?
It is best to assume that your child will need full braces even after
Phase One treatment. The period of time 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 as to any future treatment recommendations.
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26. Will my child need an expander?
At the completion of the initial examination, the doctors will determine
whether a patient will need an expander or not.
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27. Is it too late to have braces if I am already
an adult?
A surprising percentage of our patients are adults. Health, happiness
and self-esteem are vitally important to adults. No patient is "too
old" to wear braces!
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28. Can I wear braces even though I have crowns
and missing teeth?
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 so that the space where the teeth are
missing can be properly restored.
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29. Why should you choose an orthodontic specialist?
Teeth and sometimes entire facial structures are permanently changed
by orthodontic treatment. It is very important that the treatment be
appropriate and properly completed. Orthodontic specialists, like Drs.
Hixson, Stone and Bumgarner, have extensive and specialized training
that enables them to provide all types of orthodontic patients with
professional and state of the art treatments.
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