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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. Back to top 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. Back to top 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. Back to top 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. Back to top 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 xrays may 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. Back to top 7. What will I learn from the initial examination? There are five important questions that will be answered during the initial examination:
Back to top 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. Back to top 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. Back to top 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 offer a discount for fees paid in full at the beginning of treatment. 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. Back to top 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 4 to 8 weeks. If there are specific situations that require more frequent monitoring, appointments will be scheduled accordingly. Back to top 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 4 to 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. Back to top 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 doctors may want to speak with parents when they return, so we ask that parents check in with our receptionist before dropping off their child. Back to top 14. Do braces hurt? Generally, braces do not "hurt." After some visits, teeth may be sore for a few days. In these situations, we recommend Tylenol to ease the discomfort. Advil and other anti-inflamatory type medications can actually slow tooth movement. In order to make a tooth move, Dr. Graham intentionally creates an inflamatory process that allows the tooth to move. One could work against the other! 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! Back to top 15. Can I return to school the day I receive my braces? Yes. There is no reason not to return to school on the day your braces are placed or after an adjustment. Back to top 16. Do you give shots? Almost never. Very specialized situations could warrant local anesthetic; however we will always discuss the need for and alternatives with you at a prior appointment before scheduling it. Dr Graham has the skills to handle special situations as this but seldom does the need arise for a dental shot. Back to top 17. Do you use recycled braces? Absolutely not! It is our belief that each patient should be provided with their own braces to achieve the very best orthodontic result possible. Our doctor has never and will never use worn, used or recycled braces. Back to top 18. Can I still play sports? Yes. We recommend a mouth guard for any sport that intentionally involves hard contact such as soccer goalie, wrestling, basketball, hockey, football, and karate. Other atheletic activites would also be safer when a mouth guard is woren to prepare for those freakish accidents we never expect. Besides the safety issue, players insist upon two other criterion to be met or they just won't wear them: (1) must be able to talk with the mouth guard in (2) appearance must be acceptable...not too bulky and team colors would be nice. This is best achieved with a "custom fitted" mouth guard, which can be made in our office for patients with and without braces. Back to top 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. Back to top 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. Back to top 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. Back to top 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 available for timely attention. Back to top 23. What happens if I have an emergency after normal office hours? Anytime that you have an orthodontic emergency, call our regular office phone number(256-882-6000). An answering machine will provide information of when we will be back in the office and how to get in touch with the treatment staff member on call. She will ask you questions which will help her determine whether your emergency can be handled over the phone to save you a trip to the office. If the treatment assistant feels that Dr Graham is also needed to resolve the emergency, she will call him to update him and to meet you at the office. FOR TRUE EMERGENCIES WE ARE AVAILABLE 24/7. Back to top 24. 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. Back to top 25. 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. Back to top 26. 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. Back to top 27. Will my child need an expander? At the completion of the initial examination, the doctor will determine whether a patient will need an expander or not. Back to top 28. 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! Back to top 29. 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. Back to top 30. 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 Dr. Graham, have extensive and specialized training that enables them to provide all types of orthodontic patients with professional and state of the art treatments. Back to top For additional questions please email our office. |
