- Is it required that my family dentist schedule my appointment with the orthodontist?
- At what age should I schedule an appointment for an orthodontic screening?
- Will my teeth straighten out as they grow?
- How do I schedule an appointment for an initial exam?
- What will happen at the initial examination appointment?
- What will I learn from the initial examination?
- Will I need to have teeth extracted 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 schedule 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 has 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?
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- Is it required that my family dentist schedule my appointment with the orthodontist?
No, unlike your medical doctor, it is not necessary to be referred by your dentist. Many of our patients are referred by their family dentist,however, 50% of our patients take the initiative to schedule an examination without a dental referral.
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- At what age should I schedule an appointment for an orthodontic screening?
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends an orthodontic screening at age 7. By this age, the incisor teeth and first molar (6 year molars) have erupted in most children, allowing us to effectively evaluate your orthodontic condition.
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- Will my teeth straighten out as they grow?
No, they will not. The space available for the front teeth does not increase as you grow. In most people, after the permanent molars erupt, the space available for the front teeth decreases with age.
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- How do I schedule an appointment for an initial exam?
If you feel that you or your child has an orthodontic problem, simply call our office for an appointment, 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 staff will request some basic information from you. It's a 3 minute phone call and there is no cost for the the first appointment.
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- What will happen at the initial examination appointment?
Upon arriving, each patient (and parent) will be greeted by one of our team members, usually Tracey. She will walk you through the office, introduce you to the staff and the Doctors, seat you in an exam chair and ask you a few questions. Dr. Felli and Dr. Brown will then examine the patient, make some notes, explain what his findings are and happily answer any questions. Tracey will then happily answer any questions that you were afraid or too embarrased to ask the doctor and review fees and payment options. You will leave with a written statement of the doctors findings. There is no charge for this first appointment.
To read more about your first visit, see our First Visit Page.
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- What will I learn from the initial examination?
There are six essential questions that we will cover during the initial examination:
- Is there an orthodontic problem, and if so, what is it?
- What must be done to correct the problem?
- Will orthodontic treatment hurt?
- Will any teeth need to be removed?
- How long will the treatment take?
- How much will it cost?
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- Will I need to have teeth extracted for braces?
Removing teeth is sometimes required to achieve the best orthodontic result. Straight teeth and a balanced facial profile are the goal of orthodontics. However, because new technology has provided advanced orthodontic procedures, removing teeth is not always necessary for orthodontic treatment.
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- 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 24 months
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- 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 we have examined you. 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 assist you in choosing the right plan.
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- How often will I have appointments?
Appointments are scheduled according to each patient's needs. Most patients in braces will be seen every 5 to 6 weeks. If there are specific situations that require more frequent monitoring, we will schedule appointments accordingly.
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- Can I schedule all of my appointments after school?
Unfortunately, we cannot schedule all appointments during after-school hours. Because most appointments are scheduled 5 to 6 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 but ask you to help by alternating your appointment times between morning and afternoon hours..
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- Can I drop my child off for an appointment?
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 patient manager before dropping off their child.
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- Do braces hurt?
Sometimes there may be a little discomfort. 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!” Modern orthodontics uses very light,continuous forces.
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- Can I return to school the day I receive my braces?
Yes. There is no reason to miss school because of an orthodontic appointment.
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- Do you give shots?
No. Shots are not necessary in orthodontic treatment.
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- Do you use recycled braces?
Absolutely not !! It is our belief that each patient should be provided with their own braces to achieve the best orthodontic result possible.
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- Can I still play sports?
Yes. We recommend a mouth guard for all sports. We have treated a University quarterback and a University linebacker and neither one ever had broken braces.
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- Do I need to see my family dentist while in braces?
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.
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- Are there foods I cannot eat while I have braces?
Yes. Once treatment begins, we will explain the complete instructions and provide a comprehensive list of foods 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.
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- How often should I brush my teeth while in braces?
Patients should brush their teeth at least four times each day - after each meal and before going to bed. We will show each patient how to floss their teeth with braces and may also provide a prescription for a special fluoride rinse.Back to top
- What is an emergency appointment? How are those handled?
If your braces are causing extreme pain or if something breaks, you should call our office. In most cases, we can help you over the telephone. If the office is closed, someone is always "on call" and you can call their number and arrange a time to be seen in the office. to top
- Can orthodontic correction occur while a child has 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. The usual time to begin early orhtodontic intervention is age 9 although we like to see a patient at age 7.
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- What is Phase I (early) Treatment?
Phase I treatment, if necessary, is usually initiated on children between the ages of 8 and 10. Phase I treatment lasts until all the deciduous teeth are lost. The primary objective for Phase I treatment is to address significant problems to prevent them from becoming more severe and to improve self-esteem. Generally this consists of palatal expansion,and/or partial braces, and/or upper and lower space maintainers.
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- Will my child need full braces if he/she has Phase I treatment?
It is best to assume that your child will need full braces after Phase I treatment. We follow the patient in Phase I right up until the time that it becomes necessary to evaluate the patient for comprehensive or Phase II treatment. This is generally at age 12 and would require braces on all the permanent teeth.Back to top
- Will my child need an expander?
At the completion of the initial examination, we will determine whether a patient will need an expander. Generally childred with a finger sucking habit develop a narrow upper arch and require palatal expansion. We like to correct this problem at age 9.
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- Is it too late to have braces if I am already an adult?
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! The oldest patient we treated was 78.
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- 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. Invisalign is particularly good at treating these problems.
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- Why should you choose an orthodontic specialist?
Teeth, and sometimes entire facial structures, are permanently changed by orthodontic treatment. This is why it is necessary that you entrust your treatment to a "University trained" orthodontist who has extensive and specialized training to treat your particular problem. You can check the credentials of your perspective orthodontist through the American Association of Orthodontists.
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