Answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about our office, and living with braces.What are your office hours? topOur office is open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Thursday, and is closed Fridays. What type of insurance do you accept? topWe accept and submit to any dental plan that has a separate orthodontic policy, but not all dental plans include orthodontics. We will call your dental plan’s toll-free number to get coverage information for you. Do you accept Medicaid? topYes. What types of financial plans do you offer? topThe most popular plan is a monthly payment program. Options include payment in full with a 5% discount, or quarterly payments. An initial deposit is made the day braces go on. Any reasonable flexible payment program may be accepted Can you give referrals for general dentists? topYes, we can supply several dentists’ names depending on your location.
Does Dr. Reynolds treat adults? topYes, we accept adult patients. How long does it take before my braces go on? topUsually it takes four appointments over four to six weeks from your first phone call to our office. Your first consultation appointment is usually within two weeks of your initial phone call. The appointment is approximately one half hour long. The second appointment is the diagnostic records appointment and is for one-hour. This appointment is required to get the necessary diagnostic information for Dr. Reynolds to form his treatment plan. The third appointment is a follow-up consult to go over the treatment, length and cost of treatment. Your braces can go during the fourth appointment. Do you offer clear braces? topYes, you can choose clear, colored or, stainless steel braces. How are my teeth cleaned after the braces are put on? topYou will still go to your dentist for cleaning. First come into our office and we will remove the archwire, then go to your dentist and get your teeth cleaned. When your appointment at your dentist is complete, come back to us the same day or the next day and we will put the archwires back in. We recommend you have your teeth cleaned every six to 12 months. Can I floss with braces? topAbsolutely, but it takes a little more time. Floss threaders are very helpful and we will show you how to use these. There are several different kinds of floss on the market that you can try. Can I wear a mouth guard? topIt is very important to wear a mouth guard in all contact sports. They are sold at most sports stores. You don’t have to spend a lot of money – any inexpensive mouth guard will do. Bring your mouth guard to your appointment and we will be happy to fit it for you. Do braces hurt? topPatients are instructed to take Advil/Tylenol (whatever they normally take for headache) 1/2 to 1 hour before they come in for a banding. Expect teeth to be sore for approximately 24 – 36 hours. What are the colored elastics on some kids braces? topThe colored elastics hold the archwire to the bracket – they are changed each month. We have a rainbow of colors to choose from. You can color coordinate for sports teams or holidays. How often are my appointments and what happens at that time? topYour appointments are usually four weeks apart. At each appointment your archwires are removed, sometimes adjustments are made to the wire or changed all together to a different wire. Elastics and colors are changed, elastics may be added and/or powerchains may be added or eliminated. What would happen if I choose not to have orthodontic treatment? topWe have learned that with proper alignment of both from and back teeth the longevity of teeth can be greatly increased. The improper wearing of teeth can not only lead to the need for crowns and fillings, but can also lead to the loss of teeth. Also, mal-aligned teeth can cause destruction of gums (soft tissue) and bones (hard tissue). We now realize that orthodontics is much more than having a “pretty smile”. It’s actually an important factor in our overall health. Is it better to wait until all of my adult (permanent) teeth are in the mouth before I start orthodontic treatment? topNo. In many cases it actually extends treatment. Certain phases of treatment may be completed so that later the erupting permanent teeth are more easily guided into position. Also teeth have the tendency to move more rapidly at a younger age. At what age should I bring my child in for his/her first orthodontic examination? topIt is never too early to have the first exam. Orthodontics not only address dental problems, but may also treat skeletal problems. The skeletal problems are not only easy to detect at a very early age, but it is also easier to treat at this time. Sometimes this early intervention can actually help avoid possible surgical correction later. Why do some patients have to wear their braces longer than other patients? topA lot of the time it’s simply the level of difficulty of the case. Teeth only move at a certain speed so the further you need to move teeth, the longer it takes. There are some instances where the lack of patient cooperation (i.e., poor oral hygiene, non compliance with elastic wear) that also increases treatment time. These factors unfortunately, are out of the orthodontist’s control. Is it too late to get braces if you’re an adult? topIt is never too late to receive orthodontic treatment. Age has never been a factor when addressing this question. The biggest concern when deciding if a person is a good candidate for braces is more related to the overall oral health. Specifically, are the gums and surrounding bones healthy? Are there any systematic health problems that could affect the oral health (leukemia or other blood dyscrasia’s). Today more and more branches of dentistry are working together for the benefit of the individual. Instead of just replacing the missing teeth with bridges or implants, we now prepare the space by moving teeth around with braces to insure a better and healthier result.
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