Welcome to our office! We believe that our patients need to have a thorough examination of the teeth in order to determine what each patient requires for treatment. On the first visit to our office we will begin the appointment by taking a medical/dental history and 2 x-rays (at no cost to the patient).
Our doctors will talk with you to find out your goals for treatment and complete a complimentary clinical exam. If treatment is necessary and you decide to begin treatment, diagnostic records are made to determine the best treatment plan. Complete diagnostic records typically include an Itero Scan of the teeth and photos of the patient’s face/teeth (Learn more about Itero technology here). This information is used to develop a custom treatment plan for each patient. These records are also helpful in tracking the progress of treatment as the teeth move under orthodontic care.
After we have evaluated your records, we will discuss your treatment with you in detail, including the cost for your particular case. We encourage questions from both the patient and the parent and provide ample time to answer any questions you may have.
Please take a minute to fill out the patient information form before your first appointment:
Braces are an important investment and we want to make your decision to receive orthodontic care affordable. Our office offers complimentary consultations that include an examination, X-rays and a discussion of recommended treatment.
For your convenience, we offer a variety of flexible payment plans with low monthly payments. Payments are due each month, regardless of when appointments are scheduled. We can set up your monthly payment to be automatically drawn from your checking or savings account. Check with our office staff if you have any questions or would like to obtain more specific information.
Our office accepts many different types of dental insurances. Some of these insurances offer coverage for orthodontic treatment. For your complimentary consultation we will be able to tell you about your coverage if you bring your insurance card and insurance holders information. Some insurances offer a set benefit others a discounted fee.
It is usually difficult to know if treatment is necessary because there are many problems that can occur even though the front teeth look straight. Asking your general dentist is always a good starting point. Since our initial exam is complimentary, call us today to schedule a consultation and ask orthodontic treatment questions. We will be happy to explain your recommended treatment.
Although it may be difficult for you to determine if orthodontic treatment is necessary, the following may help in prompting you to seek our orthodontic advice.
Take a look at your (or your child’s teeth) teeth. If you see signs of crooked teeth, gaps between the teeth or overlapping teeth, orthodontic treatment may be necessary. Bite all the way down, but keep your lips open so you can see the teeth. Do the front teeth line up with the bottom? Do the top teeth protrude out away from the bottom teeth? Do the top front teeth cover more than 50% of the bottom teeth? Are the top teeth behind the bottom teeth? All these are indicators for potential orthodontic treatment. Look at your jaw alignment. Does the jaw shift off center during biting down? If you see any misalignment or shifting of the jaw, it suggests a skeletal or jaw bone problem, which requires early orthodontic intervention. These are only some of the obvious symptoms of orthodontic problems.
The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that your child be evaluated by age seven. All baby teeth need not be gone before initiating orthodontic treatment. In fact, early detection of some orthodontic problems is important in order to take preventive/interceptive action and avoid more difficult treatment later. Early orthodontic treatment also potentially prevents extraction of teeth which is needed in some cases if the teeth get very crowded. Again, since our initial consultation is complimentary, it helps to get a consult as soon as possible.
No, age is not a factor. So long as the gums and bone which support your teeth are healthy one can get orthodontic or braces treatment at any age.
Orthodontic treatment mechanics have advanced technologically over the last few years. Introduction of new high tech wires, smaller braces, innovative accessories and stress of preventive/interceptive treatments make today’s orthodontic treatment fairly comfortable. We do not use anesthetic injections for any of the procedures. As a rule, braces can cause a little discomfort initially until one gets used to them. Teeth can get a little sore a day after every adjustment appointment but they are not painful. This annoyance can be relieved easily with over-the-counter pain relievers, if needed. Most of our patients do not need to take any pain relievers.
Yes. When teeth are missing, adjacent teeth will drift into the empty space. This will cause a functional, esthetic or periodontal problem. Orthodontic treatment will correct and prevent these problems from happening and will also provide proper alignment for your dentist to replace the missing teeth.
Phase I or Early Interceptive Treatment usually starts while the child has most of their baby teeth with few of their permanent teeth. The goal of Phase I treatment is to intercept moderate or severe orthodontic problems early in order to reduce or eliminate them. These problems include jaw bone problems, cross bites and developing crowding. This phase does not use full braces as braces are never put on baby teeth. Generally we use expanders, removable appliances, a herbst appliance (instead of headgear) and retainers during this phase. These treatment approaches take advantage of the active growth to change the jaw bone structure to either make extra room or address jaw bone discrepancies. This helps reduce the need for extractions or jaw surgery and delivers better long term results and treatment options. Most Phase I patients require a Phase II treatment in order to achieve an ideal bite.
Phase II treatment involves the use of full braces with a goal to finish the occlusion or bite ideally. It usually occurs when all permanent teeth are present. Many times there is a gap between Phase I and the start of Phase II treatment. This phase most commonly occurs around the age of 12 or 13 years old.
This is another name for orthodontic treatment in the permanent dentition at any age. It is more commonly used when a Phase I treatment was not performed.
No, but in many cases early intervention helps a lot. We will offer Phase I treatment only if it will make a difference in oral health, otherwise we keep the patients for a complimentary recall consultation every six months.
In our office, Phase I treatment usually lasts 12-14 months. Phase II or full braces treatment generally lasts from 12-24 months depending on the complexity of the case. In both situations, we generally see patients every 8 to 10 weeks for their adjustment appointment.
Orthodontic treatment time and its success depends on multiple factors such as, age of the patient, the severity of the problem, the patient’s cooperation and the speed of natural response of teeth movement.
Extraction therapy is a technique where some teeth are removed to make room for the other teeth in your child’s mouth. This is in contrast to non-extraction therapy where the jaw is expanded and teeth are shaved to make room for everything. We will make a thorough evaluation at the consultation and discuss the options to determine which procedure best suits the patient.
Metal braces are the most popular with kids and teenagers. They love using different colors of ligature ties. These braces are much smaller than ever before.
Translucent, clear, ceramic braces are the most popular with adults. You have to be very close to someone to be able to see them. Yet, because they are a ceramic material, they are more fragile and have some limitations. We will discuss these choices of braces and any other braces questions at the consultation appointment.
At Michael Orthodontics, we strive to make orthodontic treatment affordable and offer a variety of flexible payment plans. Please call our office today to set up a complimentary consultation and learn more about our payment plans and any other orthodontic treatment questions.