Frequently Asked Questions

The state Medicaid program provides free braces if you qualify and have Medicaid.
We will also work with you to provide nominal payment plans to make it affordable if you have true financial difficulty.

The length of time a person may need to wear braces varies widely. Treatment length usually ranges between 18 to 32 months. Complex or severe bad bites will take longer to correct. Patients who don’t do their part in cleaning their teeth or in following their orthodontist’s instructions will also require a longer treatment course. Other factors which can prolong treatment duration include unexpected bone growth, abnormal bone, broken braces and missed appointments. Patients who follow all of their orthodontist’s instructions and who take care of their braces will have the shortest treatment course. Remember, whether or not you decide to listen to your orthodontist will determine your treatment length!

For parents, it is key to examine your child’s teeth as the permanent teeth grow in. Although children mature at different rates, the following are signs that may indicate the need for an early orthodontic examination:

1. early or late loss of baby teeth
2. difficulty chewing or biting
3. crowding, malpositioned, or blocked out teeth
4. a gap between upper and lower front teeth when the child bites down
5. biting of the cheeks or the roof of the mouth
6. teeth that do not meet at all
7. jaws and teeth that are out of proportion to the rest of the face
8. finger sucking or pacifier habits beyond the age of six
9. top front teeth which stick out, protrude or are “bucked”
10. baby teeth that do not grow to full height like their neighbors
11. top front teeth which grow in behind the bottom front teeth
12. top front teeth which cover more than 25% of the bottom front teeth when the back teeth are biting together
13. a weak or prominent chin
14. neighboring teeth which shift out of alignment when the tooth between them has been removed
15. when the centers of the top and bottom front teeth don’t line up
16. teeth which wear unevenly
17. jaws that shift off center when the teeth bite together
18. excessive spaces between teeth that persist after the top permanent canine teeth appear
19. teeth which cause embarrassment or smiles that are hidden by hands

Baby teeth hold the space for the permanent teeth that will come in later. When baby canines and molars loosen or fall out, a lower lingual arch or a Nance space maintainer can be placed to ensure there is space when a child’s permanent teeth come in. The space maintainer prevents both the lower back permanent molars from slipping forward and the lower front permanent incisor teeth from tipping backwards. This saves or preserves the maximum amount of space for the permanent teeth (canines and bicuspids) that grow between the permanent back molar and the lower incisors.

Early treatment provides the opportunity to:

1. guide the growth of young jaw bones to create a better environment for those new emerging permanent teeth
2. guide incoming teeth into optimal positions
3. modify the width of the jaws
4. lower the risk of trauma to prominent front teeth
5. correct harmful sucking habits
6. reduce the likelihood of teeth becoming stuck or impacted under the gums
7. preserve or gain space for arriving permanent teeth

Orthodontic treatment before all of the adult teeth are present is called “early phase treatment”. This early intervention may be necessary when teeth or jaws are not developing properly. Early phase treatment can shorten the length of the later phase of full treatment. It may also prevent the need for teeth extractions. For more info, see the Patient Information menu.

During orthodontic treatment teeth may look worse before they improve. Teeth move in different directions as they straighten out. As a result, a new space may appear between the front teeth. Teeth which appeared straight before treatment may even appear to grow crooked. This is all part of the process of realignment. With time and patience these new irregularities will disappear along with the problems which brought you to the orthodontist in the first place.

Rubber bands or elastics are key contributors to achieving straight teeth. Attached to your braces, elastics provide the force needed to move the teeth to where they need to be. It is important to wear your elastics as prescribed and change them every day so that force against your teeth remains at a constant level. Proper usage of elastics is often the key to moving the teeth and the bite to the right place. A lack of consistency in wearing elastics can prolong the treatment. This is one factor in treatment length that the patient has full control over. Teeth never fail to move when elastics are worn consistently as directed.