Questions You Should Ask Your Orthodontist Before Treatment

Orthodontists are licensed dental specialists that diagnose, prevent, and address a wide variety of dental issues related to jaws and teeth. These issues can be overbites, crooked teeth, underbites, or overcrowded teeth. Therefore, if you have malpositioned teeth or a misaligned bite, it is essential to know every essential detail before the treatment begins. Asking the vital questions will help to determine whether the orthodontist and the treatment are appropriate for you. 

What Questions Should I Ask During my Orthodontic Consultation?

Check out the list of questions to ask when you meet your orthodontist for the first time:

What is the Best Age to Get Braces?

The orthodontists at Open Wide Dental decide the perfect age depending on the patient. For example, adults can get braces at any time because they usually have a completely grown jaw and adult teeth. However, in children, their jaws are still developing. They are still getting their adult teeth. Many orthodontists usually identify and monitor children for orthodontics at the age of seven. 

How Long Will the Orthodontic Treatment Take?

Although orthodontic treatment will no longer take, if you want to accomplish the desired outcome, you can expect to undergo the treatment as long as it needs to meet the smile goals. On average, orthodontic treatment takes nearly two years. The treatment time usually varies. So, your orthodontist will give you an exact estimate of clear braces or other treatments you take. 

How Often Do I Need to Visit the Dental Clinic?

Patients usually need to visit the dental office for progress reports and adjustments. The frequency will depend on your orthodontic treatment plan. 

What is Your Experience and Background in Orthodontics?

When planning to get Invisalign or other orthodontic treatment, do not feel afraid to ask about the experience and background of your orthodontist. For this, you can ask the following questions during your meeting:

• How long have you been practicing orthodontics?

• Can you show me your certification?

• What is the location of your dental school?

Orthodontists at our office are experts in Orthodontics in Phoenix, AZ. They are well-trained to address bite issues and help with straightening teeth and jaws. 

My Dentist Referred Me to You for Braces. What Do I need to Do Now?

Several factors identify whether a patient is a perfect candidate for orthodontics. For this, the specialist will first require models of your teeth, facial and intra-oral pictures, and X-rays. It helps to identify the issues with the patient’s jaws and teeth alignment. The orthodontist will also find out the problems that require treatment. These might be large spaces between teeth, deep whites, posterior or anterior crossbite, etc. 

What Lifestyle Changes Do I Need to Make for the Success of Treatment?

Your orthodontist will advise you of changes you need to make to get the maximum out of your orthodontic treatment. These changes can be taking care of oral hygiene and other dental habits to protect your smile. Your orthodontist will tell you everything you need to follow as a precaution. 

• Avoid certain foods like sticky and hard varieties-caramels, ice, candies, etc. These foods can bend the wires or even make the brackets fall out. Sticky food bits can even collect on the wires and may become difficult to remove. 

• When taking part in contact sports, always use a mouthguard. It will help you prevent lip, mouth, and gum injuries while getting hit. 

• Be careful about brushing your teeth because sometimes, brackets make it hard to clean every surface of the teeth. The orthodontist will usually recommend floss threaders because it lets you floss while undergoing the treatment. 

• The expert may even tell you to use elastic bands on the brackets of braces. It will help in moving teeth appropriately. 

What is the Cost of Braces?

Many dental insurance providers cover orthodontic treatments. Few orthodontic offices also include payment plans so that patients can get braces and other orthodontics in Phoenix, AZ at a discounted rate. 

Getting braces is usually expensive and involves wear and tear over a long time. On average, the cost usually relies on numerous factors like how much the work is required, age, your unique needs, and the length of the treatment plan. Your orthodontist will help you tell you the exact price of braces treatment.