 
What age should treatment start?Is one ever too old for braces? How long will treatment take? What type of braces are available? Are braces the only option? What is the cost of orthodontic treatment? How do we get started? Will my health insurance cover the cost of braces? Can I go directly to an orthodontist, or does the dentist have to refer me? How do I know if I really need braces? Why should I see an orthodontic specialist? How do I choose an orthodontist? How long does orthodontic treatment take? What are "lingual" braces? What are clear braces? Are they more expensive? Will I need to have any permanent teeth removed when I get braces? Do I need to have surgery on my jaw bones? What is TMJ? Is it harder to clean your teeth if you are wearing braces? Will I be able to floss my teeth after the braces are put on? If two people with braces kiss each other, could they lock braces? Does it hurt when you put the braces on or take them off? Aren't people with braces teased a lot? What is a retainer? What are impressions? Why are so many young children in braces today? Can I wear colors on my braces? What age should treatment start? The American Orthodontic Association suggests that every child have an orthodontic screening at age seven. At this time jaw relationships have formed and some permanent teeth have erupted. Dr. Berry can give you an idea of what to expect in the future and if there are any concerns, which should require early treatment. Problems treated early include: Crossbites: Upper teeth fitting on the inside of lower teeth.  Severe Overbites: Upper teeth, which protrude beyond the lower teeth  Under bites: Upper front teeth that fit behind lower front teeth  Severe Crowding: Lack of space for permanent teeth to erupt into proper position  Early treatment, when necessary, allows Dr. Berry to guide the jaws and teeth into more favorable positions. This gives us better alignment of the jaws, and reduces the likelihood of fracturing protruded front teeth. Children who have had early treatment generally will need to wear braces again when all of their permanent teeth are in. This second phase of treatment with full braces is generally shorter and far easier than treatment would have been is the patient had not had the benefit of early intervention. More importantly, we are able to achieve the best end result for these children. Most children begin braces once most permanent teeth erupt. Usually ages 10-12. Back to Top Is one ever too old for braces? As long as adults have teeth and healthy supporting structures, orthodontics can be done at any age. It is never too late to go straight! Back to Top Is there a difference in Adult treatment? Adults can offer more complex problems than children can. Often other dental professionals must be involved in their treatment. At your initial consultation Dr. Berry can explain what is necessary and she is happy to meet with the other Doctors that may be on your treatment team. Back to Top How long will treatment take? Each person's problem is different. Dr. Berry can give you an idea of treatment length at your initial consultation. Most treatments range from 6 to 30 months. Back to Top What type of braces are available? Our practice uses the latest in Mini Silver, Clear Porcelain and Gold. And of course for the child in all of us, we have colors that can be changed each month. Back to Top Are braces the only option? Not necessarily. For those whose teeth are fully erupted, we feature the new Invisialign system. This is a sequence of clear plastic "aligners" which are designed by computer imaging. These aligners are removable, but best of all; they are completely invisible in the mouth. Please visit the Invisalign page for more information. Back to Top What is the cost of orthodontic treatment? Our practice bases cost on the difficulty of your case, so again, each case is different. We offer many flexible finance plans, we take Visa/MasterCard, and are happy to work with your insurance company to make sure braces will fit into your budget. Back to Top How do we get started? Call our office and Linda will set you up for an initial consultation. There is no charge for this visit. We will review your medical history, and take complementary computerized photos. Dr. Berry will examine you and explain what treatment is necessary . Linda will then assist you with your financial questions. This visit usually takes about 30 minutes and records can also be done at this time. Back to Top Will my health insurance cover the cost of braces? Some dental insurance plans will assist with a portion of the fee. If you would like to call our office with your insurance information, we will be happy to call your company and let you know what your policy covers. Back to Top Can I go directly to an orthodontist, or does the dentist have to refer me? If you think you have an orthodontic problem, you may contact us directly. We do require that patients have a current dental cleaning before beginning orthodontic treatment. Back to Top How do I know if I really need braces? Patients generally require orthodontic treatment for three different reasons. 1) They do not like the way their smile looks. 2) Their bite is incorrect and is putting extra pressure on the gums, teeth, and joints. 3) Their dentist needs to perform some restorative work and needs the teeth to be moved orthodontically beforehand. Back to Top Why should I see an orthodontic specialist? Orthodontists have two years of highly specialized training above and beyond that of a general dentist in correcting jaw and bite irregularities. An orthodontic specialist does only orthodontics. Other types of dentists can legally offer braces to their patients, but lack the intensive training and specialized experience of an orthodontist. A pediatric dentist has specialized knowledge of how to do fillings and crowns for children. A general dentist lacks specialized training in bite correction and jaw irregularities. Just as we seek the opinions of medical specialists, such as cardiologists and dermatologists, for specific medical problems, it is important to choose the proper dental specialists for bite corrections. Back to Top How do I choose an orthodontist? There are many factors you should consider when deciding on an orthodontic specialist. Since you will be visiting their office at regular intervals throughout treatment for an extended period of time, make sure that you choose an office where you feel comfortable. You should know what is involved with each aspect of your treatment before you start and should feel comfortable asking questions. Dr. Berry truly cares about each and every patient and will make every effort to insure their comfort throughout treatment. Back to Top How long does orthodontic treatment take? The length of treatment varies from 3 months to 3 years depending on complexity. Before you start treatment, we will let you know the length of time your treatment should take. Back to Top What are "lingual" braces? Lingual braces are braces placed on the inside of the teeth so they are not visible. Dr. Berry feels that lingual braces are not as effective as conventional braces and they are very hard on the tongue. For these reasons, we do not offer them. We do offer clear brackets, which are almost "invisible." Back to Top What are clear braces? Are they more expensive? The clear braces Dr. Berry use are of the highest quality porcelain material. They are just as effective as metal braces, but less visible. The clear braces are more fragile than the metal ones, but not so fragile that they break easily. There is an additional charge for porcelain braces and occasionally treatment with them does take longer. Back to Top Will I need to have any permanent teeth removed when I get braces? Dr. Berry definitely prefers to treat patients without removing any permanent teeth if at all possible. However, if the teeth are excessively crowded and are protruding, removing teeth is an option. Typically, if extractions are needed, most orthodontists choose to extract two upper back teeth (bicuspids) and two lower back teeth (bicuspids) to relieve crowding and enhance the profile. Back to Top Do I need to have surgery on my jaw bones? Surgery is necessary only when we find a very severe bite problem in a patient who is no longer growing. If either jaw is too large, too small, or too narrow, surgery is indicated. Back to Top What is TMJ? TMJ stands for Tempromandibular Joint, which is the name of the jaw joint associated with chewing. Dr. Berry uses splints and braces to relieve problems associated with the jaw joints. Back to Top Is it harder to clean your teeth if you are wearing braces? Yes. It is normally more difficult to take care of your teeth because the braces are harder to clean around. We are committed to helping you take care of your teeth and will show you exactly how to clean around your braces at the appointment when we bond your braces. With proper technique, cleaning takes only a few minutes several times each day. Back to Top Will I be able to floss my teeth after the braces are put on? Yes, our clinical technicians will you teach you how to floss your teeth properly with braces. Back to Top If two people with braces kiss each other, could they lock braces? This question is often asked in a joking manner, and to the best of our knowledge it has never happened. Kissing is not something that has to be given up to have a healthy bite and a nice smile. Back to Top Does it hurt when you put the braces on or take them off? It does not hurt to have the braces placed. We use a method called direct bonding that maximizes patient comfort and minimizes chair time for the procedure. We use a special instrument to gently remove the braces and most patients report minimal discomfort with removal. Back to Top Aren't people with braces teased a lot? In this day and age, more people than ever before are wearing braces. Our patients include many adults with professional careers and children of all ages. They are generally very well accepted and we don't feel that there is the stigma associated with them as there once was. In many classrooms today, as many children have braces as do not. Back to Top What is a retainer? A retainer is a removable device that is fitted to your teeth to hold them in their new, corrected position after your braces are removed. Dr. Berry uses retainers made of a clear plastic that are virtually invisible.We generally have patients wear retainers full time for six months after braces are removed, then every night for an additional six to twelve months. After that time, you will be instructed to wear the retainer 2 or 3 nights a week for as long as they want their teeth to remain as perfect as they were when their braces were removed. Back to Top What are impressions? Impressions of the teeth are taken to enable us to make a mold of the teeth, either for diagnosis or to construct an orthodontic appliance. Impressions are taken by filling a well-fitted metal tray with a pink substance called alginate that looks like frosting and is about the consistency of peanut butter. We offer a variety of flavorings for the alginate. The tray is then placed in the mouth for about a minute until the alginate starts to set like Jello. When the tray is removed, you can see dents or "impressions" of all your teeth. Later, in our lab we fill this tray with a special substance to make an exact model of your teeth. Back to Top Why are so many young children in braces today? Our office generally initiates early, or interceptive, treatment in children who do not yet have all of their permanent teeth when doing so will enable us to utilize their growth to achieve a better long-term result. Not all children need interceptive treatment. Some common goals of early treatment include creating enough space for all of the permanent teeth to erupt, and correcting an imbalance in growth between the upper and lower jaws. Children who have had early treatment generally will need to wear braces again when all of their permanent teeth are in. This second phase of treatment with full braces is generally shorter and far easier than treatment would have been if the patient had not had the benefit of early intervention. More importantly, we are able to achieve the best end result for these children. Back to Top Can I wear colors on my braces? The colors you see on braces are elastic ties used to attach the brackets to the archwire. They are usually changed at each visit. We offer a kaleidoscope of colors and allow our patients to select as many different colors as they would like. We have gray or clear ties for those desiring a more discreet look. Back to Top
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