Ultimate Guide to Braces: Questions to Ask your Orthodontist

Like any other extensive treatment, it’s incredibly important that patients are fully aware of every aspect of their braces treatment plan, from start to finish. Whether you choose the Centre for Invisible Orthodontics in Miami or are still weighing your options, Dr. Grussmark and his team strongly recommend patients bring the following questions to their braces consultation appointment.

What is your background?
Not all dentists are qualified to provide braces and orthodontic treatment. In addition to dental school, orthodontists complete an additional three years of rigorous specialty training through an accredited program in either the United States or Canada. This also includes completion of an orthodontic specialty residency. Knowing your orthodontists’ qualifications is an important prerequisite for choosing who you visit for dental care.

What services do you recommend and what do you offer?
Too often, patients thinking about getting braces only look at how a straighter smile will improve the appearance of their smile.However, it’s important to note that a good orthodontist will recommend treatment that addresses your entire smile, rather than just the aesthetics. If your teeth crowding is the result of other factors such as a wisdom tooth eruption, your orthodontist may recommend a more comprehensive treatment solution. As the patient, be sure to ask your orthodontist what they recommend and why.

Have you completed similar cases?
While no two smiles are exactly alike, many often face similar alignment issues. Before choosing an orthodontist to correct your bite, ask whether they’ve treated similar conditions in other patients as well as the treatment that was recommended in the prior case.

Will I need additional treatments?
Often, overcrowding, underbites, overbites, and other forms of malocclusion are the result of other conditions affecting the dentition. In order to achieve a permanently straightened smile, it’s critical that your orthodontist integrate a solution for these underlying causes into the overall braces treatment plan.

How long will my treatment take?
Like any other dental treatment, the length of treatment depends on your specific oral health needs. For example, Phase I and Phase II braces for children are often a long-term process completed over the course of several years. In contrast, adults who are receiving treatment for relapsed teeth may only wear their braces for a year. Knowing how long your braces treatment will take as well as the different phases you can expect will help you better understand the overall treatment process.

How should I care for my braces?
Proper hygiene and care is especially important in order to prevent decay and gum disease from damaging your smile during treatment. How to care for your smile will vary based on the braces treatment you receive. For example, while Invisalign patients can remove their aligners for daily cleaning, patients with traditional braces will need to be a little more diligent about flossing around the brackets and wires. During the consultation process, be sure to ask your Miami orthodontist about the best hygiene plan for your specific braces treatment.

Who do I contact in case of emergency?
Dental emergencies can happen at any time to any patient. In the case of orthodontic emergencies, it’s especially important to get proper care to avoid any interruption in treatment. If your brackets fall off, your wire breaks, or you lose an aligning tray, contact your orthodontist for care. For other issues like cracked teeth or soft tissue lacerations, we recommend reaching out to your dentist for emergency care.

After braces treatment, what does follow-up care look like?
If you want the results of your braces treatment to last, follow-up care is just as important as the treatment itself. Use of either a permanent or removable retainer is critical to helping individuals maintain the new position of their smile. During your last appointment with Dr. Grussmark, our Miami orthodontist will go over a recommended follow-up strategy in order to preserve your new alignment.

Ready for an Appointment? Call Dr. Grussmark Today!
At the Centre for Invisible Orthodontics, our goal is to help patients achieve lasting, beautiful smiles. Whether you suffer from slight tooth crowding or are showing signs of serious overbite, contact our Miami orthodontist to learn which braces option best suits your oral health needs. Call today to get started.