Orthodontic FAQs

Selecting an orthodontist who can help you achieve your smile dreams is important.

Orthodontists are dental specialists who diagnose, prevent and treat dental and facial irregularities.

This means they're better qualified to give you the smile of your dreams than you could get from aligners in the mail.

They receive an additional two to three years of specialized education beyond dental school to learn how to align and straighten teeth.

Only those with this formal education may call themselves “orthodontists,” and only orthodontists may be members of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO).

The doctors at WOW! Smiles™ have achieved this specialization and are active members of AAO.

About the time when the tooth fairy is visiting your house almost weekly, and you have a snaggletooth child running around with a jar full of dollar bills.

Typically, this is around age seven, when the American Association of Orthodontists recommends your child see an orthodontist for an initial evaluation.

At this age, permanent teeth are replacing baby teeth, and jaw issues can easily be detected. By catching any jaw growth issues early, we can proactively treat the problem to prevent more invasive treatment later.

Don’t worry; most seven-year-olds do not need braces. But by getting regular growth check-ups, we’ll be able to determine the best time to start treatment, if it is necessary.

Are you too old to smile? The answer is no…and NO! As long as your teeth and jaws are healthy and strong, you can achieve a beautiful, confident smile at any age!

We even offer more discreet treatment options like clear braces and clear aligners, so no one will even know you’re straightening your smile.

So brace yourself (pun intended) to turn back the clock! You’ll be surprised how much younger you’ll look and feel after treatment!

In the olden days (we’re talking big hair and 80’s punk rock music), treatment used to take forever (and sometimes a day longer).

Now, with the help of advanced orthodontic technology, treatment keeps getting shorter and shorter.

Typically, treatment time ranges from 12 to 24 months.

One million dollars. Just kidding. While you’ll feel like a million bucks after treatment, it won’t cost you a million.

We stand by our mission to provide quality orthodontic care at the most affordable cost possible so that everyone can experience the benefits of a beautiful, straight smile.

We offer 0% interest financing, no down payment, no hidden fees, and our monthly payments are as low as $129! Plus, we take most insurance plans and do all the paperwork for you!

Most orthodontic problems are inherited. Examples of these genetic problems are crowding, spacing, protrusion, extra or missing teeth, and some jaw growth problems.

Other oral problems are caused by thumb- or finger-sucking, dental disease, accidents, the early or late loss of baby teeth, or other causes.

Crooked and crowded teeth are hard to clean and maintain.

A bad bite can wear down teeth, make it hard to chew and talk and create stress on supporting bone and gum tissue.

Without treatment, many problems become worse and can require additional dental care later in life.

Orthodontic treatment is a partnership between the doctor and patient.

We provide custom-made fixed or removable appliances that use gentle pressure to move teeth into their proper positions.

Your job is to follow your orthodontist’s instructions, keep scheduled orthodontic appointments, and maintain excellent oral hygiene to get the best results.

You will also need to see your general dentist as recommended to continue your general dental care.

If you notice an unwanted change in your smile or bite, contact us for a free consultation.

You might need an orthodontic tune-up to regain proper alignment.

Not necessarily. Research suggests that wisdom teeth don’t always cause teeth to shift.

In most cases, wisdom teeth are removed for general dental health reasons rather than for orthodontic health.

Your family dentist or one of our doctors can help determine whether your wisdom teeth need to be removed.

Absolutely not! With a simple call to our office, we can get you scheduled for your free exam right away without jumping through hoops.

Your doctor will recommend how long to continue wearing your retainers, whether they are removable (the kind you put in and take out) or fixed (bonded behind your teeth).

Wearing your retainers as prescribed is the best way to keep your teeth from moving after your orthodontic treatment.

There are many reasons teeth may move following orthodontic treatment. Teeth are not set in concrete, they’re in bone.

Because the bone around your teeth is continually changing (breaking down and rebuilding), your teeth may shift after your braces are removed.

Your teeth are more likely to remain where your doctor has placed them through braces treatment when you wear your retainers.

The small changes that happen after braces are removed are due to settling in as you use your teeth for biting and chewing.

The more serious and unwanted changes may be traced to genetics or later-than-normal growth, which is unpredictable.

Movement is most common in lower front teeth. This is particularly true if the teeth were extremely crowded before treatment. Changes in tooth position are a lifelong and naturally occurring phenomenon.

The best way to keep your teeth from shifting is to wear your retainers as prescribed. If you notice movement after your braces are removed, please contact WOW! Smiles™.

The fact is that throughout your lifetime, even though you have had orthodontic treatment, you can expect changes in tooth position.

Many factors at work may cause teeth to shift. Such changes are different for everyone, and most of the time, they are hardly noticeable.

However, on occasion, changes can occur that are disappointing to both the patient and the WOW! Smiles™. Changes in tooth position are not a failure of your orthodontic treatment.

They are a natural process. We expect changes in our bodies as we grow older, and teeth are no exception.

To help control and limit these changes, retainers are prescribed after your braces are removed.

No. Retainers stabilize and preserve the alignment of teeth and jaws that orthodontic treatment achieved.

Many people wear removable retainers nightly for the rest of their lives. Ask your orthodontist for guidance about your long-term retainer use.