Current Orthodontic Hours:
Monday 10 AM - 5 PM
Tuesday 8 AM - 5 PM
Friday 10 AM - 5 PM
We are pleased to offer orthodontic services to both our youth and adult patients. Since braces are a big commitment, we offer a free consultation to walk you through the process. We've also included a sample timeline and general pricing to get you started:
Records - This appointment generally lasts one hour and must be done between 10 AM and noon on Monday or Friday, or between 8 AM and noon on Tuesday. During this appointment we will take x-rays, before photographs, and take impressions of your teeth to make study models. The study models and x-rays will then be sent to the lab for measurements to determine exactly what will be needed to create your beautiful new smile.
Consult & Spacers - Your second appointment will usually be a week after your first appointment and will run about a half hour. This may be scheduled Monday between 10 AM and 5 PM, or Tuesday or on Friday between 8 AM and 5 PM. Here, we will review the results and expected treatment plan for your braces. You will be given an orthodontic contract that includes the pricing and time frame, along with the down payment, monthly payments, and financing options. Since this is the most asked question, we will give the following as a general guideline. Please keep in mind that each treatment is different, and the example provided is only an estimate.
If the treatment is for 18 months at a price of $4,250 and your insurance is estimated to pay $1,000; we would ask for a $1,000 down payment at the bracketing appointment, and would break the remaining $2,250 ($4,250-$1,000 insurance-$1,000 down payment) over 18 months, which would equal 18 monthly payments of $125.
Sample Orthodontic Contract
Note: Many of our patients opt to pay the full orthontic fee at the bracketing appointment. When you do this, we give you 10% off the purchase price, a savings of several hundred dollars. Additionally, Care Credit offers no-interest and low-interst financing options to help with the down payment and to get lower monthly payments.
Tip: If your employer has a Cafeteria Plan (sometimes called a Flexible Reimbursement Plan), this may be a good option to help cover the cost of braces while reducing your taxable income. Some patients have found it convenient to pay for braces in full with either a credit card or through Care Credit, then to turn in the receipt to your flex plan. When reimbursement is made, this can then be used to pay off the credit card while still helping to reduce your taxable income.
In addition to the consult and contract, we will also place spacers to make room for banding. The spacers can be uncomfortable, and sometimes fall out as the teeth expand. Unless your appointment is the next day, if the spacers come out, you must come in to get them replaced to keep the teeth from sliding back together.
Bands - Your third appointment must be one week after the spacers are placed and will be to add bands around the teeth, which will be the connecting point for the wires. This appointment generally lasts one hour and must be done between 10 AM and noon on Monday or Friday, or on Thursday between 8 AM and noon.
Brackets - Your fourth appointment will be to bracket the teeth. We usually bracket the upper teeth first and do the lower teeth two or three months later. This allows the bite to shift enough so that the upper teeth don't hit the lower brackets when you bite down. This appointment generally lasts one hour and must be done between 10 AM and noon on Monday or Friday, or Thursday between 8 AM and noon. Please note, that this is when your down payment will be due.
Monthly - Once your teeth have been bracketed, you will move to monthly appointments called Ortho Adjustments. These appointments generally last half hour and may be scheduled Monday or Friday between 10 AM 5 PM, or Thursday from 8 AM to 5 PM.
Tip: Take a look at your school schedule early and book several months in advance since after school, no school days, and holiday appointments fill up quickly.
At the Monthly Ortho Adjustment appointment, we will change wires, check the modules to tighten the braces (these are the fun colored parts you see on braces), and we change your elastics. We will also check for any damage and make repairs as necessary.
You should know...
Our standard course of treatment is 18-24 months; however, it can be much longer or sometimes shorter depending on your diligence in following instructions. The main things are to wear the elastics as directed, to make and keep all of your monthly appointments, brush well, and to avoid foods that can damage your braces.
Contrary to popular belief; there are no prohibited foods with braces, but there are some foods that can damage your braces, which results in increased treatment time and cost. By avoiding these foods, you lessen your chances of having loose or broken braces:
- Hard taco chips
- Popcorn
- Pretzels (hard or soft)
- Hard rolls
- Biting into raw apples, carrots, or celery (slice them first)
- Hard, sticky, or brittle candy such as Jolly Ranchers, Gummy Bears, Now & Laters, Skittles, Taffy, Caramel, Licorice, Peanut Brittle, etc.)
- Candied apples
- Bubble Gum of any kind
- Shoestring potatoes
- Pizza crust edge
- Biting into pizza or steak (cut into small pieces first)
- Soda pop (limit to one per day; sugar and acid from soda pop = cavities!!!)
The three WORST foods are: POPCORN, ICE, and BUBBLE GUM
You should also avoid chewing on your pens and pencils.
Get a printable copy of Food for Thought
This gives you an idea of the types of foods to avoid. Use your best judgment on other foods, or call our office at (208) 323-2294 for assistance.
A few final thoughts:
- We highly recommend that you wear a mouth guard when playing sports.
- Please come in if a wire is poking you, or you somehow damage your braces. It is best to call for an appointment time, but if you let us know what is going on, we will do our best to work you into the schedule.
Your comfort and care are our first priority. We do have dentists on call 24/7 for emergencies. If it is not an emergency, but you are in pain or need to be seen, please leave a message on our answering machine and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.
Any questions? Please feel free to call us at (208) 323-2294.