Braces

How can I tell whether I need braces?

Sometimes, realizing that you need braces is as simple as looking in the mirror. You may notice crooked teeth in your smile. When you bite down, you may also notice that your molars don’t align properly.

Other times, the need to straighten teeth and make sure your bite is properly aligned is not as obvious. You might wake up with headaches, experience pain while chewing, or may even have difficulty speaking. All of these conditions and more can arise when your teeth aren’t straight.

If you have concerns about straightening your teeth, we welcome you to talk it over with Drs. Gordon and Brooks Green and Dr. Nichole Barnett. We can go over your orthodontic options and come up with the best path for your goals. Likewise, we may suggest teeth straightening solutions during a regular appointment for your six-month cleaning and exam if we think you may benefit from braces.

When is the best time to get braces?

There’s a reason why getting braces is such a rite of passage for adolescents and teenagers. At that age, a child’s teeth move more easily, making it an ideal opportunity to straighten teeth and correct bite alignment issues.

However, even adults can get traditional braces. Braces correct things like TMJ pain and cosmetic issues with smiles that may have plagued your self-esteem.

What can I expect when getting braces with Green Dental?

We are happy to be able to offer braces and other orthodontic treatment in our offices. You don’t have to worry about being referred to another practice. Everything can be handled right under one roof — with the added benefit of us knowing your medical and oral health history so that we can help you manage any issues that may arise on the path to straight teeth.

The first step is an initial consultation. During this appointment, we will take digital impressions of your teeth and discuss your goals for your smile. We use this information to design your orthodontic treatment plan. Next, we place the braces themselves using dental adhesive. Once the brackets are secured on your teeth and the wire is threaded through, we will go over proper care for your braces, including brushing and flossing techniques and what kinds of foods you may want to avoid.

Throughout the process of reaching excellent teeth alignment, we will request to see you on a regular basis. We will check your progress, make adjustments in your braces, and answer any questions you might have. If you have any issues between appointments, including unusual pain or broken brackets or wire, call us right away to schedule an appointment to fix the issue.

Treatment times vary, but the average length of time most patients wear braces is about a year-and-a-half. Each patient is different, and teeth that require more movement to achieve a straight smile often need more time in braces. Once your teeth are where they need to be, we will remove the wires and brackets and celebrate your new smile with you. Congratulations!