Click the play button on the video window to the right to see the show segmentThe summer months are peak season for braces - and right now is the time for parents and their kids to begin interviewing orthodontists, making important decisions about a treatment plan, learning about their options and the steps that need to be taken before getting braces.
If you or your friends had metal braces growing up, you might remember that they were sometimes difficult to deal with – from restrictions on what foods you could enjoy, to the challenges of keeping teeth clean and the feeling that your braces were the most noticeable thing about you.
While braces are more attractive than they used to be, most teens are still a bit anxious about getting them.
Parents can help make teeth straightening a positive – and effective – experience for their teen. Valley orthodontist Gary Brigham, DDS, MSD gives 5 tips you should know before your child’s first visit.
1. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children have a check-up with an orthodontic specialist no later than age 7.
Some orthodontic problems need to be recognized and treated early, because waiting until later could have adverse effects on the development of a child’s facial symmetry, the health of the jaw joints, and can even make it difficult to breathe through the nose.
Many of these problems are easier on the child to correct at an early age, and some of these same problems cannot be treated effectively or with the same degree of stability if treatment is delayed until all of the permanent adult teeth have come in.
2. Braces are different today because the 21st Century teen is so dramatically different than the teen patient of 10 to 15 years ago.
Today’s teens are far more socially aware, technologically savvy, face a greater degree of stress as they work to achieve educational goals, and are involved in a variety of active contact sports.
Given the busy lifestyles of today’s teens, there’s no room for them to be sidelined with broken braces, or to even be distracted by the discomfort often associated with fixed braces of any kind.
The newer fixed braces have lowered this discomfort, but one of the distinctive advantages with Invisalign Teen is that forces to the teeth can actually be modified to result in a greater degree of comfort for the patient.
Can you imagine how much easier this type of treatment can be on teens when they are faced with the stress that comes with final exams or a big game or music competition?
3. Your first appointment will be a consultation, which is offered free by most orthodontists. During this first visit, which oftentimes is of 15 to 25 minutes in duration, the orthodontist will review the patient’s medical history and conduct a brief examination to determine the need and timing for treatment.
At this appointment, the orthodontist will answer general questions regarding what appliances or braces could be used, the frequency of appointments as well as the approximate length and timing of treatment. He or she also will address any specific concerns that the potential patient may have regarding treatment.
If it is determined that the patient is ready, then the orthodontist will recommend obtaining study data, including photos, casts of the mouth, and x-rays to determine a treatment plan and recommend a specific course of treatment that best serves the patient’s individual needs.
4. Although today’s modern braces do not limit patient’s activities, there still remains food restrictions. Gum, hard, sticky foods such as pizza crusts, or candies such as caramels and Gummy bears and worms can be destructive to braces, and broken appliances can result in significantly prolonged treatment time.
With Invisalign Teen, there are no food restrictions because the braces can be removed for eating, but they must be worn 20 hours per day to be effective. Most modern braces and appliances do not restrict physical activities, but remoldable sports mouth guards must be worn to protect the teeth from accidental trauma.
In many sports such as soccer, basketball, and karate, Invisalign Teen already serves as a protective mouth guard.
5. Orthodontic fees are based upon the degree of difficulty of the problem and the length of treatment, which is one of the reasons why early treatment is always far less than full braces.
There is not much difference in cost among the various full treatment brace options, including Invisalign Teen. What makes treatment more affordable than ever before is the greater extent to which insurance companies offer orthodontic benefits.
Most orthodontic offices offer payment plans without finance charges that will extend payments for the length of the treatment.
In addition, many offices offer third party finance plans that will extend payment options well beyond the period in which the patient is in treatment.
About Dr. Gary Brigham
In addition to his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and Orthodontic Specialty Certification, Dr. Brigham earned a Master of Science degree in Immunology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.
For his research, he was awarded the Harry Sicher Award from the American Association of Orthodontics. In addition, he completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Craniofacial Anomalies at the Center for Craniofacial Anomalies in Chicago, Illinois, where he served as Assistant Professor of Pediatric Medicine at the Abraham Lincoln School of Medicine at the University of Illinois Medical Center.
He completed one year of a Ph.D. program in biological chemistry and nutrition at the University of Illinois in Chicago that was interrupted when the U.S. government sent him to Tokyo, Japan. Upon his return, he became certified by the Foundation for Advanced Continuing Education for a postgraduate study in comprehensive clinical orthodontics.
Due to his unique background and education, Dr. Brigham specializes in all fields and phases of orthodontic treatment. He has practiced in Scottsdale, Arizona since 1985, and is a past and present member of numerous professional organizations and societies.
Dr. Gary Brigham has offices in Scottsdale, Glendale, and Cave Creek. For more information about Dr. Brigham and his office locations, please visit his website or call 480.767.8810.
