Depending on the nature of your orthodontic problem and stage of
tooth eruption we may recommend one of the following directions:
- Observation with recall at a
later date to re-evaluate tooth eruption and growth
- Treatment with braces in a
limited or comprehensive nature
- Early or Phase 1 treatment
- No treatment or optional
treatment if your bite alignment is 80% or more of an ideal
bite.
Comprehensive Orthodontic
Treatment
This is the type of treatment
most of the patients receive. It is appropriate for adults and
children who have lost all or almost all or their baby teeth. It
generally involves the use of braces on upper and lower teeth.
Extraction of teeth to provide space the proper tooth and bite
alignment occurs in about 25% of our patients. Tooth extraction is
always considered as our last option!
Treatment length
varies according to the severity of the original bite problem as
does treatment fee. Comprehensive treatment accomplishes the
correction in a single phase of treatment generally followed by a
period of using retainers to maintain the correction.
Full treatment involving shifting
or correcting of a protrusive bite or requiring the extraction of
teeth typically takes 18-24 months. Corrections with minor
crowding of front teeth and a well aligned back bite vary from
9-18 months.
Limited Orthodontic
Treatment
Certain bite problems are less
involved and may require treatment limited to correcting only that
specific area of the mouth. This often requires use of less than
full upper and lower braces. Some problems require only a
removable, retainer type appliance. Treatment also is frequently
shorter than comprehensive treatment. Appropriately, treatment
fees are generally less than the ranges listed in the section on Comprehensive
Orthodontic Treatment.
Early Phase (Phase 1)
Orthodontic Treatment
Often bite problems may be
intercepted during a child's early years from age 4 to 10.
Cross-bites, severe crowding and severe protrusions are the most
common bite problems that are seen in Early Phase
Treatment. The focus of this type of treatment is usually
limited to a specific area such as correcting the cross-bite or
protrusion. Treatment length is usually a year or less followed by
a rest phase while the remaining baby teeth are lost and the
permanent teeth come in. In the majority of Early Phase
Treatment there is a second phase of treatment with
conventional braces on the upper and lower to complete the balance
of the correction on the newly erupted permanent teeth.
Just as the typical treatment
length of two years is divided with Early Phase Treatment and
Second Phase Treatment, so is the treatment fee. Adding the fees
of both phases together, generally does not exceed the fee of
comprehensive treatment.
Retention
After any type of orthodontic
treatment there is generally a period of retention. This is to
help stabilize the teeth in their new position. Following Comprehensive
Orthodontic Treatment retainers (removable or
fixed) are
worn full-time for three months. After this wear is cut back to
nights only.
We will typically keep teenagers
in night only wear until their wisdom teeth have erupted or been
extracted. This is usually around the age of 18 to 20. During this
period of night only wear, we have a chance to see the natural
stability of the orthodontic correction and decide if tapering or
eliminating wear of the retainers is appropriate. For individuals
with stubborn teeth that try to return toward their pre-treated
position and for many adults, routine night wear is the best
insurance that their correction will stay aligned.
Since the retention period is
open ended, we have a separate per visit charge to maintain the
retainers in optimal condition. The current charge is $30 per
visit with visits occurring about once a year.
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