Why an Orthodontist?
It takes four years of training to become a licensed dentist, and an additional three years of training to become an Orthodontist. Orthodontists focus not only on smile esthetics, they focus on proper tooth alignment, facial harmony, functional stability, and lifetime maintenance of the finished product. It is not enough to straighten the front teeth, total Oro-facial health must be achieved for successful treatment.
What is Board Certification?
The American Board of Orthodontics is recognized as the national certifying board of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. The ABO sets the standard for highest level of patient care and promotes excellence for all of its certified orthodontists. It is considered the highest level of academic achievement an orthodontist can obtain and requires successful completion of accredited residency training, passing a national standardized didactic examination, and passing a national standardized clinical examination.
The First Orthodontic Appointment
The first appointment will be an opportunity to get to know the office, the staff and Dr. Joe. We will take some complimentary photographs of your teeth, and Dr. Joe will do a thorough examination to determine what the best course of treatment is. All questions about treatment will be answered to the best of our ability. Depending on the situation, we may also take an x-ray to evaluate bone, gums, and tooth health. To save time, it is possible to start treatment the same day as the consultation if the situation permits.
Children’s Treatment, known as PHASE 1 (Age 7-10)
“The American Association of Orthodontists recommend that children get their first orthodontic checkup at age 7. The purpose is to help avoid potential growth and developmental abnormalities that can lead to future dental complications”
Benefits of Early Treatment
- Reduce likelihood of needing to extract permanent teeth as a teenager
- Reduce risk of a trauma to teeth that are sticking out
- Correct self-harming habits such a mouth breathing and thumb sucking
- Improve self-esteem
- Maintain space for adult teeth to erupt
- Coordinate the width of jaw bones
Treatment Options
- Invisalign First- clear aligners allow for treatment without food restriction, emergencies, with limited adjustment appointments.
- Palatal expander- used to correct malformation of the jaws, gain space for adult teeth, and eliminate functional abnormalities (Dr. Joe had one as a child and it helped save his teeth!)
- Mini-braces- for those children who’s parents would prefer to not have to worry about their children losing their aligners
- Space maintainers- sit comfortably behind teeth to maintain the space necessary for adult teeth
- Habit appliances- help to stop harmful habits such as digit sucking or tongue thrusting
Adolescent & Adult Treatment (Age 11-18)
- Aligner treatment- clear, comfortable, clean and inconspicuous (We love alliteration here) Fewer appointments, fewer emergencies, and you can still have that snickers bar (please don’t tell your dentist I said that)
- Clear Braces- for those of us who don’t want the metal appearance but reasonably expect forgetting to put on the aligners in the morning
- Traditional Braces- there’s a reason that orthodontists have been using these for over 100 years, they’re dependable and they’re fast
Clear Aligners/Invisalign
About Clear Aligners
- A customized set of comfortable plastic aligners designed to guide your teeth into their most esthetic and functional position
- Aligners are meant to be worn 22 hours per day 7 days per week, removed only to eat and brush teeth
- Once complete you are given a set of clear retainers to be worn at night to maintain your new smile
- Treatment times can be anywhere from 6 to 36 months depending on the severity of the initial tooth presentation
Benefits vs. Braces?
- Comfort (there will never be a poking wire)
- Limited to no emergency appointment
- Esthetics when smiling or talking
- No dietary restriction
- Limited discomfort during tooth movement when compared to braces
- Easier to maintain brushing and overall oral hygiene
- There are certain tooth movements that will always be easier with braces, however there are certain movements that are MUCH easier with aligners- ask Dr. Joe about that
What’s the difference from a Direct- to- Consumer Aligner?
“You have seen the ads on social media and the express bus, but the sleek surface hides a scary practice underneath…..”
- These services provide dental treatment without direct supervision of a dentist or orthodontist- despite what is claimed
- There are no x-rays to determine if your teeth are healthy enough for braces (serious dental problems including loss of teeth can be easily lost if not monitored)
- You are nothing more than a customer to them, there is no accountability
- Orthodontists undergo an additional 6-7 years of training after college to provide treatment, the same way it is dangerous to provide medical services to yourself, it is dangerous to provide dental services to yourself
Common Questions
Q. How long will I have to wear braces?
Everyone’s situation is unique, thus there is no one answer for this. Often full treatment takes 18-24 months. If you only need a minor cosmetic touch-up, it may be as little as 6 months. If you have an impacted tooth that needs to be saved it could be as long as 36 months. Usually braces require 15-25 appointments total, while aligner treatment totaling 10-15 appointments. We can give an estimate at the consultation
Q. Do braces and aligners hurt?
Placing the braces does not hurt, though it does require patience. Often teeth are sore a few hours after placement and can be sore for a few days after. The easiest way to combat this is with Tylenol and Advil, and a lot of Ice-cream and frozen treats. This soreness is usually present for a day or two after every adjustment. Aligner treatment does not have the same amount of soreness though there can be discomfort when changing aligners
Q. Can an adult get orthodontic treatment also?
A. Yes; if your bone, gums, and tooth health are deemed ok on consultation and by your general dentist, we can treat patients of nearly any age
Q. Will I have to pay everything all at once? Do you accept insurance?
While there are courtesy discounts for up-front payments, we understand in the current economy we need to be flexible. For this reason, we offer payment plans spread out over multiple years to help. We also participate in PPO insurance plans that can be applied to the overall treatment. We want to help however we can so please do not hesitate to ask about the various payment options
Q. Will my child have to miss school for appointments?
Dr. Joe’s mother is a long-time high school educator and current head of a high school on Staten Island, so she’d be very upset if he made students miss classroom time. The only two appointments we recommend being in the morning are to put the braces on, and to take the braces off, everything else we can schedule after school
Q. How long do I have to wear my retainers for when I’m done?
Teeth are like people, they want to go where they are most comfortable. Annoyingly, this can mean back to their original crooked positions. We stop this with retainers. Retainers are a lifetime thing but not an every-day thing. Often you will need to wear retainers full time for a couple of months after active treatment is over and then at nighttime for a while. Our goal is to have patients wear the retainers 1-2 nights weekly for the remainder of their life. We provide various types of retainers including clear retainers that can be removed and fixed retainers that go behind teeth.
Q. What is the difference between clear aligners and normal braces? Is one better than the other?
Braces are fixed on to the teeth, so there is no escape. With aligners, you will be responsible for wearing them 22+ hours per day every day, even on weekends. There are no emergencies involved with aligners, no wires to poke cheeks or braces to pop off teeth. There are also no dietary restrictions with the aligners compared to braces. With the braces you can expect to see results faster. In general, it is safe to assume an extra six months of treatment for clear aligners when compared to braces. You are also monitored more frequently with braces compared to aligners