Frequently Asked Questions
Thank you for visiting the Fry Orthodontics Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page. This part of our website is reserved to answer the most common orthodontics questions that adults, parents, and orthodontics patients of all ages may have about the process of getting braces on their teeth and orthodontics as a whole.
Over the decades, the doctors and staff at Fry Orthodontics have accumulated a number of common questions about braces, orthodontic treatment, Invisalign treatments, Invisalign products, how we straighten teeth, early age orthodontic treatment, adult orthodontics, braces and sports. We hope that we can answer all your questions about braces and orthodontics, but if you don’t see your special question answered here, please feel free to contact Dr. Jeremy Fry and ask him anything about braces and you.
What is orthodontics?
Orthodontics is the branch of dentistry that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental and facial irregularities.
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What is an orthodontist?
An orthodontist is a specialist who has special skills in managing tooth movement and facial development. To become an orthodontist, you must complete 11 years of additional education following high school: a standard four-year baccalaureate program, then four years of dental school (thus becoming a dentist), and then a two or three-year orthodontics program. The State of Kansas requires all orthodontists pass a thorough examination to have a special orthodontic license.
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What are some possible benefits of orthodontics?
There are numerous benefits to orthodontic treatment and properly-aligned teeth. Obviously, an attractive and confident smile is a great benefit. Research is very clear that people with a pleasing smile are treated better in social and work relationships. Properly-aligned teeth provide a greater overall functionality of the teeth, are easier to clean, and are less likely to be fractured.
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What are some possible risks of not seeking orthodontic treatment?
Crowded teeth are more difficult to keep clean, which can lead to decay Research indicates that certain bite conditions can cause gum disease and that most tooth alignment problems worsen with time if not treated. Some deep overbites can cause significant wear on the front teeth, and many believe that an adverse bite can cause or worsen head and neck pains. New research shows more incidences of adverse heart conditions with periodontal disease, which is more likely when teeth are not properly aligned. The doctors and staff at Fry Orthodontics know that most tooth alignment problems are handled more predictably in younger, growing patients and that early treatment may eliminate the need for costly future treatments or surgeries to correct worsening conditions in adulthood.
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What are some signs that braces may be needed?
The need for orthodontics begins with a desire to straighten teeth and make smiles more beautiful, confident, and healthy. At the free initial exam, the doctors at Fry Orthodontics will evaluate your bite and the position of the teeth. Treatment is recommended when the bite is malaligned and doesn't allow the teeth to come together in a position that is healthy for the teeth, gums, and bones around the teeth. A proper bite shouldn’t cause the teeth to wear unevenly or excessively. Orthodontists will also evaluate how crowded or spaced the teeth are and will check to make sure that the upper front teeth do not protrude excessively over the lower teeth. In children, they may look for finger or thumb sucking habits which can cause damage after the permanent teeth erupt at age 6-7. If someone has difficulty chewing or their jaw shifts to one side or another when biting together, then orthodontic treatment is certainly warranted.
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At what age should orthodontic treatment occur?
Orthodontic treatment can be started at any age: At Fry Orthodontics, it's always the right time to improve your smile! The majority of patients are going to be best treated once all of the permanent teeth are in place. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children should visit an orthodontist by age 7. It is important to provide treatment to correct problems before jaw growth has slowed, or these problems may lead to a need for surgery or extraction of teeth. Every patient is unique, and it's always best to be evaluated by an orthodontist if a problem is detected by parents, the family dentist, or the child's physician. At Fry Orthodontics, we are happy to provide an initial exam at no cost to help parents evaluate concerns and the best time for treatment.
Note: The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that every child first visit an orthodontist by age seven.
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What is Phase I and Phase II treatment?
Phase I and Phase II refers to a specific treatment plan in which the patient is going through braces twice. If somebody is young, between six and ten years old, and they have a certain bite problem that could get progressively worse without early treatment, an orthodontist will recommend an early set of braces to help fix that bite problem. This treatment is sometimes recommended to make more space for developing teeth, correction of a crossbite, overbite, underbite, or harmful oral habits. This is Phase I.
After a short time, the braces will be removed and the teeth will be allowed to grow naturally. Once all of the permanent teeth are in place, usually between the ages of 11-13, Phase II begins with a full set of braces. Phase I is considered to be “interceptive orthodontics” and Phase II is considered “comprehensive” orthodontics.
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Would an adult patient benefit from orthodontics?
Orthodontic treatment can be beneficial at any age. The most common benefit comes from being happy about your teeth and your smile. Fry Orthodontics is proud that over 30% of our patients are enjoying the benefits of adult orthodontics. One of the more important health benefits comes from the fact that properly-aligned teeth are easier to clean and less likely to suffer from problems of the teeth, gums, and bones that support the teeth. Additionally, it has been shown that there is a link between properly-aligned teeth and whole-body health. When you have crooked teeth, or teeth with extensive crowding, periodontal disease is more prevalent because crooked and crowded teeth are hard to clean and maintain. Untreated, periodontal disease may result in bad breath, bleeding gums, loose teeth, and even tooth loss. Additionally, many scientific studies have shown a strong link also exists between periodontal disease and diabetes and heart disease. Many adults choose low-profile or aesthetically pleasing treatment options such as clear braces, lingual braces or Invisalign.
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How old is too old for braces?
Any age is a good age to make your smile as beautiful as it can be. Fry Orthodontics is proud to have patients in our office that are over 80 years old.
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How does orthodontic treatment work?
Braces produce light, continuous pressure that gradually moves teeth into their proper positions. The process of moving teeth into proper alignment is part of a very natural bone turnover process that happens in nearly every part of the body. The bone surrounding the teeth, like any other bone, is a dynamic tissue that is constantly being reshaped by cells in the body. In this process, bone is continually being taken away, added to and grown over time. It is a cycle that is facilitated by osteoblasts (molecules that add bone) and osteoclasts (that take away bone). Your teeth can easily move due to a force that is applied by the braces, or brackets, that are placed on the teeth and the wire that is inserted into the brackets. As the wire tries to return to its original shape against the brackets, it creates a very light pressure on the teeth, and the natural, physiological process takes over and the teeth begin to move.
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How long will my orthodontic treatment take?
The average length of a traditional orthodontic treatment is 18 months, but each individual’s needs are unique and different. Although it is difficult to predict the exact duration of an orthodontic treatment, it is possible to estimate an average treatment length for each individual situation. At Fry Orthodontics, our patients know that it really doesn’t take that long. It takes a much shorter period of time than we have traditionally thought that orthodontics should take. If you go about it in a very systematic way, straightening teeth can be done very quickly.
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How long will each appointment take?
Most appointments vary between 20-40 minutes. At Fry Orthodontics, you will always know how long each visit will take, because we will print the length of your next visit on your appointment ticket. A patient’s experience begins with an initial examination that takes an hour. The actual appointment to get the braces placed on the teeth takes about an hour. The other longer appointment comes when the braces are removed. This removal appointment is scheduled to last an hour.
Note: Invisalign patients usually have appointments that are much shorter and less frequent. After the initial exam, the impressions, molds, are taken of the teeth, and this appointment is 40 minutes. Each appointment thereafter is 20 minutes on average.
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Do braces hurt?
Surprisingly to most patients, it does not hurt to place the bands and brackets on your teeth. Once your braces are in place and connected with the archwires, it generally takes 12-24 hours to start feeling some discomfort (if any). The lighter wires are much more comfortable than the traditional orthodontic experience. You may feel some soreness of your teeth for a couple of days after a new wire is installed. If you experience any discomfort, you may wish to eat softer foods for a couple of days. But none of this compares to the discomfort of having a smile that you cannot be proud to show.
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Will braces interfere with playing sports?
No, they will not. A good number of parents are interested in how braces and sports work together. Some parents may think that a child with braces on their teeth must refrain from any of the more active sports, due to the notion that any kind of serious impact may be detrimental to the mouth and teeth. This is simply not true. Braces actually help with sports, in regard to any kind of sports-related injury. If impacted, the braces will actually keep your teeth in place, before they will let them fall out. At Fry Orthodontics, we treat wrestlers, hockey players, soccer players, lacrosse, football, and players in all other types of sports. We do, however, always advise our patients to wear a mouthpiece or a mouth guard if they can and we actually provide standard, flat mouth guards to our patients.
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Will braces interfere with playing musical instruments?
Braces and musical instruments generate many questions. Many patients at Fry Orthodontics are musicians of every discipline. There have been a number of research studies related to orthodontics and musical instruments. Fry Orthodontics informs their instrument-playing patients that woodwind players may have slightly more difficulty than brass instrument players. Every musician seems to adapt very well to playing with braces after a week or two of practice. Some of them find that placing wax on the brackets is helpful during the initial adjustment period. If a patient is a "First Chair" player, some extra practice will ensure that they are conditioned to playing with braces and maintain that high level.
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How often will I need to be seen for treatment
With the new advances in orthodontics (i.e. improved wires and techniques), you can expect appointments every 6-8 weeks. During the first 6 months to a year, you can expect to be seen a lot less frequently. We see patients less frequently at this time, because we want the braces and the wires to have time to do their job. At this early period, most appointments have intervals of 8-12 weeks. Toward the end of treatment, the appointment interval decreases, because the braces are receiving fine tuning that takes a shorter period to complete. At the end of treatment, the appointment interval may decrease to every 2-4 weeks. Overall, most patients find it easy to work orthodontics into their busy schedules.
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Should I see my general dentist while I have braces?
Yes, absolutely. Some patients struggle with proper oral hygiene and brushing during braces. You should continue to see your general dentist every 4-6 months for regular cleaning and check-ups. Normally, a general dental check-up is performed every six months, but Fry Orthodontics actively promotes more frequent visits to your general dentist for cleanings.
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What does your staff do?
Our office is a very systematic office. Our highly-trained staff assists our doctors in making your appointment fast, efficient, and comfortable. Our patient managers, our front desk staff, and our hygienists perform at a high level with great professionalism and competency. The staff members in our office are trained to place and remove wires as well as give a thorough explanation of what is done at each visit. They all have orthodontic assistant certifications and have won awards for their work, customer service, and their professionalism. Our Patient Managers assist our patients with any questions or concerns that may arise. We could not perform the quality of work that we do, without the staff that we have.
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How can we be assured that your staff is highly trained?
The doctors and staff work hand-in-hand to ensure that patients get quality of treatment and personalized treatment that exceeds their expectations. Each of our staff members is unconditionally committed to quality and exceptional service to their patients. With rigorous training and continuing education, our staff has a combined total of more than 300 years in the orthodontic field. Each patient manager has completed an advanced orthodontic assisting training program.
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Why is it necessary to change wires periodically?
As general rule, orthodontic wires progress from very light, delicate wires to heavier, more rigid wires depending on the initial alignment of your teeth. Fry Orthodontics uses primarily three wires during your braces treatment. Each wire is designed to provide a special force to the teeth to keep them progressing toward the finished result. The first wire is a very light wire that allows deflection towards the teeth that are most crooked. Once that wire has performed the initial alignment, a larger wire is used. This larger wire is thicker and stiffer, and it completes most of the work. The final wire is the largest, stiffest, and has the ability to be bent. This wire allows for fine detailing through minor wire bends.
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When are my braces coming off?
At Fry Orthodontics, we don’t set a treatment plan that cannot be attained. Our doctors and our staff know exactly when a patient expects their braces to come off and this information is checked and verified as part of the regular treatment every time they visit the office. There are always exceptions to when braces come off, and those exceptions are usually early, rather than late. It is very rare to have treatment go past an estimated completion date. If a treatment looks like it may run past an estimated due date, there will be full disclosure and numerous conversations about this concern with the patient. We will fully explain why it may have taken longer than initially expected, as we strive to make sure that each patient has their goals and objectives met at Fry Orthodontics. And, if you finish ahead of schedule, we will all celebrate together!
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Braces can be removed very quickly. We simply squeeze the braces and they pop off the teeth. Usually, there is no discomfort, although some of the lower front teeth may be a little sore from treatment. After the glue is removed, impressions will be made for two sets of retainers (two upper and two lower), and a new set of x-rays will be taken to make sure that everything is healthy and in alignment. You are then ready to go and flash your brand-new smile to your friends, family, and co-workers.
It is our goal at Fry Orthodontics to ensure that our patients succeed after treatment is completed. Any orthodontic result relies on follow-up retainer wear. Retainer wear it is a lifetime commitment. Just after you get your braces off, your teeth may be a little mobile and the retainers help keep the teeth in proper alignment. Our patients receive one set of retainers the day that the braces come off and a second set is given a few weeks later. At Fry Orthodontics, all of our patients receive their second set of retainers during a planned office visit, where they meet with the doctor and talk about how to keep their teeth straight for a lifetime. Of all of the appointments, this may be the single most important visit for each of our patients.
We are happy to see our post-braces patients for any ongoing needs. Whenever you feel the need to see the doctors and staff at Fry Orthodontics, or if you feel that you need to have something checked, just make an appointment. Most of our post-braces patients come to us for issues regarding their retainers. As part of our ongoing service, we provide lifetime retainer checks.
No, fortunately not.
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