Do you need braces in Marana? If so, you’ve come to the right place! Sweet Smiles Family Dentistry and Orthodontics is here to provide effective treatment to address your crowded, crooked, gapped teeth or severe bite misalignment. No matter the problem, Dr. Alison Fitzgerald will work closely with you to identify the issue and develop a customized treatment plan that is designed to shift your teeth in a way that will produce long-lasting, beautiful, and healthy results. Contact us today to find out if you are eligible to receive braces and how you can get started.
Depending on your age, you might assume there is no way your teeth can move. While children and teenagers are still developing, adults often believe their oral structures are permanently set. Yes, it does require work, but the truth is that once you begin to apply pressure, young and old teeth can begin to move.
When living with crooked, crowded, gapped teeth, or severe bite misalignment, you can experience everything from chronic jaw pain to worn tooth enamel. By choosing braces to realign your smile, this metal bracket and wire system are attached to your teeth to help them move and shift accordingly. While undergoing treatment, you’re expected to maintain regular follow-up visits with Dr. Fitzgerald every 6-8 weeks so she can make any necessary adjustments and ensure everything is moving along smoothly.
Depending on the severity of your case, most patients receiving metal braces can expect treatment to last 2-3 years.
If you are thinking you may be a good candidate for metal braces, make sure to call our dental office to schedule an initial consultation. It is during this visit that your dentist in Marana will go over your specific problem and determine if you are eligible for treatment. Oftentimes, the orthodontic issues that occur can directly affect your oral health, putting you at risk for more serious problems down the road. If you have good general oral health but suffer from bite misalignment, crowded or crooked teeth, or gapped teeth, there is a good chance you can expect to be cleared for orthodontic care:
A bite that is misaligned (i.e., overbite, underbite, crossbite, open bite) can open the door to many worsening oral health problems, such as temporomandibular joint disorder (TMD) and teeth grinding (bruxism). Fortunately, by applying metal braces, we can shift your teeth and take any unnecessary pressure off your facial joints, teeth, and muscles.
Crowded and crooked teeth pose a potential risk simply because it makes it much harder to brush and floss your teeth well. Bad bacteria and food particles can get stuck between teeth and put you at greater risk for tooth decay and gum disease. With braces, you can expect the bracket and wire system to create the necessary space that will encourage your teeth to move into proper alignment.
Similar to crooked and crowded teeth, those that are gapped can also experience a great deal of tooth decay and gum disease because it is easy for good to enter and become trapped. Fortunately, metal braces can bring teeth closer together so the risk for serious oral health problems lessens. Not to mention, by fixing this gap, you’ll enjoy a more pleasing aesthetic.
While wearing braces, it is important that you take proper care of them to prevent any cavities from forming or gum disease from developing. You can do this by:
Traditional braces are still one of the best ways to effectively straighten your smile. While you’ll be able to enjoy numerous benefits from this treatment, it’s important to know what you should expect from the overall cost of the procedure. During your initial consultation, our team will assess your teeth, jaw, and smile before walking you through a more specific plan to correct your bite. This should also include the timeline of your treatment and an exact estimate of what you’ll pay to improve your smile. Read along to learn more about the cost of traditional braces in Tucson.
Firstly, it’s important to know that traditional braces are not a “one-size-fits-all” solution. Since every patient’s smile is different, you won’t expect the price to remain the same for every situation. Before your dentist can develop a personalized treatment plan, they’ll need to consider a few factors, including:
Your compliance with your treatment can also affect the overall cost. Whether or not you abide by your dietary restrictions or wear your rubber bands can impact how long your process will take. The longer your treatment becomes, the more time and money you’ll likely spend.
Since do-it-yourself braces typically come with a lower initial price, it can be tempting to opt for them instead of traditional ones. However, undergoing the DIY approach may be more problematic than you’d expect. Firstly, the treatment won’t involve a comprehensive initial examination. There also won’t be any professional supervision throughout the process, and many patients have reported experiencing worsened misalignment issues. Even the American Dental Association has warned against DIY treatments for their lack of expert oversight. If you want a reliable and cost-effective solution for straightening your smile, your best investment would be in a professional treatment, like traditional braces.
Every dental insurance plan varies from patient to patient. If you’re interested in undergoing traditional braces, you’ll want to double-check the details of your policy with your provider beforehand. They’ll be able to walk you through your benefits and inform you if your braces will be covered. Many plans are different from each other, as some may only pay a certain amount while others might offer coverage for patients who are under 18 years old. You can call your company or even consult our knowledgeable team, and we’ll be more than happy to help you navigate your policy and make the most of your benefits.
Don’t have insurance? The good news is that there are other ways to pay for your orthodontic treatment. Our team offers a KLEER Membership Plan, which can help provide discounts on multiple services for a more affordable experience, including traditional braces. We also work with CareCredit—a third-party financier that can break up the overall price of your dental treatment into monthly installments with little to no interest involved! Best of all, new patients can typically save $500 when choosing to undergo traditional braces with our team.
When getting braces in Marana for yourself or your children, it’s important to voice any questions or concerns you have up front. After all, braces are typically worn for around 2 to 3 years, so it’s important to have a clear idea of what to expect. Below are some examples of questions that our patients often ask during their initial consultation for braces. Please call our office if there’s anything else you want to know before beginning the orthodontic process.
Since traditional braces stay attached to the teeth at all times, you’ll need to be careful to avoid foods that could break them or pull them off the teeth. Stay away from anything that is:
You also need to stay away from corn on the cob, unsliced apples, and anything else you have to bite into. In general, you’ll want to stick to soft foods as well as food that has been cut up into small pieces if you want to protect your braces.
It’s very easy for food to get caught in your braces, so it’s highly recommended that you clean them after every meal. This means that you should brush your teeth at least three times a day during your orthodontic treatment. It’s also important to floss daily in order to clean the areas that a toothbrush isn’t able to reach. You’ll need to adjust your brushing and flossing technique to work around your braces; we can go over the best techniques with you after your braces have been initially placed.
Yes, you should definitely plan on wearing a retainer after your braces have been removed. Even after the teeth have reached their ideal positioning, they’ll gradually move back to where they were before unless retainers are used to hold them in place. You’ll be given instructions on how long and how often to wear your retainer. Some people need to wear their retainers 24/7 for around four months, after which point they only need to wear them at night. Generally speaking, you should plan on using your retainer indefinitely in order to maintain the results of your treatment.
Orthodontic care is typically included under dental insurance, but the specifics can vary quite a bit depending on the plan you have. Some plans provide orthodontic coverage for children but not adults. Also, many plans have a Lifetime Maximum Benefit for braces. This means that they will help pay for the treatment one time and won’t pay any more once you have used all of the benefit. You should consult with your dental insurance company and discuss what sort of orthodontic care is available before you take the initial steps of your treatment.
