We are pleased to announce at Orthodontics1.net that your preliminary examination is at no charge! This exam is done in order to help you determine whether or not you will need orthodontic treatment. At this appointment your questions such as: do I need orthodontics, how can how correct my problems, how long will it take, how much will it cost, when should I start treatment, how much will my insurance help, and what will my monthly payments be. Ask one of our friendly staff members to assist you in scheduling your complimentary exam.

     We at Orthodontics1.net offer all of the latest cosmetic braces. They range from the low profile mini-metal braces to friction free braces, from gold braces to clear braces, and for patients with their permanent teeth fully erupted(from age 12-14 for females and age 14-16 for males), the new Invisalign^tm System. The Invisalign^tm System uses nearly invisible clear retainers than can move your teeth without people seeing them from a distance. Check it out at www.invisalign.com. Our office is the sixth largest Invisalign practice in the world. To get the results of a great smile without the look of ordinary braces, try the revolutionary clear ceramic braces. You will be surprised how invisible they can look on your teeth! These thin, clear braces give you the same results associated with regular braces. Tom Cruise was sporting them at the Academy Awards Ceramony in LA in 2002. When you come in for your first consultation, ask us about all of your choices… you will be pleased! You may choose one of these options for enhanced self-esteem and facial appearance during treatment. Worry no more about getting braces, come to Orthodontics1.net, and see how you can get a dazzling, beautiful smile without having the look of typical braces!

     We at Orthodontics1net want adults to know that braces aren't just for kids anymore! Adults can now experience the satisfaction of having a great smile at any age. Even if you had orthodontic treatment as a child, you may want to make minor adjustments to your teeth for a better, healthier smile. We will be glad to help you. The new clear braces or the Invisalign^tm system for the nearly invisible look allow adults not to be self-conscious about their teeth while they are being straightened. Make an appointment with us today, knowing it is never too late to make a smiling first impression!

     At the initial exam, you are given an estimate of the length of time you will have to wear braces or appliances. Several things influence your treatment, including growth patterns and your cooperation. Orthodontic treatment will vary according to how much your jaw needs to be corrected and how far your teeth must move. Everyone's teeth move at their own rate. Sometimes we finish earlier, and sometimes later, depending on your biological factors. You also must wear your rubber bands or removable appliances according to our instructions for normal tooth movement. We are committed to making your treatment as swift and effective as possible!

     Making your scheduled appoints is important for your treatment to progress smoothly. Since patients are usually seen every four to eight weeks, if you need to reschedule, it may take some time before another appointment is available. We understand when a patient is sick. If a patient is running a fever or is infectious, we request you go online or call to reschedule the appointment. Personally, we do not like to wait when visiting other doctors' offices, so, for respect to you, we do everything possible to stay on time. By your being on time, it helps us to be on time. However, due to the nature of treating patients, we never know exactly how much time is going to be required to treat each patient. If a procedure is more complicated than expected or takes longer than anticipated, we will take the time to do our best for that patient. You may be assured that we will take all the time needed when it is time for your appointment. For students, we arrange our schedule to allow most of their appointments to be after school. To make this work, we schedule the few long appointments that are needed during school hours. These long appointments include: placing the appliances or braces, removing them at the end of treatment, repairing broken brackets and placing permanent retainers if chosen. By scheduling these few long appointments during school hours, it keeps the after school times available for the frequent adjustment appointments.

     The rubber bands (or elastics) that we may ask you to wear on your braces are very important. They work to create just the right amount of pressure to move your teeth in the directions that braces can't do alone. It is important to wear your rubber bands exactly as instructed and to change them once a day, so that the force on your teeth is constant. Forgetting to wear your rubber bands, or not changing them once a day, may make your treatment time longer. The teeth will just move back and forth, shortening your roots. If you are unsure of your instructions for wearing or changing your rubber bands, please contact our office as soon as possible for assistance. For more information on elastics wear, click on this link: Elastic Wear

     When your braces are first removed, your teeth will be in alignment, but your gums, bones, etc. will not have completely shifted into their new positions. A retainer is a device worn full or part-time, depending on the tooth movement done, that holds your teeth in alignment until everything settles into their new positions. Normally you will need to wear a retainer 24 hours a day for six months following the removal of your braces. After that, the retainers are worn at night for one year, then a tapering off schedule is given. If you stop wearing your retainer, your teeth may move, but you won't know until it's too late. The longer you wear your retainer, the better your chances that your teeth will not relapse.