Have you been thinking about starting your orthodontic treatment with braces lately? That’s fantastic! You are one of the four million Americans who choose to straighten their teeth with braces at any point in time.
However, as appealing as the results sound, the process itself might not be music to your ears. You’ve probably read countless blogs online, trying to learn what the process of getting braces entails, and the stories about wires and repeated orthodontic consultations led you on the “What if the process of getting braces is not for me?” path. There’s no need to second-guess your decision; getting braces is a straightforward process with manifold rewards at the end.
The Process of Getting Braces
What you need is a comprehensive, more streamlined presentation of the process, and our Loudoun Orthodontics team is here to jump to the rescue with our own 101 guide to getting braces. After reading this blog, you will not only understand the process of getting braces from A to Z but also be more self-confident in your decision to begin your orthodontic treatment. Our chief orthodontist, Dr. Richard J. Lee, DMD, MS, MPH, CAGS, recognizes the uniqueness of every patient’s dental needs, which is why he will customize his orthodontic approach to your needs appropriately. Now, let’s save our energy and attention for the more fascinating facts about getting braces and tune in to the blog!
#1: Getting a Referral
The first step, to begin with, would be receiving a referral. Because most patients pay visits to dentists rather than orthodontists, the former will assess your dental health and write a referral to the latter. Otherwise, you can simply cut to the chase and schedule a consultation with your orthodontist directly. Make sure that you have your dental X-rays at hand before seeing your orthodontist.
#2: Initial Consultation
This will be your first meeting with your orthodontist, during which they will assess both your medical history and tooth alignment and, at first, decide whether getting braces is the right approach to your dental needs or not. It’s essential to point out that not all patients are ideal candidates for getting braces; in some cases, different procedures or orthodontic treatments are more suitable.
Once the orthodontist carefully examines your dental X-rays, they will take additional records of your teeth and help you select your preferred orthodontic treatment. At this time, they will be ready to issue an estimate to you as well. Once you go over this step, your orthodontist will be ready to begin the journey of designing your very own orthodontic treatment!
#3: Treatment Design
This is where the magic occurs: your orthodontist will consider your unique medical history and fashion a mockup of your braces. As we mentioned earlier, no two patients have an identical dental history, which is why the orthodontist will take issues such as underbite, overbite, teeth gaps, or overcrowding into account before furnishing your braces mockup.
With the braces ready, it’s time to see them in action and place them on your teeth!
#4: Braces Placement
First of all, the orthodontist will have to make sure that they can appropriately place the brackets on your teeth. For that, they will initially decide on the tooth surfaces best suited for the brackets. After this step, the orthodontist will clean the target areas and then fix the brackets using a dental glue called bonding cement. Each bracket is placed on the teeth one at a time, a process followed by the removal of residual cement.
Once the brackets are in place, the time has come for the orthodontist to insert the ligature or wire.
#5: Inserting the Wire
The orthodontist will start by cutting a semicircle of wire into the right length. With this step over, they will insert the wire into the brackets and use rubber bands around each wire to keep it in place. As a precaution, the orthodontist will cut the wire’s ends to prevent it from piercing your gums or the back of your mouth.
Once the orthodontist inserts the wire into the brackets, your orthodontic treatment is ready to work its magic! At the end of your treatment, you will enjoy superior tooth straightening and a killer smile to dazzle everyone around you. However, solid results ask for constant care, which is why you will receive tips on how to care for your teeth and braces.
#6: Oral Care Discussions
You will receive a few guidelines on how to brush your teeth properly and choose the right kind of toothpaste. For starters, you will need a small spindle brush that ensures a more delicate dental cleaning while removing bacteria and entrapped food particles from your brackets and wire. Make sure that you brush your teeth at a 45-degree angle and upward, in a circular motion; likewise, don’t forget to floss regularly. Check out the following link if you’re looking for more dental care tips with braces.
Once you have all the information concerning dental care with braces, it’s time to schedule your next orthodontic appointment!
#7: Regular Check-Ups and Adjustments
After three to four weeks, your orthodontist will be expecting your arrival for the first routine check-up. That is when they will make the proper adjustments to the wire or completely change it for a better, more resilient one, more suited to reshape your tooth alignment. One of the two processes will take place every time you’re scheduled for an orthodontic appointment. Always remember to stay on top of your appointments to maintain your orthodontic treatment on the right track!
Schedule your COMPLIMENTARY Consultation!
Begin Your Orthodontic Treatment at Loudoun Orthodontics
Are you ready to contact Loudoun Orthodontics and design your very own orthodontic treatment? That’s fantastic! You will be one of our extended network of patients who, with Dr. Lee’s training, expertise, and superior aesthetic vision, are now enjoying their confident, natural smiles:
Being in my 40s, I was a bit apprehensive about getting braces; however, I found the overall experience with Dr. Lee to be very pleasant. His staff is very nice, their client management top-notch (e.g., no waits, effective insurance processing, and so forth), and his office state of the art. Dr. Lee’s communications skills are great as he outlines options and associated benefits so that it’s straightforward to choose the best option. I’m about halfway through, but I can see that the results will be great. Highly recommend Dr. Lee.
– X. R.
Contact Loudoun Orthodontics if you think braces are the solution to your dental woes. Whether you want to learn more about the benefits of braces or have questions about the process, use our live chat or call (703) 858-0303 or send us a message through our contact us page to connect with our friendly staff today to book a complimentary orthodontic consultation! Our office, located at 19465 Deerfield Ave, Suite 304, Leesburg, VA 20176, proudly serves not just Loudoun County but also the Greater Washington DC area. So, if you’re residing in Ashburn, Lansdowne, or Sterling, and are looking for one of the best orthodontists in Virginia, don’t hesitate to visit our office! We also invite you to keep up with our blog to get answers to many of the frequently asked questions about maintaining sparkling oral health, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram to become a part of our smiling community!
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