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Orthodontic FAQs
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- Braces
- Clear Aligners
- Expanders
- Orthodontics For Adults
- Orthodontics For Kids
- Orthodontics For Teens
- Orthodontist in Stevens Point, WI
- Orthodontist in Waupaca, WI
- Retainers
Our Stevens Point office is conveniently located to serve patients from the city and surrounding areas like Plover and Whiting. We also have a second location for patients seeking treatment at our Waupaca office.
No, you do not need a referral from a general dentist to visit us. You can contact our team directly to schedule your initial consultation.
We utilize state-of-the-art technology, including digital intraoral scanners and 3D Orthodontics, to create highly precise, comfortable, and efficient custom treatment plans.
Your initial consultation typically takes about an hour. During this time, we will take digital images, perform a thorough examination, and discuss your custom smile goals.
By age 7, the first permanent molars have erupted, allowing us to evaluate your child’s bite and jaw growth. Catching structural issues early makes kids treatment more effective and predictable.
Phase I treatment focuses on correcting developmental jaw and bite issues while your child still has a mix of baby and permanent teeth. This often involves specialized appliances like expanders to prevent severe overcrowding.
Often yes, but Phase I treatment significantly simplifies Phase II (full braces or aligners) later on. It ensures proper spacing, which reduces treatment time and lowers the risk of needing permanent tooth extractions.
Absolutely! If your child wears braces, we highly recommend wearing a protective orthodontic mouthguard during contact sports. Playing wind instruments may require a brief adjustment period but is completely doable.
Signs include early or late loss of baby teeth, mouth breathing, thumb-sucking habits, crowded front teeth, or difficulty chewing. However, many bite problems aren’t easily visible, making a professional evaluation essential.
Teens can choose between our highly reliable traditional metal braces or modern, low-profile options like custom clear aligners.
The duration varies based on the complexity of the case, but average comprehensive teen-treatment lasts between 18 and 24 months.
Yes, when worn consistently for 20-22 hours a day, modern aligners are highly effective for correcting spaces, crowding, and mild-to-moderate bite issues.
For traditional braces, adjustments are usually scheduled every 4-6 weeks. For clear aligners, appointments can often be spaced further apart, usually every 8-10 weeks, to check your progress.
To keep their beautiful new smile from shifting, your teen will enter the retention phase and receive a set of custom retainers.
It is never too late! Healthy teeth can be successfully moved at any age. In fact, a significant percentage of patients seeking adult-treatment do so to improve both their oral health and their professional confidence.
Our customized clear aligners are virtually invisible and fit seamlessly into a professional lifestyle. They are completely removable, meaning you have zero food restrictions and can brush and floss normally.
Because an adult’s jawbone is fully developed and no longer growing, certain structural jaw changes may require different techniques or appliances compared to growing children undergoing early treatment.
Yes. Teeth can still be aligned safely around existing crowns, bridges, or fillings. Orthodontic treatment is actually an excellent way to create the perfect amount of space before receiving a dental implant.
Not necessarily. While adult bone structure is denser, simple aesthetic corrections can sometimes be completed in under a year, though comprehensive bite corrections typically mirror the timeline of teen treatment.
Traditional metal braces use durable stainless steel brackets, while clear braces are crafted from translucent ceramic materials that blend naturally with your teeth. Both utilize the same advanced wire system to guide tooth movement.
To avoid breaking brackets or bending wires, you should steer clear of hard, sticky, or chewy foods. For full guidance on navigating your diet safely, check out our comprehensive guide on life with braces.
You should brush thoroughly after every meal and use specialized tools like floss threaders or interdental brushes to clean under the archwire. Excellent oral hygiene ensures your teeth stay healthy throughout your time in braces.
Getting braces put on does not hurt. However, you will feel some soreness and pressure for a few days after placement and following adjustment appointments. Over-the-counter pain relief and orthodontic wax can easily manage this temporary discomfort.
Yes, braces are the absolute gold standard for correcting severe overbites, underbites, crossbites, and complex tooth rotations because they give your orthodontist maximum control over tooth movement.
For your treatment to progress on schedule, aligner trays must be worn for 20 to 22 hours every single day. They should only be removed to eat, drink anything other than plain water, and brush your teeth.
Clear aligners are virtually invisible, making them highly popular for adult treatment. They are also completely removable, eliminating food restrictions and making it much easier to brush and floss.
Rinse your aligners every time you take them out. Clean them gently using a soft-bristled toothbrush and clear, unscented liquid soap or specialized cleaning tablets. Avoid using hot water, as it can warp the custom plastic.
You may notice a slight, minor lisp for the first few days as your tongue adjusts to the trays. This is entirely temporary and typically disappears quickly as you talk and get used to wearing them.
While clear aligners are highly effective for older teenagers and adults, younger children requiring early structural intervention usually achieve more predictable results with fixed options like traditional metal braces or targeted growth appliances.
A palatal expander is a custom orthodontic appliance designed to gently widen the upper jaw. It works by applying consistent pressure to the two halves of the upper palate, creating more physical space for crowded teeth.
Expanders are highly effective during a child’s early active growth phase because the two halves of the upper jaw have not yet fused together. This makes it the ideal time for kids treatment to naturally correct crossbites and severe overcrowding.
The appliance is activated at home using a special key inserted into the center mechanism of the expander. Your orthodontist will provide a custom schedule detailing exactly how many times and how often to turn the key.
Yes! Developing a space between the two upper front teeth is a positive sign that the expander is successfully widening the jaw structure. This gap is temporary and will naturally close on its own or be easily corrected during future treatment with braces.
Your child will experience a sensation of localized pressure across the palate, nose, and cheeks for a few minutes immediately after turning the key. This feeling is temporary and is a normal part of the widening process.
Once your braces or clear aligners are removed, the bone and surrounding tissues need time to stabilize around your teeth’s new positions. Without a retainer, your teeth will naturally experience relapse and slowly shift back toward their original misalignment.
We provide removable options, which include durable Hawley retainers (acrylic and metal wire) and clear cosmetic retainers. We also offer fixed permanent retainers, which are thin wires bonded discreetly to the back surfaces of your front teeth.
Immediately following active treatment, you will need to wear your retainer full-time (24/7) for several months. Once your smile has stabilized, your orthodontist will safely transition you to long-term nighttime-only wear.
Brush your retainer gently with lukewarm water and a soft toothbrush daily. When it is not inside your mouth, always keep it in its protective plastic case to prevent it from getting lost or damaged by pets.
With proper care, a classic Hawley retainer can last for several years, while clear plastic retainers typically need to be replaced every few years due to normal daily wear. If your device ever feels loose or cracked, contact our office immediately to protect your investment.
Yes! We provide family-focused care, offering specialized solutions ranging from early pediatric care to advanced alignment options for teens and adults.
Your initial consultation typically takes about an hour. During this time, we will take digital images, perform a thorough examination, and discuss your custom smile goals.
No referral is needed! You can contact us directly to set up a free consultation at either our Waupaca or Stevens Point locations.
Appointment frequency depends heavily on your specific treatment plan. Generally, patients with traditional metal or ceramic braces visit us every 4 to 6 weeks for wire adjustments. For those utilizing clear aligners, appointments can often be spaced further apart, typically every 8 to 10 weeks, just to monitor progress and collect your next sets of custom trays.
If you choose traditional braces, you will need to avoid hard, sticky, or exceptionally chewy foods (like popcorn, caramel, or whole apples) to protect the brackets and wires from breaking. However, if you choose clear aligners, there are absolutely no food restrictions because the trays are completely removable whenever you eat or drink.