Orthodontic treatment makes permanent changes to your teeth and sometimes even the shape of your face, so it’s crucial that only an orthodontist addresses these changes. They have the education, training, and experience to provide their patients with the right results.
While general dentists in Pittsburgh, PA often refer their patients to a trusted orthodontist, you do not need a dentist referral in order to schedule your initial consultation with us.
If you are interested in orthodontic treatment for yourself or your teenager, call, text or send us an email. Our front office staff will be happy to schedule one for you and they will request some basic information from you.
An initial orthodontic consultation is a fact-finding appointment. You will fill out some light paperwork to help the orthodontist understand your oral health history and get a good idea of your treatment goals. We will take X-rays to get a complete picture of what’s going on in the patient’s mouth unless the patient can provide recent X-rays from the general dentist. Dr. Reed will then perform an examination of the mouth to see how the teeth align and perform.
Once all the information has been gathered, it will be time to start discussing treatment options, including an estimation of how long the treatment will take and a quote of the cost of treatment. If the appointment is for a minor child, a parent or legal guardian must be present.
Unfortunately, no. In fact, teeth tend to grow more crooked with age, not less. Biting down with poorly aligned teeth can encourage them to shift even farther from their ideal position.
The length of treatment depends on each patient’s orthodontic problems, but it will typically range from eight months to two and a half years. The best way to have the shortest possible treatment time is to follow Dr. Reed’s instructions exactly.
Appointments vary depending on the patient’s needs, but most patients with braces will come in every eight to ten weeks.
After orthodontic visits, particularly ones involving adjustments to braces, your teeth may be sore for a few days as they get used to the change. Advil or Tylenol can ease the discomfort. Wires and brackets may sometimes rub against the inside of the cheeks and create soreness, but we can trim wires when necessary, and orthodontic wax is a great solution as well.
Early orthodontic treatment, also called Phase I, can ensure proper jaw growth and tooth eruption in young children. Early intervention can minimize complicated orthodontic treatment in the future, such as tooth extractions and jaw surgery. Early treatment can also help to terminate habits like thumb and finger sucking and alleviate airway obstruction for kids with narrow palates and airways. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends an initial exam at age seven. Dr. Reed finds that most children do not need any intervention at this stage, but it is important to identify those who do.
No patient is too old to wear braces or aligners! In fact, a quarter of all orthodontic patients are out of their teens, so don’t feel like you missed your chance for straight teeth just because you didn’t get braces in high school!
The only difference between brushing with braces and without is that there are a lot more nooks and crannies for food to get stuck and plaque to build up. Be very thorough as you brush and don’t forget to floss!
The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) recommends a child’s first orthodontist appointment should be at the age of 7. For a vast majority of patients, this isn’t the beginning of treatment but it does allow the orthodontist to set a baseline to monitor growth and development and plan for the absolute best time to begin treatment (if needed).
If a bracket breaks, you should call our office right away to schedule an emergency appointment. We can usually find time to reattach or replace the bracket quickly. Do not wait until your next regular appointment to do something about a broken bracket, as this could have a negative effect on your treatment.
Some of the foods you should avoid while your braces are on include ice, hard candy, raw vegetables, and all sticky foods (such as caramel and taffy). Instead of eating apples and corn on the cob, you’ll have to stick to apple slices and kernel corn. Eating banned foods is the easiest way to break a bracket, but it can also harm your teeth.
Absolutely! Regular dental checkups are always important, especially while you have braces. Your dentist will let you know how often to come in during your orthodontic treatment.
At Tina Reed Orthodontics, we accept most insurance plans, but check with us to make sure yours is included. Call or text our office at (412) 421-8565 for more information about insurance. Make sure you have your insurance information handy when you call.
For your convenience, we accept cash, checks, cashier’s checks, Visa, Master Card, AmEx, and Discover. If none of these payment methods suits your needs, we also provide payment plans through our office or third-party financing through Lending Club. We also provide discounts for those able to pay in full at the time of service. If you have any more questions regarding payment methods, please give us a call at (412) 421-8565 and we’ll do our best to find the right solution for you.
