FAQ’s
We asked all our members which questions they get asked the most often.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are the questions we get asked by our patients most often.
What causes crooked teeth?
Heredity is the main cause although local factors such as finger sucking, high cavity rate, gum disease, trauma and premature loss of baby teeth can also contribute to a bad bite.
Why should I have my teeth straightened?
Poorly arranged teeth can break easily and can trap food particles that cause tooth decay and gum disease.
They can also lead to poor chewing and digestion which can be bad for your overall health. Finally, poorly arranged teeth detract from your smile which is one of the more important features of your face.
What do rubber bands do?
Rubber bands or elastics contribute a lot to straighter teeth. They are marvels of physics.
Attached to your braces, elastics exert the energy force that creates the right amount of pressure to move teeth. It’s important to wear your elastics all the time and change them every day so the force is constant which the teeth like. As for bouncing an elastic off someone across the room, it will happen (don’t worry, your aim will improve).
How do braces straighten crooked teeth?
Braces use steady, gentle pressure over time to move teeth into their proper positions. They don’t look like they’re doing much just sitting there but in fact, every moment or your orthodontic treatment, there’s something happening in your mouth.
Something good for you. The brackets we place on your teeth and the main archwire that connects them, are the two main components.The bracket is a piece of specially shaped metal or ceramic that we affix to each tooth. Then we bend the archwire to reflect your ideal; bite-what we want you to look like after treatment. The wire threads through the brackets and, as the wire tries to return to its original shape, it applies pressure to actually move your teeth. Picture your tooth resting in your jaw bone. With pressure on one side from the archwire, the bone on the other side gives way. The tooth moves. New bone grows in behind. It may look like nothing is happening–but we’re making a new smile here. Thanks to new materials and procedures, all this happens much quicker than ever before. It’s kind of an engineering feat.
Will braces correct TMD or jaw joint problems?
Braces may or may not improve jaw joint problems. More conservative approaches should be tried first.
How many people receive orthodontic care?
Approximately 4 million people are in braces in the US at any one time.
Can you be too old for braces?
No. If the bone and gum tissue around the teeth are healthy, age is not a factor. About 20% of orthodontic patients are adults.
Will orthodontics change my lifestyle?
You’ll have to spend a few extra minutes cleaning your braces after meals, but for the most part, you’ll find braces don’t cramp your style. You’ll still have fun. You’ll still be able to sing, play your musical instrument, smile, play sports and of course, kiss.
Is orthodontic care expensive?
Many medical aids now include orthodontics. Well timed orthodontic treatment to correct a problem is often less costly than the additional dental care required to treat the more serious problems that can develop years later.
Is Orthodontics only for straightening teeth?
While most cases are designed to straighten teeth, improve smiles, and align bites, Orthodontists also treat more complex cases where jaw alignment, severe misalignment, and Anatomical variation in size and shape of the jaws may require additional surgery and/or a multi disciplinary approach. The orthodontist will consult and work with other specialists and the family dentist as needed.
Can my dentist straighten my teeth?
An orthodontist has 3-4 years of specialized training beyond dental school and is a specialist at straightening teeth and insuring proper form and function.
A dentist may see a handful of cases a year amid drilling and filling. An orthodontist only practices orthodontics and treats hundreds of patients.
Are Braces only for children?
In the UK, some practices have 50% adult patients. In the United States, about one-third of all patients are adults.
Some adult treatments are cosmetic, but many others are complex procedures to fix major problems that only appear in adulthood, even if the patient has braces as a child.
My case is simple, do I need an orthodontist?
Orthodontists recognise the difference between a simple case and a complex one. And when a case is challenging, orthodontists know what to do.
Why does an Orthodontist cost more than a dentist?
It’s not the same work. The value in seeing an orthodontist for treatment is that the orthodontist is an expert, highly experienced and understands form, function and a beautiful smile.
Is it too late to have orthodontic treatment?
No – healthy teeth can be moved at any age. Orthodontic treatment can restore good function. And teeth that work better usually look better, too. A healthy, beautiful smile can improve self-esteem, no matter the age.
Can I have braces while I am pregnant?
Pregnancy brings on bodily changes that may affect the mouth. Soft tissues such as gums become much more susceptible to infection. Discuss this question with your GP before you start orthodontic treatment.
May I play contact sports while wearing braces?
Yes. But wear a protective mouth guard.
Do teeth with braces need special care?
Yes. Patients with braces must be careful to avoid hard, sticky, chewy and crunchy foods, or hard objects, such as pens, pencils or fingernails. Keeping the teeth and braces clean requires more precision and time, and must be done every day if the teeth and gums are to be healthy during and after orthodontic treatment. Clean, healthy teeth also move more quickly.
Why does orthodontic treatment take so long?
Teeth can only move 1mm per month. Teeth straightened by an orthodontist are normally good for life. There are ads out there advertising perfect teeth with only 1 or 2 visits to the dentist. These are quick-fix veneers that only temporarily cover crooked teeth.
Can I get invisible braces?
In some cases, brackets may be bonded behind the teeth (lingual braces). Some of today’s wires are made with advanced plastic materials that exert a steady, gentle pressure on the teeth, so that the tooth-moving process may be faster and more comfortable for patients. A type of clear orthodontic wire is currently in an experimental stage. Another option may be the use of a series of plastic tray aligners instead of traditional braces to correct some problems.
How can I tell between an orthodontist and a dentist?
An orthodontist is a dentist who has done an additional 3 years full time study to specialise in orthodontics. Read our article on the difference between and orthodontist and a dentist.
Use our Orthodontists Locator to find accredited Orthodontists in South Africa.
Orthodontists included in this search are all South African Society of Orthodontists members. SASO membership is the best way to confirm a doctor’s status as an orthodontist.
Is it healthier to have straight teeth?
For these patients an orthodontically corrected smile can improve their self-confidence and their life quality. Secondly, some adults have highly destructive bites and have worn their teeth extensively. Orthodontics can align their teeth and improve their bites to ideal function and hence increase the longevity of their teeth.
Is Orthodontics worth the cost?
Yes! Think about the cost of not getting braces. It is hard to see into the future, to tell how the lack of orthodontic treatment will affect your child.
Certainly, a child who needs orthodontic treatment and does not get the treatment will have problems with their teeth for years to come; so much so that many adult patients are now going back for orthodontic treatment.
Also stomach problems are very common in people who skip needed orthodontic treatment. If your child cannot chew their food right, it irritates their stomach, and produces a lifetime problem.
We cannot predict whether your child will develop a breathing problem or a stomach problem if they do not undergo orthodontic treatment. However, lifetime orthodontic treatment costs no more than the lifetime maintenance on a car. Isn’t it worth investing as much time in maintaining your children’s teeth as you invest in maintaining your car?
Can I negotiate lower fees with my orthodontist?
Generally, orthodontists will not cut their fees to individuals.
Orthodontists need to pay for a lot of expensive equipment and to pay their people and the landlord. The Orthodontists need to pay for all of their materials and the operation of their sterilizers. Then there is the cost of insurance. Most of an orthodontist’s fee goes to paying his fixed cost such as equipment, the braces themselves, and staff. Occasionally an orthodontist will consider lowering his fees or offer free service for patients who truly cannot afford to pay at the doctor’s discretion.
How can I tell an orthodontist from a dentist?
Use our Orthodontics Locator to find accredited Orthodontists in South Africa.
Orthodontists included in this search are all South African Society of Orthodontists members. SASO membership is the best way to confirm a doctor’s status as an orthodontist.
Why is orthodontic treatment so costly?
Actually, orthodontic treatment is not so expensive when compared with other medical services.
Orthodontics only seems expensive because the Orthodontist tells you what the lifetime costs of straightening your children’s teeth will be.
Can I pay in instalments?
Most orthodontists allow you to pay for your children’s treatment in instalments.
Usually the orthodontist will ask you to make a larger initial payment to cover the costs of starting treatment, X-rays, and the application of braces. Then the orthodontist will usually let you budget the remainder of the balance.
The orthodontist cannot finance the entire treatment, because the orthodontist incurs considerable costs when he or she first starts a new patient and he needs to recover those initial costs. However, once you pay for those initial costs, the orthodontist will usually let you pay for the rest of the treatment in instalments.
Will a tongue or lip piercing be a problem?
Be very very careful – tongue-piercing jewelry may contribute to breakage of braces and possibly cause tooth and gum damage from contact with the stud.
Why does orthodontic treatment take so long?
Teeth can only move approximately 1mm per month. Quick-fix veneers only temporarily cover crooked teeth. Teeth straightened by an orthodontist are normally good for life. There are ads out there advertising perfect teeth with only 1 or 2 visits to the dentist. These are quick-fix veneers that only temporarily cover crooked teeth.
Can I get invisible braces?
In some cases, brackets may be bonded behind the teeth (lingual braces).
Some of today’s wires are made with advanced titanium or plastic materials that exert a steady, gentle pressure on the teeth, so that the tooth-moving process may be faster and more comfortable for patients. Another option may be the use of a series of plastic tray aligners (Invisalign) instead of traditional braces to correct some problems. Many teenagers are employing coloured elastics on their braces as a fashion statement.
Do teeth with braces need special care?
Yes. Importantly, clean, healthy teeth move more quickly. Patients with braces must be careful to avoid hard, sticky, chewy and crunchy foods, or hard objects, such as pens, pencils or fingernails. Keeping the teeth and braces clean requires more precision and time, and must be done every day if the teeth and gums are to be healthy during and after orthodontic treatment.
Will I still be able to play my musical instrument?
With practice and a period of adjustment, braces typically do not interfere with the playing of wind or brass instruments.
May I play sports while wearing braces?
Yes but you should always wear a protective mouth guard in contact sports.
Braces vs veneers
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