Orthodontic FAQs
- If you want to improve the look and feel of your SMILE, then any age can be a great age to see an orthodontist, especially an expert like Dr. Altherr. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that children should visit an orthodontist around the 7 years of age.
- Furthermore, unlike medicine, you do not need a direct referral from a general or pediatric dentist.
- Orthodontic treatment is no longer exclusive to children and teens; 30% of our patients are adults. Whether you’re considering treatment for yourself or for a child, any time is a good time to visit an orthodontic expert like Dr. Altherr.
- We would like to believe we are, but we'll leave that up to the hundreds of 5 star Google reviews we've earned from our happy patients in the Apex, Cary and Holly Springs areas since 2002 OR because our practice and Dr. Altherr have been voted the BEST ORTHODONTIST IN APEX in Suburban magazine for several years running.
- Please remember to use a toothpaste with flouride to brush your teeth after every meal and floss at least once a day.
- When you take out your retainer to eat or brush your teeth, and remember to keep it safe in its container so that it does not get lost or broken.
- Clean your retainer by brushing it gently with your toothbrush once a day, and do not let it dry out; keep a small amount of water in the case when not wearing your retainer.
- There are really no dietary restrictions with aligners since you take them out. There is a 'No No' list with braces that you can refer to on our 'Life with Braces' page.
- Please keep your 6 months cleaning visits with your dentist.
Braces are used by your orthodontist to help you improve the look and feel of your smile. There are several different types of braces to choose from, including:
- Metal
- Clear ceramic
- Some even call clear aligners, braces
- The amount of time in treatment will vary depending on the individual patient's problems, what is corrected and proper compliance.
- Because of Dr. Altherr's expertise, Treatment Times can be as short as 3 months but the avearage time is about 12 to 15 months.
Braces and clear aligners typically do not hurt being placed on your teeth or being removed. Our patients do report less cheek and lip irritation when wearing aligners but often observe more tooth soreness whenever they change out into a new aligner. Any tooth soreness related to braces usually happens in the first 2-3 days after your braces are on.
- First, please keep your regular 6 month cleaning appointments with your dentist.
- Whether with braces or with aligners, we recommend that you brush your teeth 3 times a day for at least 3 minutes.
- An orthodontist is a specialist in dentistry focusing on the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of dental and facial abnormalities via braces and clear aligners like Invisalign.
- An orthodontist receives an additional 2-3 years of training and education past the 4 years of dental school required to be a general dentist. So, orthodontists get good at moving teeth, which makes treatment times shorter compared to the past.
- Essentially, No. Wearing braces or aligners will not stop you from participating in any of your school activities. If you play a contact sport, then we do recommend that you wear a braces specific mouthguard.
- It usually takes about a week to fully adjust back to normal with talking, eating, speaking, playing an instrument or singing with braces or aligners.
- Our treatment fees depend on the overall treatment time, which can be as short as 3 months! However, some patients only need retainers, which may be as cost effective as $300 to 400, but the range for full braces or aligners in the Apex/Cary/Holly Springs, NC areas is often between $5,000 to $7,000.
- The short answer is YES. Since we are a one doctor owned and managed practice, (not owned by any outside, Big corporation entity), we have the ability to offer many flexible financing plans and typically have interest rates at 0%!
- Further, we are an in-network provider with many insurance plans like Delta Dental and Aetna for example, which makes it even easier for anyone to get started with upgrading their SMILE today.
