It’s an exciting time when you know you’re about to get braces. You’re about to start your journey to a beautiful new smile and great oral health! How long does it take to get braces?
Many patients expect to get their braces immediately, but that’s rarely true. While it is possible to get braces during your first appointment, it’s rare because there may be things we must do to prepare you for braces.
The first step to braces in Kansas City, MO, or Liberty, MO, is to schedule a free orthodontic consultation with Kanning Orthodontics. We’ll take you on a tour of the office, introduce you to our staff, provide a thorough examination and orthodontist consultation, and we’ll determine a treatment plan from your initial consultation. We’ll lay out all the options, from financing to treatment with types of braces or clear aligners. Once you’ve decided on your treatment options, the treatment process begins.
Braces Process: Preparing for Braces
Not everyone is ready for braces the moment they walk through our door. Sometimes, adjustments need to be made to the teeth to prepare them for braces. We’ll make those adjustments first using a variety of treatments and tools.
Tooth Extractions
On rare occasions, we need to extract teeth to make room for the rest of them to move into their proper places. We try to avoid extractions if we can, but they may be needed in a few cases.
If you need an extraction, we will set up a plan for that before you get braces. We’ll give you time to have the extractions and heal from them. So you may have two or three appointments before getting braces just to ensure everything has gone well and you’re ready to get braces.
Dental Appliances
In other cases, we may install a dental appliance to adjust your teeth before you get braces. If you thrust your tongue against your teeth, we may put in a tongue crib to train your tongue to stay back from the front teeth. Tongue thrusting, over time, can lead to an overbite or open bite because it pushes the upper front teeth forward. A tongue crib helps stop the habit so you won’t do it during or after braces.
If your upper jaw is too narrow for your teeth, we may add a palate expander to widen your jaw without relying on tooth extractions. The palate expander allows us to create enough room to straighten your teeth. You may wear a palate expander for several weeks or a few months.
In order to put braces on your teeth, we need to fit bands around your back molars. What if there isn’t space between your back molars? That’s where spacers come in.
We will slide elastic bands between the teeth, creating enough space between them for us to slip the bands around the back teeth. The good news is that you will likely only wear the bands for a few weeks. So you may only have one or two appointments before braces!
Do you get braces on your first appointment? Usually not. Do you get braces on your second orthodontist appointment? It can happen on the second appointment unless you need to prepare for your braces first.
Bottom line, it could be two, three, or four appointments before you get your braces, depending on the severity of your dental issues.
How Long Does It Take To Get Braces?
Once you get to your braces appointment, you’re probably wondering how long it takes to put braces on your teeth. Placing braces is a precise science. We try to place brackets in the places on your teeth that will provide the optimum movement.
How long does it take to get braces put on? It takes time to put the brackets on and have the bonding agent set. On average, you can expect it to take about two hours to put your braces on your teeth. We use clear ceramic braces for all our braces patients, instead of metal braces or traditional braces, for better and more discreet treatment.
How Are Braces Put On?
You’re probably wondering how we put braces on your teeth. We use a special bonding material to hold the bracket tightly to your tooth. We place the bracket, let the quick-drying bonding glue material set, and hold it in place. Once the brackets are all in place, we run the archwire through them.
The archwire sits in tiny slots in the front of each bracket, and the ends slide into tiny holders attached to the bands on your back teeth. Elastics hold the archwire to the brackets. The good news is we have LOTS of great colors for elastics so that you can choose your favorite color!
Once the wires and brackets, and elastics are in place, you are good to go! We’ll give you some instructions on how to care for your braces, and you’ll need to stick to them to make sure your braces aren’t damaged, and your teeth stay healthy. We’ll be here if you have any questions about wearing braces. Once you leave our office, you are well on your way to your beautiful new smile!
Paying for Braces
You’re ready to get braces, but how are you going to pay for them? At Kanning Orthodontics, we believe finances shouldn’t get in the way of great oral health. We work with you to make your braces treatment affordable.
We offer down payments as low as $250. We also offer monthly payment plans with payments as low as $125/mo. In addition, we offer extended payment plans to keep your payments low. You can extend payments beyond your braces treatment up to 36 months!
We also accept dental insurance from major carriers, as well as payments from Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA). During your free consultation, we’ll review your insurance so you know what to expect. Do you have a family member in braces? We offer family discounts!
We also take payments in full and offer a small discount for that. However you choose to pay, Kanning Orthodontics will work with you to make your braces treatment affordable!
Schedule An Orthodontist Appointment in Kansas City, MO
At Kanning Orthodontics, we strive to provide the best care and the best results. From payment plans to an amazing team and talented orthodontists, Kanning Orthodontics is the orthodontist for you in the Kansas City and Liberty, MO, areas! Schedule your braces consultation with us and see what we can do for you!