Every other person is having Malocclusion today and we do not know the exact reason for this whether it is because of Evolution, Environment or Genetics it is becoming very common for people to come to a Dentist asking for getting their crooked teeth straightened or in Dental Terms asking for Orthodontic Treatment.
We all know now that Orthodontic treatment is using Braces to Straighten your teeth and align them accordingly. But there are many factors to getting your Orthodontic Treatment which should be looked at before you decide weather to get or to avoid Orthodontic treatment.
What should i ask my Orthodontist ?
- What is the Time Duration of my Orthodontic Treatment ?
- What will be the Cost for my Orthodontic Treatment ?
- Do i need to get any Teeth Extracted ?
- What Type of Braces are there ?
- How to Brush with Braces ?
- How to manage if i have to travel during an appointment ?
What Factors to Consider before deciding on Orthodontic Treatment:
How much time do you have ?
Orthodontic treatment is a Passive form of Dental Treatment where the results are seen after prolonged treatment procedure over long durations of time. Many patients who i get for Orthodontic treatment are Boys and Girls who are getting married in the next few months, in such cases with lack of time Orthodontic treatment is not an option so it should be kept in mind that you should give ample amount of time to the Dentist to get the best result. In Orthodontic treatment the Bone around your teeth is repositioned so we have to give sufficient amount of time for it to remodel and prevent Relapse which is a major failure after Orthodontic Treatment.
How much can you afford ?
Orthodontic Treatment costs a bomb so be ready to shell out a lot of money for the treatment costs, one advantage is that the duration of treatment is long so you can talk to your dentist and pay the treatment cost in installments over the period of treatment. If you feel that the treatment cost is too much for you go to Government or State run Dental Colleges where you will be getting very affordable rates but do not expect Private Clinics type of Appointments and environment.
What type of Braces do you want ?
Teenagers and Adults who go for braces are concerned more about their appearance as that is the age to party, mingle around with friends and go to college etc so they don’t want the metal braces to be seen, for this there are Invisible Braces and Lingual Braces which are comparatively costlier than the Steel ones but are aesthetically more pleasing. So make sure you ask your dentist the cost of these types and then decide. There is new type of treatment called Invisalign which can be used in simple Malocclusion without extraction. For Children there are different colors of Braces available to help them get used to it more easily. 
Are you willing to get your teeth Extracted (if necessary) ?
In almost all types of Orthodontic Treatments which include the Angles Class II and Class III type malocclusion Extraction of teeth mainly the Premolars either 1 or both is important to gain space for aligning the teeth and getting a good molar relation. So make sure you ask your Dentist and find out if extraction is required or not and decide accordingly.
Are you going to Travel a lot during the duration of treatment ?
Orthodontic treatment take anywhere between 6 months to 2 years depending on the severity of the Malocclusion of the particular person. You have to make regular visits to the Dentists initially it will be weekly visits and then monthly but you have to make sure that you attend without fail as relapse can be a major concern in such cases. So if you have to travel during the Treatment make sure you talk to your dentist about your plans where he/she will change your treatment accordingly or prescribe you to get an appointment with dentist at your new location for the appointment which you are not able to attend.
Will you be able to bear with the restrictions and Pain during the duration of Treatment ?
During Orthodontic treatment mainly in the initial few weeks the Food restrictions and the inconvenience which you face to adjust to the new equipment in your mouth is bad. You cannot eat hard foods, and bear with the continuous Pain, sticky foods should be avoided as they get stuck in the Braces etc. So you have to make sure that you can go through all this and get used to the braces.
It’s better to choose a dental hospital wisely for any dental treatment.
Thanks for sharing all of these points. My son is going to the orthodontist soon, and I want to make sure he gets the treatment he needs. He doesn’t need any teeth extracted, so I think he might be best suited for braces. However, I’ll definitely be sure to talk to an orthodontist before making a decision.
When I had braces they were on for two years. I did have to get teeth extracted to make room for the movement. There are a lot of good benefits from having braces. I encourage anyone who wants better teeth to seriously consider having them as well.
Braces treatment is used by a number of people these days as almost all of us like to have a beautiful smile with straight teeth. This post is must a read for people looking for an orthodontic treatment. Knowledge prior to taking treatment can have added benefits like these points to be asked with your orthodontists as mentioned in the post can make it clear to you whether you should opt for another orthodontist or not. Remember orthodontist and dentists are different as all orthodontist are dentist but not all dentists are orthodontist. Moreover they should use superior quality products for your braces.
I like how you mentioned that orthodontic treatment can take years, so it’s important to consider whether or not you have the time and money. My teeth are a little crooked, so I’ve been wanting to get them adjusted. Thanks for the great tips for choosing orthodontic care.