1. Do I have to be referred to Dr. Henderson by my family dentist? 2. Do I need to see my family dentist while I have braces? 3. How do I schedule an appointment for an initial exam? 4. At what age should orthodontic treatment begin? 5. Will my child's teeth straighten on their own as they grow? 6. Will I have to have any teeth removed? 7. How long will treatment last? 8. How often will I have appointments? 9. Can I have all of my appointments before or after school? 10. Can I drop my child off for an appointment? 11. What if I have questions during treatment? 12. Can I watch my child being worked on? 13. Can I return to school the day I have my braces placed? 14. Do you give shots? 15. Do braces hurt? 16. Do you use recycled braces (brackets)? 17. Are there foods I cannot eat while I have braces? 18. Can I still play sports and/or musical instruments while wearing braces? 19. Are retainers necessary and for how long? 20. When will I need my wisdom teeth removed? 1. Do I have to be referred to Dr. Henderson by my family dentist? No, you do not. Most of our patients are referred to us by their dentist, but many take the initiative to call us themselves. For those of you that have been referred to other orthodontists we welcome the opportunity to discuss your treatment needs with you. Back to Top 2. Do I need to see my family dentist while I have braces? Yes! It is extremely important you see your dentist for checkups, fluoride treatments, and cleanings, as these procedures are not done by an orthodontist. Back to Top 3. How do I schedule an appointment for an initial exam? If you think you or your child would benefit from orthodontics, simply call our office at 812-333-1051 or toll-free at 86-ORTHO-DDS (866-784-6337) and we will be happy to schedule an appointment for you. When you call our scheduling coordinator will request some very basic information concerning you or your child. For your added convenience, we also have new patient forms available for you to fill out on-line and submit to our office. Back to Top 4. At what age should orthodontic treatment begin? Treatment can be started at any age; however, many orthodontic problems are easier to correct if detected at an early age before jaw growth has slowed. Properly timed treatment may mean that a patient can avoid surgery and more serious complications. The American Association of Orthodontists recommends the first orthodontic evaluation by age 7. Most patients, however are treated between the ages of 10 and 12. Back to Top 5. Will my child's teeth straighten on their own as they grow? Once most of the permanent teeth are visible their alignment will not improve. The space available for the front teeth does not increase as the child grows. If your child's bite is incorrect it will also not improve with age unless an orthodontist is able to initiate growth modification procedures. Back to Top 6. Will I have to have any teeth removed? With the advanced orthodontic procedures available today the need for removing teeth has been greatly reduced. Straight teeth along with a harmonious smile and profile are always our goals. There are times when teeth need to be removed to attain these goals. Back to Top 7. How long will treatment last? This depends on each patient's orthodontic problems and treatment needs. In general treatment times range from 15 to 24 months. With New Generation Braces used only at Henderson Orthodontics we find treatment times are reduced 6 to 9 months when compared to conventional braces. Back to Top 8. How often will I have appointments? Appointments are scheduled according to the individual needs of the patient therefore the intervals vary greatly. In general during the early stages of treatment adjustment appointments are 8-10 weeks apart. As treatment nears completion these visits may be 4-6 weeks apart. Occasionally there are situations where patients require more frequent monitoring. Back to Top 9. Can I have all of my appointments before or after school? Unfortunately, we cannot schedule all appointments during non-school hours. The vast majority of our patients are students so this is not logistically possible. The good news is that because most appointments are scheduled 8-10 weeks apart, most patients will miss very little school. We refer to all area school calendars and make every attempt to meet the scheduling needs of our patients. Back to Top 10. Can I drop my child off for an appointment? Yes, but please let us know first, as we may need to talk with you before the appointment. Also leave us your cell phone number in case we need to contact you. It is also okay for a friend or relative to bring your child to the appointments. Back to Top 11. What if I have questions during treatment? We encourage you to ask questions, we want you to be well informed of your progress. It is an office policy for Dr. Henderson or one of the Henderson Orthodontics' team members to communicate with a parent at each visit. Back to Top 12. Can I watch my child being worked on? Yes, in fact we have chairs for parents or friends next to each patient treatment chair. Back to Top 13. Can I return to school the day I have my braces placed? Yes, there is no reason to miss school after you have had an appointment. Back to Top 14. Do you give shots? No, shots are not needed for placement or adjustments of braces. Back to Top 15. Do braces hurt? Most patients experience some discomfort the first few days after they are placed and after they are adjusted. Tylenol or Advil are generally adequate to reduce the discomfort. With New Generation Orthodontics our patients are experiencing reduced discomfort after their visits. Back to Top 16. Do you use recycled braces (brackets)? No! While this is done in a few offices, we feel that orthodontic brackets should only be used on a single patient. Back to Top 17. Are there foods I cannot eat while I have braces? Yes, please refer to our Foods to Avoid page for a complete list. The list will be reviewed with you at your first visit and reemphasized at your bonding appointment. Back to Top 18. Can I still play sports and/or musical instruments while wearing braces? Yes. For sports we recommend the use of a mouthguard. The Shock Doctor which can be purchased at most sporting goods stores is our preference. There will be an adjustment period of 2 to 3 weeks after placement and after removal of the braces if you play a musical instrument. We can provide you with a lip protector to cushion your lips from your braces. Back to Top 19. Are retainers necessary and for how long? A retainer is a removable or fixed appliance that prevents your teeth from shifting while the bone, gums and muscles stabilize. We recommend indefinite retainer wear as teeth shift throughout life. This occurs with all people, even in those with perfectly straight teeth that have never had braces. Back to Top 20. When will I need my wisdom teeth removed? For our growing patients Dr. Henderson will generally have a feel for this when the braces are removed. New x-rays are taken at this time to evaluate the status of the wisdom teeth. For the majority of our patients the ideal time to remove the wisdom teeth is from age 14 to 16. For some patients the wisdom teeth have adequate space and do not need to be removed. Back to Top