Ask an orthodontist: Questions you’d love to ask an orthodontist, but Googled instead.
- Full Face Orthodontics
- Jul 8
- 4 min read
To celebrate the return of our podcast, “Ask an Orthodontist", we answered some of the orthodontic questions you’d love to ask. We hope this will help, but if you have any questions we haven’t answered here, check us out on Instagram and Youtube, or go ahead and book a consultation via 1800 FULL FACE / 1800 385 532.
Do I need a referral to see an orthodontist?
No you don’t! Simply make an appointment and come along. We will book you in for a consultation to take a look at your, or your child’s case, then discuss whether orthodontics is right for you, and if so what treatment options are available to you.
What’s the difference between a dentist and an orthodontist?
While both dentists and orthodontists can offer orthodontic treatments, an orthodontist has completed an extra three years of specialist training at University, in the field of orthodontics.
What age should my child get braces?
We recommend age 7 is a good time for an orthodontic consultation. This allows the orthodontist to be able to better utilise facial growth to widen the palate, allowing room for the adult teeth to come through. This approach can reduce the need for extractions and surgery, later in life.
How do I know if my child needs braces?
Here is a list of reasons you should bring your child to see an orthodontist;
Their teeth are crooked
They have a narrow palate
They have a gummy smile
They have a misaligned bite i.e. an overbite, an underbite, a crossbite.
They don’t have space between their baby teeth
They snore, mouth breathe, have an open-mouth facial posture, they have hyperactivity and or behavioural problems, or have sleeping issues such as sleep disordered breathing, sleep aponea, restless sleep or bed wetting.
Do you need all your adult teeth to get braces? Can you get braces with baby teeth?
We love parents to bring their kids in to start orthodontics before all their adult teeth are through. This way we can utilise the child’s growth to make room for those adult teeth. Your child will end up with a fuller smile, avoid the unnecessary extraction of heathy teeth, and avoid a lifetime with a narrow jaw and potentially a compromised airway.
How much do braces cost?
There is not a set price as it depends on the complexity of the case, and the length of time you will need to be in orthodontics. Like anything, the cheapest isn’t going to be the best, and we know that orthodontics is an investment into so many aspects of your or your child’s life, health and confidence. If price is a concern for you, ask us about our payment plan options.
Are braces covered by Medicare?
No, unfortunately orthodontics is not covered by medicare, but we offer payment plans for your orthodontic treatments, here at Full Face Orthodontics.
Are braces covered by health insurance?
Yes, however it will depend on your level of cover. Check with your insurance provider to see what your particular policy includes.
Do I need jaw surgery or braces?
This is a complex question to ask Google or Reddit. Either way, you can have a consultation with an orthodontist, and if it is surgery that is required, your orthodontist can provide you with a referral to a surgeon. Often surgical cases will require orthodontics, in conjunction with the jaw surgery.
Will braces fix an overbite, or an underbite?
If the overbite and underbite are related to the jaw, the best form of treatment is dentofacial orthopaedics, which is performed between the ages of seven and nine.
If your facial growth is complete, and you have a skeletal underbite, or overbite, that may require orthognathic surgery.
Moving teeth with braces and elastics would help an overbite and an underbite that are dental in origin, but would not be able to truly fix a skeletal problem. And that is why it is best to seek an initial orthodontic consultation by age seven.
Will braces change my face shape?
As a child, orthodontics can certainly influence the growing face. We often use expansion techniques to widen the palate in children between ages of four to fifteen. In a non-growing individual, braces will influence the teeth, but not the facial structure. Depending on your case, however, there are non-surgical options to change the face shape such as MSE.
Will braces fix my asymmetrical face?
The majority of asymmetrical faces are due to a postural shift of the lower jaw due to the constriction of the upper jaw, so yes if this is the case for you or your child, expansion of the upper jaw will help.
For the cases where the lower jaw has grown excessively on one side or not enough on the other side, then orthodontics would not be of help, as this would require a combination of orthodontics with orthognathic surgery. An orthodontist has done many years of extra training to be able to identify whether the cause of your asymmetry is a functional shift of the lower jaw (mandible) as opposed to true asymmetric growth of that jaw.
Is it bad for a child to grind their teeth while sleeping?
There is so much more at stake here than your child wearing down their teeth. Night time grinding can be an indicator of sleep disordered breathing. An airway focused orthodontist can take a look at your child’s airway, and not only help to uncover any sleep disordered breathing, in your child, but help in treating the cause.
Can I get braces as an adult?
Absolutely - it is never too late to have a smile you want to show off. We offer alternatives to metal braces, if you want something more discreet. Come see us to discuss some options.
You can listen to our podcast Ask an Orthodontist, where Specialist Orthodontist Dr Derek Mahony has insightful parent and patient focused conversations with industry experts, about all things orthodontics, airway and sleep, for you and your kids.
Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/ask-an-orthodontist-with-dr-derek-mahony/id1584591504
