Common Questions About Orthodontics

Orthodontic FAQs
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We're dedicated to your experience

From the moment you first walk in the front door, you’ll quickly realize that we’re dedicated to your experience with us. That means if you have any questions or concerns, we’ll spend the time it takes to make sure those are answered — simply contact us at our Hanover, PA, or Reisterstown, PA, office!

Why is it so important to build a relationship with you? Because we know that regular visits during your treatment are the cornerstone of great oral health. We want to build a relationship that will last a lifetime, so that we can ensure you always have that beautiful smile!

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Common Questions About Orthodontics

Have questions? We're here to help!

Even if your child's teeth look straight, there may be problems requiring an orthodontist's expertise. Regular dental checkups may alert you to the need for specialized orthodontic treatment, but examination by a dedicated orthodontist is recommended for all children from the age of 7. We offer free initial consultations where we can assess your child and offer any recommendations. 

There are some things to look out for at any age which could necessitate an appointment with an orthodontist for further evaluation.

These include:

  • Hesitation to show teeth while talking or smiling
  • Difficulty speaking/having a lisp
  • Difficulty in chewing or recurring biting of cheeks
  • Difficulty cleaning teeth or removing food stuck between teeth

This refers to two separate parts of orthodontic treatment to prevent the need for more intense treatment later. It involves starting a small child on orthodontics (Phase 1) while their teeth are still developing, then addressing alignment problems once the permanent teeth have erupted (Phase 2).

The first phase aims to correct problems early as they're still developing, such as crossbites or tooth crowding. It usually starts after the permanent front teeth erupt. The sooner treatment starts, the better the chances of preventing more severe issues later. 

While Phase 1 guides the teeth into place, they may not be completely aligned properly until all of the permanent teeth are in. Once that happens, we can evaluate your child and proceed with Phase 2 treatment, if necessary. Phase 2 treatment is significantly discounted in our office because you have paid full price for Phase 1.

No! We evaluate to find out if this will save you time, expense, and hassle down the road. But the majority of our patients can wait until they have all their permanent teeth to begin treatment.

We recommend two-phase treatment if we believe the orthodontic issues are going to become much worse over time. We want to avoid things like extractions, jaw surgery, and increased costs. While you can wait if you wish, please know that it will likely be costlier in the long run, and much more uncomfortable for your child. 

You can expect them to feel unusual and uncomfortable for the first few days after placement, or after each adjustment. Using an over-the-counter medication for pain relief will help during this period. Most of the time, you'll barely notice your braces or clear aligners. 

We assess and treat on a case-by-case basis. An average timeline could be less than 18 months, some take up to 22 months. We won't know until we perform a full examination and evaluation. We then will be able to tell you how long treatment will take. 

When all your permanent teeth have already erupted, such as in adolescents or adults, we use full orthodontic treatment when there was no chance to perform Phase 1 treatment.

We say never! We have a large number of adult patients in our practice and pride ourselves on making the process just as fun for adults as for children. You may see the pace of your transformation move a little slower than a developing child’s, but you can still see amazing changes! We’ve treated patients in their 50s, 60s, and 70s!

Yes! In some cases, particularly with tooth crowding, the extra space may give us more room to align your teeth properly. Otherwise, we can hold the space so your dentist can fill it later with something like a dental implant (false tooth). 

Extraction therapy means we need to remove permanent teeth to make room to align the rest of the teeth properly. We try not to use extractions unless it's absolutely necessary. 

Non-extraction therapy means we move your teeth into place without extracting any teeth. We use this type of treatment most often, but we will let you know which option is best for your particular case. 

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doctor candids shoe orthodontics hanover pa reisterstown md 2022 226

Dedicated to Smiles in Hanover & Reisterstown

Dr. Jason Shoe started Shoe Orthodontics with the goal of making the experience fun and comfortable for every patient. He wanted to provide exceptional orthodontic care using an honest, friendly approach to make his patients feel at ease. 

Dr. Shoe wants to advance the quality and convenience of orthodontic treatment by implementing the latest technology available in his offices. That way, you will receive excellent care using the latest techniques and a friendly, energized team that will see to your needs! 

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