Frequently Asked Questions: Teenage Orthodontic Patients (tm) Part 1

Includes:

This FAQ has been divided into several sections to make it load faster

Click Here To Return To The Table Of Contents
Click Here To Go To The Next Set Of Questions

Click Here To Return To The Orthodontic Information Page (tm)

Why Should I Get Braces?

Contents Of This Section:

  1. Why should I get Braces?

    • It is hard to believe when you are going through it, but braces will improve your smile and make you look excellent.

      Your smile is the most striking part of your face. Look in the mirror. Do you like your smile now. Well, the orthodontist will make your smile look fabulous. You will end up looking great. Think about how looking great will improve your social life.


    Before

    After

    After
    Figure 1 An example of how much orthodontic treatment can improve your face. These pictures were published, by Dr David Sarver, DMD MS, in the American Journal Of Orthodontics, 110(1996) 128. © 1996, the American Association of Orthodontists, with permission

      The American Association Of Orthodontics (AAO) has a new FREE video imaging service that will let you see how good you will look after you get braces. Contact the AAO at 800-787-2444 for more details.

      Even Cool Dudes get braces, because they want to look excellent, and everyone knows that braces will make your smile excellent.

      Braces Improve Your Health

    • You will be able to chew your food better.

      Chewing is the first step in digestion. If your teeth are not straight, you will not be able to chew your food correctly so partially unchewed food will go down to your stomach. That can give you an upset stomach

    • You will avoid dental problems.

      If you do not get orthodontic treatment when you need it you will have problems with your teeth for years to come; your teeth will be hard to clean. Your gums will hurt. Your teeth will wear in ways that the should not. The effects are significant enough that many adults are now going back to the orthodontist for braces.

    • You may avoid developing a breathing problem.

      As you get older the roof your mouth can sometimes partially block the air passages in your nose. That makes you snore loudly, and may contribute to a condition called "sleep apnea". If you get braces you can avoid this possibility.

    Besides, do you really think that your parents would pay $3,000 to $7,000 for braces if you did not really need them? For further Information about why to get braces click here

  2. Why do people need braces, and why didn't evolution/natural selection eliminate the need for braces?

    Good Question! Orthodontic problems are built into your genes.

    Back, 10,000 years ago, in the days of the cave men people had nearly perfect bites. No one needed braces. But then adult cave men were only four feet tall. Teenagers were two or three feet (0.7 to 1 meter) tall.

    In the last 10,000 years, people got bigger. People's mouths got a little bigger but people's teeth got A LOT BIGGER. The result is that most peoples teeth no longer fit correctly in most people's mouths. Your orthodontist moves around your teeth and possibly stretches your mouth so everything fits correctly.

    Look how big your front teeth are now. Would those teeth fit if you were only two or three (70 cm to 1 M) feet tall?

  3. Are there other reasons that people need braces.

    Hmm. We do not know. It has been said that if babies use a pacifier (dummy) for too long, they can develop an incorrect bite. Orthodontic problems can also be caused by injuries to your mouth, or if you suck you thumb when you are older than two. Some orthodontists also say that fingernail biting, or lip biting can also cause orthodontic problems. There is also some information about breastfeeding increasing orthodontic problems if the breastfeeding is stopped suddenly. Still, most people need braces because their teeth grow faster than their mouth. That is a natural part of growing up, and there is nothing you can do about it.

  4. How many teenagers need braces?

    About 70% of US teenagers need braces. Just look at your class at school. Probably, two out of three of the kids have braces or will have braces.

  5. How Much Do Braces Cost?

    Between $3,000 and $7,000 in the USA. Prices go up to $15,000 in japan. That may seem like a lot of money, but your parents think that braces are important enough that they are getting them for you. Isn't it nice to know that your parents love you enough to spend $3500 to $8000 on braces.

    For further Information About The Cost Of Braces Click Here


Click Here To Go To The Next Set Of Questions

Click Here To Return To The Orthodontic Information Page(tm)

Click Here To Go To The FAQ For Parents Of Orthodontic Patients(tm)

Click Here To Go To The Dictionary Of Orthodontic Terms(tm)

Dental Insurance