Your Orthodontic Journey: Questions Uncovered

Self-treatment is not advisable. Dental and orthodontic treatment should always be conducted under the supervision of a licensed healthcare professional.

Patients should be aware that “do-it-yourself” treatment substantially increases the risk of irreparable damage.

For example, rubber bands can work their way under the gumline and, over time, if forgotten or not removed, can strangle the root of the tooth, and kill the tooth. That could lead to the need for an extraction.

If a tooth has rotated, something within the oral cavity caused it. Please consult an orthodontist to understand what has caused your tooth to turn, and how it can best be corrected.

Find members of the American Association of Orthodontists near you using Find an Orthodontist.

Do be sure to consult with a member of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO). AAO membership is your assurance that the doctor is an orthodontist because the AAO accepts only orthodontists as members. To be an orthodontist means the individual must first graduate from dental school, and then successfully complete an additional 2-3 years of studying orthodontics at an accredited orthodontic residency program. Only those who have this level of formal education may call themselves “orthodontists.” And only orthodontists are eligible for admission into the American Association of Orthodontists.

Orthodontists have the training, experience and treatment options to make sure you get your best smile.

Bonding is the name used for the process of attaching brackets to teeth using an adhesive.

On average, you will see the orthodontist about every six to ten weeks during treatment. This allows the orthodontist make the changes needed to progress through treatment and also allows them to keep an eye on your treatment progress, and monitor the health of your teeth and gums.

The ads you are seeing may be for veneers. They cover teeth and mask the problem, but do not address the structure in the mouth or how the upper and lower teeth meet. Veneers are not permanent. Many require removal of significant amounts of tooth enamel. If plaque collects where the veneer and the remaining natural tooth meet, the area will be susceptible to what is known as “recurrent decay,” more commonly known as cavities. 

Orthodontic treatment is far more than simply treating how teeth look. It’s about aligning teeth and jaws so that they meet and function effectively. It just so happens that when teeth and jaws are functioning well, they look good, too.

The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) does not provide funding for orthodontic treatment, but there are several programs that offer orthodontic treatment to patients in need at little or no cost.

The American Association of Orthodontists Donated Orthodontic Services Program (DOS) is offered to patients in need throughout the U.S. Applicants must meet financial need requirements.

Other U.S. programs providing orthodontic care to those who meet eligibility requirements: 

Smiles Change Lives and Smile for a Lifetime Foundation provide orthodontic treatment in many regions of the U.S.

Advantage Smiles for Kids – Washington, Oregon, and Idaho

The Colorado Orthodontic Foundation – for children in Colorado.

Assisting Children to Smile and Sunshyne Smiles Orthodontic Program – South Dakota 

Also check with your state or local dental society to ask if they are aware of any programs that exist in your area.

In Canada: 

Smiles 4 Canada – British Columbia, the Prairies, Ontario, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, Labrador.

Contact the department within your state’s government that administers the Medicaid program and request a list of providers who are orthodontists.

If you have a Medicaid card, there may be a phone number to call for information. Your state’s Medicaid contact information might also be available online.

The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) is open exclusively to orthodontists – only orthodontists are admitted for membership. The only doctors who can call themselves “orthodontists” have graduated from dental school and then successfully completed the additional two-to-three years of education in an accredited orthodontic residency program.

When you choose an AAO orthodontist for orthodontic treatment, you can be assured that you have selected a specialist orthodontist, an expert in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics who possesses the skills and experience to give you your best smile. Locate AAO orthodontists through Find an Orthodontist at aaoinfo.org.