Orthodontics
Braces
Braces are small brackets on your teeth joined by a wire that moves them a little at each visit. They are for teens and adults with crooked, crowded or gapped teeth or a bite that doesn't meet.
Dr. Goel looks at your teeth and bite and tells you whether braces suit them, what else you could do and what happens if you wait. If you go ahead, you choose metal or clear brackets and, with elastics, your colors.
In short
Metal or clear brackets
A visit every 6 to 10 weeks
Treatment that usually runs a year or two, sometimes longer
What happens, step by step
- 01
Step 1: The first visit
A talk, photos of your teeth, X-rays if needed, and the options, with the plan and fee in writing.
- 02
Step 2: Putting them on
Your teeth are cleaned and dried, the brackets are placed, and the wire goes in. It takes about 90 minutes. Nothing is drilled.
- 03
Step 3: Adjustment visits
Every 6 to 10 weeks Dr. Goel checks your teeth, changes the wire if needed and swaps your elastics.
- 04
Step 4: Taking them off
The brackets come off and your retainers are fitted. You wear them as Dr. Goel says.
Good to know before you start
Comfort
Putting braces on needs no numbing. Teeth can ache for a few days after the braces go on and after some adjustments; Dr. Goel tells you what helps. Ask for a break any time.
Other options, and waiting
You could straighten teeth with aligners, or wait. Some bite problems get harder to correct later, and some stay the same. Dr. Goel tells you which applies to yours.
Risks and after-care
Brackets and wires trap food, so brushing takes longer and sugary food can leave marks on teeth. A bracket can come loose. You get written after-care instructions and a number to call.
How it's billed
The fee covers the whole treatment, in writing before it starts. Dental plans that pay for braces usually pay part of it, and the front desk checks yours.
How fees work
Questions about braces
How long will I have braces?
It depends on your teeth and how closely you follow Dr. Goel's directions. He gives you a range at the first visit, and it can change.
Can I play a sport or an instrument?
Yes, with a mouth guard for contact sports. Brass and woodwind players may need some weeks to get used to braces.
What can't I eat?
Hard and sticky food can break a bracket. You'll get a list. Most other foods are fine.
What if a bracket comes off?
Call us. We'll tell you whether it can wait until your next visit.
Provided by an orthodontist
Dr. Dilip Goel, DMD, licensed in Alabama. His residency in orthodontics and his board status are listed on his page.