Orthodontic FAQs

Absolutely not! The braces placed on your teeth are sometimes so unnoticeable that more than a few patients have fallen asleep or don’t even recognize they are done until we tell them we’re finished. We will always dry the teeth and condition them so that the glue will stick the braces to the teeth. This process requires us to isolate the teeth either by holding the cheeks off the teeth or by using cotton rolls and gauze to maintain the dry surface of the enamel. After the braces are placed, we shine a bright light on the glue which causes it to fully cure and that’s it!

The cost of every patient’s treatment is different based on their individual needs and complexity of their bite issues. Generally, the longer the treatment and the more complex the issues are, the greater the fees will be compared to less complex and, therefore, less involved cases. If significant coordination with other specialists and practitioners is required, higher treatment fees can be expected as well. Another factor that can lead to a higher treatment fee is untreated bite issues that may have been easily corrected at an earlier age had they been caught. It’s always good to get your child in to see an orthodontist by the age of seven to detect any developing bite issues and to get an idea of their particular orthodontic needs down the road. Be assured that the cost is kept as low as possible to make orthodontics accessible to a wider range of those in need! If you are curious about how much orthodontic treatment might cost, call us to discuss your concerns and Dr. Bolerjack would be happy to reserve a time to meet with you individually.

This completely depends on everyone’s individual treatment needs and case complexity coupled with the ability of the patient to wear rubber bands, come to appointments in a timely manner, keep brackets and wires from breaking/bending, and brush well. These things will keep treatment moving very efficiently. Rescheduling appointments at the last minute is a big factor that many patients may not realize can quickly slow down treatment progress. This can delay your treatment up to three weeks in some cases! Patients can also wear their rubber bands exactly as prescribed by Dr. Bolerjack and the team in order to keep treatment moving efficiently and on track. By not wearing them consistently the biology of the moving teeth is disrupted, which slows the entire treatment process. Clean, inflammation-free gums will actually help the teeth to move faster! By avoiding hard foods that can bend the archwires and break brackets, patients will experience fewer visits to the office and less overall treatment time.

No. Expanders do a great job of gaining more arch width by stimulating the upper jaw to actually grow more bone. When this happens the gums and cheeks must make room for the new width and this is a very slow process that occurs over several months. The new boney position of the jaw must also be stabilized during this time to avoid the high potential for significant relapse. We generally recommend that everyone maintain their expanders in place after expansion is complete for up to 9 to 12 months. They can help a variety of other tooth movements while they are in place and greatly reduce the relapse that will occur naturally when removed.

Selecting an orthodontist in Cedar Park, TX who can help you achieve your smile dreams is important. Orthodontists are dental specialists who diagnose, prevent and treat dental and facial irregularities. They receive an additional two to three years of specialized education beyond dental school to learn the proper way to align and straighten teeth. Only those with this formal education may call themselves “orthodontists,” and only orthodontists may be members of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO). Dr. Brian Bolerjack from Cedar Park Orthodontics has achieved this specialization and is an active member in AAO.

The American Association of Orthodontists recommends an orthodontic screening at age seven. By this age, most children have several permanent teeth that have erupted, letting us evaluate their orthodontic needs. By this age, Dr. Bolerjack can spot subtle problems with jaw growth and emerging teeth while some baby teeth are still present. That’s important, because some orthodontic problems may be easier to correct if they’re found early. Most orthodontic patients begin active braces treatment between ages 9 and 14.

Patients can start rubber band wear as early as the first month of treatment or as late as 12 months into treatment. The timing for beginning rubber band wear and the duration, direction, and strength of the rubber bands are all based on what types of bite correction will be done. Most patients will wear them almost up until the last day of treatment to ensure the most stable result.

Rubber bands will help to bring the bite together so the upper and lower teeth fit together harmoniously and are comfortable. They can help correct underbites, overbites, crossbites, and midline shifts as well! The more consistent the rubber bands are worn, the more the teeth will respond and the faster the treatment will progress.