The questions families in Riverview, FL ask an orthodontist most often, answered here. Anything specific to your own teeth needs an examination, and that examination is free, so please do not use a web page as a substitute for one. Call 813-867-0414.
Questions about a specific treatment are answered on that treatment’s own page. Cost is on cost and financing, the first appointment is on first visit, and broken brackets are on emergency care.
Getting Started
At what age should a child first see an orthodontist?
About seven, according to the American Association of Orthodontists. Most seven-year-olds need no treatment at all and simply get rechecked periodically. The point of the visit is to catch the small number of problems, such as crossbites and narrow jaws, that are far easier to correct while the jaw is still growing. See early treatment.
What are the two types of orthodontics?
The usual split is between fixed appliances, meaning braces bonded to the teeth, and removable appliances, meaning clear aligners, expanders, and retainers. A second and more useful split for patients is between interceptive treatment, which is short and early and addresses one specific problem, and comprehensive treatment, which corrects the whole bite once the permanent teeth are in.
Do you see patients who started treatment somewhere else?
Yes. Transfer patients are common when families move, and we also see patients who are unhappy with how a case is going elsewhere. Bring whatever records you have, including the previous practice’s name, and we will assess where the case actually stands before quoting anything.
Are teeth 100 percent straight after braces?
The goal is a bite that functions correctly and looks right, which is not quite the same as geometric perfection. Small irregularities that nobody but an orthodontist would notice are sometimes left deliberately, because chasing them would mean months more treatment for no functional gain. If something bothers you about your result, say so before the braces come off, not after.
What is the rule of 7 in orthodontics?
It is shorthand for the age-seven evaluation guideline, the same one above. Some people use it to mean the seven-year point at which a child should have had a first orthodontic check. It is a memory aid rather than a clinical rule.
What is a Sunday bite?
A Sunday bite, sometimes called a habitual or postured bite, is when someone unconsciously slides their lower jaw forward into a more flattering position. It can hide an underbite or a crossbite and make a bite look better than it is. Part of an orthodontic examination is guiding the jaw into its true position so the actual relationship is what gets diagnosed.
How long are teeth sore after braces are put on?
Three to five days for most people, easing steadily after the second day. After each adjustment, expect a day or two of milder soreness. It is a dull ache rather than sharp pain, and it is worst when biting.
What is the hardest week of braces?
The first one, and by a good margin. Teeth are sore, and the inside of the cheeks and lips has not yet toughened against the brackets. Orthodontic wax handles the second problem while your mouth adapts, which takes roughly a week. Almost nobody finds later months difficult by comparison.
My braces hurt so much I cannot eat. What helps?
Soft, cold food. Yogurt, smoothies, scrambled eggs, soup that is not hot, pasta, mashed potato. Taking over-the-counter pain relief before the soreness peaks, rather than after, works better than waiting. A warm salt-water rinse helps sore gums, and cold water helps aching teeth. If it is severe, lasts beyond a few days, or is coming from one specific spot rather than generally, call us, because something may be poking.
Do braces make adults look younger?
Sometimes, though not for the reason people expect. Straightening does not change facial aging. What can change is lip support and the amount of teeth visible when you smile, both of which shift as teeth wear and crowd over the years, and correcting those often reads as looking fresher. It is a side effect, not a treatment goal, and anyone selling orthodontics as a facelift is overselling it. See adult orthodontics.
Is there such a thing as an emergency orthodontist?
Yes, in the sense that orthodontic practices handle urgent problems for their own patients, usually with a same-week repair appointment. What almost never requires emergency care is the thing most people call about: a loose bracket. Genuine medical emergencies, meaning heavy bleeding, a suspected broken jaw, or trouble breathing, go to an emergency room rather than to us. See emergency care.
What languages do you speak at the practice?
English, Arabic, and Spanish. Dr. Abdulrazzaq speaks fluent Arabic and treats Arabic-speaking patients in Arabic.
Still Have a Question
Call 813-867-0414 and ask. If it needs an examination to answer properly, the examination is free. We are at 10061 Beach Verbena Drive in Riverview, and you can request an appointment online any time.