Braces That Handle What Aligners Cannot

Getting them on does not hurt — there are no injections and nothing is drilled. What most patients feel is soreness for three to five days afterward, and again briefly after each adjustment, as the teeth begin to move. It reads as pressure or tenderness when biting rather than sharp pain. Soft foods and over-the-counter pain relief handle it well. Orthodontic wax covers any bracket that irritates the cheek while the mouth adjusts over the first couple of weeks.

Cost depends on how complex the case is and how long treatment runs, which is why any practice quoting a single number before examining you is guessing. What we can promise is that you will receive the full cost in writing at your treatment-planning visit, including retainers, before anything is bonded. We review insurance benefits and payment plan options at that same visit.

Most comprehensive treatment starts between ages 11 and 15, once the permanent teeth have come in. That said, the first orthodontic evaluation should happen much earlier — around age seven — because a small number of children benefit significantly from early intervention that is no longer available later. Being evaluated at seven does not mean starting braces at seven; for most kids it means being monitored until the right time.
Early Orthodontic Treatment →

Yes to both. For contact sports, an orthodontic mouthguard is essential and we will fit one — it protects both the braces and the lips. For wind and brass instruments, there is usually an adjustment period of a week or two while the embouchure adapts, and wax over the brackets helps considerably during that stretch. Musicians who have played through braces generally report it as a temporary nuisance rather than a lasting problem.