Rapid City Orthodontics Has Answers
New to braces? Dr. Hudson can help.
Get answers to the most common orthodontic questions from people like you in Rapid City.
Frequently Asked Questions in Rapid City
If you don't see your question listed, you can always call our Rapid City Orthodontics office and our helpful team members will be happy to answer all your questions.
Treatment time depends on each patient’s specific orthodontic problem. In general, treatment time lasts from 8 months to 30 months. The "average" time frame a person is in braces is approximately 18-24 months.
Yes. Once treatment begins, we will explain the complete instructions and provide a comprehensive list of foods to avoid.
Some of those foods include: ice, hard candy, raw vegetables and all sticky foods (i.e. caramel and taffy).
You can avoid most emergency appointments to repair broken or damaged braces by carefully following our instructions.
Dr. Hudson and the American Association of Orthodontists recommends an orthodontic screening at age seven.
By this age, several permanent teeth in most children have erupted, allowing us to effectively evaluate your orthodontic condition at Rapid City Orthodontics.
Yes. We understand your busy schedule and we are happy to help you make the most of your time. On some occasions, we may request to speak with a parent when they return so we ask that parents check-in with our front desk before dropping off their child.
We do the best we can to schedule appointments at times that are convenient for you and your child. Unfortunately, we cannot schedule all appointments for students during after-school hours.
Because most appointments are scheduled 8 to 10 weeks apart, most Rapid City Orthodontics patients will miss minimal school due to their orthodontic treatments.
Yes. Dr. Hudson and our team recommend a mouth guard for all sports.
Mouth guards are available at our Rapid City Orthodontics office.
Yes. A tooth with a crown will move just like a tooth with a simple filling.
When teeth are missing, orthodontic treatment at Rapid City Orthodontics will aid in the alignment of the remaining teeth.
Yes. There is no reason you cannot return to school the same day.
Yes. Some orthodontic problems are significant enough to require early intervention at Rapid City Orthodontics.
If a patient is not yet ready for treatment, Dr. Hudson will follow that patient's growth and development until the time is right for treatment to begin.
Generally, braces do not "hurt." After certain visits, your teeth may be sore for a few days. In these situations, pain medications such as Advil or Tylenol will ease discomfort.
However, after most visits to at Rapid City Orthodontics, patients do not feel any soreness at all! We often remind our patients, “It does not have to hurt to work!”
Yes! Regular checkups with your family dentist are important while in braces. We recommend dental cleanings every 3-4 months while in braces.
It is not possible to give an exact cost for treatment until we have examined you. We will cover the exact cost and financial options during the initial examination.
We have several financing options available to accommodate your needs, and we will review these with you at Rapid City Orthodontics.
We will also review your insurance policy and help to maximize your benefit and file your claims.
Patients at Rapid City Orthodontics should brush their teeth at least four times each day - after each meal and before going to bed.
We will show each patient how to floss their teeth with braces and may also provide a prescription for a special fluoride, if necessary.
Appointments are scheduled at Rapid City Orthodontics according to each patient's needs. Most patients in braces will be seen every 8 to 10 weeks.
If there are specific situations that require more frequent monitoring, we will schedule appointments accordingly.
No, it is not.
Many of our patients at Rapid City Orthodontics are referred by their family dentist, but many other patients take the initiative to schedule an examination themselves.
A surprising percentage of our patients are adults. In fact, 25 percent of all orthodontic patients are adults at Rapid City Orthodontics.
Health, happiness and self-esteem are vitally important to adults and no patient is "too old" to wear braces!
During your orthodontic treatment, if a bracket falls off, a wire is poking, or there are other changes that cause discomfort, please call our office to schedule a comfort appointment during regular business hours.
If you have an emergency due to injury resulting in severe pain or bleeding, please call our office immediately. If the emergency is after hours, the office recording will provide you with an on-call number.
Teeth, and sometimes entire facial structures, are permanently changed by orthodontic treatment. It’s important that the treatment be appropriate and properly completed.
Orthodontic specialists like Dr. Hudson have extensive and specialized training that enables them to provide their patients with professional, personalized treatments.
Removing teeth is very rarely required to achieve the best orthodontic result. Straight teeth and a balanced facial profile are the goals of orthodontics.
However, because new technology has provided advanced orthodontic procedures, removing teeth is not usually necessary for orthodontic treatment at Rapid City Orthodontics.
At the completion of the initial examination, Dr. Hudson will determine whether a patient will need an expander.
It is best to assume that your child will need full braces even after Phase One treatment. The period following Phase One treatment is called the "resting period," during which growth and tooth eruption are closely monitored.
Throughout this period, parents and patients of Rapid City Orthodontics will be kept informed of future treatment recommendations.
No, they will not. The space available for the front teeth does not increase as you grow.
In most people around Rapid City, after the permanent molars erupt, the space available for the front teeth decreases with age.