Dr. Kenneth A. Holman

Hi, there is no one simple answer to your question. It depends on what type of braces a person has and how many they have. A simple tightening can take 10 minutes and a complex one involves changing both upper and lower wires, sometimes with complicated wires to make, and that might take 45 minutes. I know that is a big range, but it is all dictated by the problems individual patients have that need correction.

Thanks for asking, Dr. Holman
*Jessica*

*Scheduling & Financial Coordinator*


*Holman OrthodonticsKenneth A. Holman D.D.S.*

*3221 Jefferson Ave, STE 1*

*Redwood City, CA 94062*

*Phone: (650) 257-3955Fax: (650) 362-4905*

*Email: info@kenholmanortho.com <info@kenholmanortho.com>*
*Website: www.kenholmanortho.com <http://www.kenholmanortho.com>*

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The American Association of Orthodontists recommends that all children should be seen by an orthodontist at age 7. If he hasn't seen an orthodontist, you should take him to one for an initial examination. The types of problems you discuss in your question will be identified by the orthodontist and recommendations can be made. With this type of situation, rarely do we want to wait until all permanent teeth erupt before taking any action. We can often intercept these problems before they get to be more
difficult to correct. Hope this helps.

Kenneth A. Holman, D.D.S.

Having swollen cheeks would be hard to evaluate by email. It is not a usual outcome of removing braces, so I would check with your orthodontist to be seen ASAP to make sure there is no sign of infection from or allergy to any of the materials used.

Kenneth A. Holman D.D.S.

It is certainly possible to do braces on just the upper arch. The question is, what type of bite do you have and do the upper and lower teeth meet together properly. It is possible to have misaligned upper teeth and straight lower teeth and still have a bite problem that ideally would be best to treat with braces on both arches if your goal is to straighten your teeth and correct your bite. If your bite is good and your upper teeth are malaligned then upper braces only is a good solution to your problem. Hope that helps.

If you are worried about this, you should discuss your concerns with your orthodontist and feel satisfied with the answers to your concerns. If you are not, you should get a second opinion and be certain that your choice is the correct one before doing an irreversible procedure. Hope that helps.

It is difficult to anwer that question without knowing what type of alignment issues you have. Do you have crowding, spacing or some other alignment issues. Some simple cases can be treated in as little as 6 months and others may require 1-2 years. I knopw that is a wide range, but it really totally depends on the problem you have. It is best to have a consultation with an orthodontist and find out directly what the choicesw are.

It's difficult to anwer that question without seeing the patient, but
usually the retainers might need to be adjusted, because it appears they
are not fitting in the proper wear. sometimes a different type of retainer
is needed, because the original problem was difficult and the teeth are in
need of a different type of retention appliance. These are just a few of
the reasons why you might experience movement in your teeth. I hope this
helps. Dr. Holman